#Mesoamerican influence

[robster2016]

Hidden Temple

“Hidden Temple” captivates with a striking portrayal of a mythological site concealed deep within the jungle. The artist has used a vibrant palette of blues, purples, and greens, blending them to evoke an eerie, mystical ambiance. The large, carved face in the rock is a powerful focal point, its features looming over the viewer as though guarding the secrets held within. This grand visage, with…

[moonlitlunas]

it's actually so so soo cool to me that miguel's suit is a hologram and performs like an LED screen on his body; i love that they added this detail bc it gives so much depth to his suit that would otherwise be lost like it makes the meso american inspired patterns on his suit such an enagmatic glow and makes his suit so cool to look at!!! just a million stars glowing on him !!!

SEE !!! THE CIRCUITRY... ITS SO FUCKING COOL !!!

[whencyclopedia]

Aztec Religion & Culture

Aztec religion and culture flourished between c. 1345 and 1521 and, at its height, influenced the majority of the people of northern Mesoamerica. Great monarchs such as Montezuma imposed Aztec ideals across the area of modern-day Mexico, influencing the region’s art, architecture, and cultural values. Their influence was so widespread that they remain the best-documented Mesoamerican civilization in history.

This collection presents a brief survey of some of the most significant aspects of the Aztec Civilization.

Continue reading...

[knuxschaotix]

No-fun-allowed Sonic fans: Knuckles can’t be Black because SA1 used Mesoamerican influences to represent echidna culture.

Mixed people: Am I a joke to you?

[cosmic-fault-comic]

Nayivi'nui'ivi - Queerness/People with two faces

Nayivi - Person or Human Nuu - Face Ivi - Two The tone in NUU is a little different, the last U in Nuu is a little Lower! This phrase is a bit strange because I've heard stories from people telling me how queerness is seen in Mixtec towns. They're seen as sorcerers, good luck charms, people with the ability to curse people. Perhaps this comes from suspicions from Spanish/Christian influence. In mesoamerican times, the face/head was said to hold a special power, called Tonali in Nahuatl! The belief is common all over Mexico. And masks were special too in these traditions, said to hold the power of the gods they represented, So literally putting on a mask and dressing in their image was said to make that person literally that god! I think this applies to myself as a trans woman, I have two faces, one in the physical, and another in the spiritual, the face I project into the world itself, I can interface with both just as easily. Maybe that makes me super lucky? Well probably not. Still its a fun thought. Masks are funny to think about.

Next page: Shoho'Inu - Rage/Boiling Insides

[blueiscoool]

Jade Mosaic Mask Discovered in Maya King's Royal Tomb

Revealing rare treasures and royal lineage.

A Tulane University archaeologist has recently discovered an ancient Maya tomb dating back 1,700 years at the site of Chochkitam in Guatemala near the borders of Mexico and Belize.

The tomb’s remarkable funeral offerings, such as a mosaic jade mask, rare mollusk shells, and writings carved in human femur bones, provide valuable insights into Maya civilization. The discovery includes depictions of a previously unknown king believed to be holding a jade mask similar to the one found in the tomb.

Hieroglyphs on the artifact are thought to connect the ruler to the Maya states of Tikal and Teotihuacan, providing historical and genealogical information.

This discovery is like winning the lottery in terms of information. It opens a window into an obscure time we have little texts about. The newly discovered tomb from the Maya classic period, dating from 250-900 AD, is a significant find given the limited remnants from this era, primarily affected by looting.

The tomb, located just 2 meters away from where looters had previously stopped, is remarkably well-preserved, with minimal damage aside from the natural decay and the collapse of the stone ceiling. This fortunate preservation provides archaeologists with a rare opportunity to explore the rich history and offerings within the tomb.

Estrada-Belli, a research assistant professor in the Tulane University School of Liberal Arts, said, “That was the first amazing thing about it. It was fortunate.”

Lidar technology played a crucial role in the tomb’s discovery by enabling archaeologists to detect looters’ tunnels and map the jungle floor precisely. This advanced technology, akin to ‘taking x-rays of the jungle floor,’ revolutionizes archaeological exploration, allowing researchers to navigate more efficiently through dense vegetation.

The tomb’s contents, including over 16 rare spondylus shells, provide valuable insights into ancient Maya practices, emphasizing their significance in royal contexts as symbols of wealth and elements used in religious and sacrificial ceremonies.

The relics from the tomb, dating back to 350 CE, establish a historical link between Tikal and the central Mexican site of Teotihuacan. This connection sheds light on the cultural exchanges and influences between Maya rulers and the wider Mesoamerican region during the Maya classic period.

The tomb’s contents, including a mosaic jade mask and hieroglyphs carved on human femur bones, offer insights into religious practices and royal lineage, enriching our understanding of ancient Maya civilization. The discovery at Chochkitam, after a century since Fran Blom’s initial exploration, underscores the significance of continued archaeological efforts.

Estrada-Belli said the next stage in his work at the site will be to conduct DNA testing on the bones and maybe uncover additional essential contents buried within the abandoned pyramid.

By Amit Malewar.

[stellar-pop]

Cultural references of Citlali

Citlali is my favorite character in Natlan and I haven’t seen people talking about her amazing but subtle elements in her design, she seems to have mostly Aztec and Mexica references which makes sense since these two communities were intertwined with each other at some point in history, I just wanna ramble about the elements I noticed! ;

DISCLAMER

If you think I got smth wrong tell me, even though I’m Mexican I cannot memorize every single detail about the cultural groups I’m talking about (Mexica/Aztec) , I had to do some research for this :P, if you also think there’s more elements I would absolutely love to start a conversation!!!! I love discussing the cultural aspects of Natlan as a whole!!! Also I know Natlan is based on the “ring of fire”, hence, I will not speak about cultures that I’m not a part of until I have done the proper research!

Name Origin!

Citlali’s name means star, but it’s also a derivative from the goddess Citlallicue, which can mean “skirt of stars”. In Mexica mythology she’s the creator of stars, and goddess of the milkyway, there’s also some writings which have Citlaltonac as her husband, but others say it’s just another variation of her name

Possible color inspiration

Citlali’s pink color palette is not a coincidence, she seems to be based on an axolotl, specifically the Ambyosta Rosacium, whose colors are a result of albinism

these animals have the ability of regeneration and keep several of their larva characteristics in their adulthood, the axolotl was thought to have eternal life because of their regeneration capabilities, or “eternal youth” in a sense

the Mexicas tought that this animal was the god Xolotl, the aztec god of the sun, and also called the “afternoon star”

Cultural references

Ilamatecutli could also be another variant of Citlallicue, in Mexica mythology she is the goddess of wisdom and old age, she was also the “feminine representation of old age” in some writings, other variants are “the old lady” and “custodian of traditions, fertility, earth and the knowledge passed down through generations”.

Ilamatecutli was also thought to be another variant of Chicomecoatl, goddess of corn, or the “old corn”, while this may be reaching I wonder if that also influenced her black/purple color palettes since there is the purple/black corn variant

Her dark purple tones can also be a reference to obsidian which was used in all of Mesoamerican for a variety of reason, but I want to highlight that it was used to create “obsidian mirrors” by the Aztecs, I believe this is where her nickname came from since these objects were called itzli! These mirrors had the power to reveal hidden truths, communicate with the spiritual world, and predict the future. Shamans and priests used these during various ceremonies along with other objects

The instrument used to make this textiles is actually called “telar de cintura” the most literal translation would be “waist loom”, but it seems that the translated English word is “blackstrap loom” probably pointing at her skirt in her design! Her entire desing is also filled with both Aztec and Mexica elements such as the triangle and diamond motifs, plus the “eyes” that characterize her tribe

That’s the cultural elements I could notice from Citlali, she’s my favorite character from not only from a design standpoint but also personality wise, and as a Mexican I am absolutely floored that I was able to recognize so many little details from Mexica and Aztec culture after researching her design !!!! I am also thinking of making a Kinich post since he seems to have various Mayan influences

[talonabraxas]

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” ― Soren Kierkegaard

The Aztec Culture Used Lots of Hallucinogenic Substances

The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican culture that formed in mid-Mexico around the year 1300 AD. The Aztecs are considered the ancestors of modern-day Nahuas, Mexico’s largest recognized indigenous group. The Aztec culture was highly interwoven with their religion, which focused on the worship of multiple deities including Tlaloc, Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, Xochipilli, and several more. And they are especially well-known for their extensive usage of hallucinogenic substances such as Teotlnanáctl mushrooms.

The Aztecs believed that these deities were responsible for creating the universe and keeping it functioning. If the gods were not pleased, they may cease to keep the Sun burning or prevent the Earth from receiving resources. To placate the gods, they frequently engaged in blood sacrifices of both animals and their own people. A sacrifice would ultimately thank the Earth for her fruitfulness and encourage the gods to continually revive the Sun. Their religious life also revolved around calendars, a ritual calendar that was 260 days long, and a solar calendar that was 365 days long.

The use of entheogens is a common theme amongst Aztec artifacts recovered from Mesoamerica. Entheogens are psychoactive substances that induce alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior in sacred contexts. Sculptures, statues, paintings, writings, and even fossilized remains of various entheogens (such as the Bufo toad) all point to the regular consumption of hallucinogenic substances within Aztec civilization. The Florentine Codex, a research study performed by Bernardino de Sahahun in the 16th century, actually identifies at least five specific entheogens used by the Aztecs.

Research suggests that outside of regular use by citizens during festivals and times of celebration, these hallucinogenic plants were predominantly used by officials, including priests and nobility. They would also be shared with visiting dignitaries as a form of welcome. Priests traditionally used the plants to engage in religious activities including divination, prophecy, healing, and dream interpretation.

Teotlnanácatl: In Search of the Aztec 'God's Flesh' Psychedelic Mushroom

[delta-orionis]

Talking about possible mesoamerican influence, they too placed great significance and research into the cycles of the sky, the movement of the stars the sun and the moon

" In common with many other indigenous Mesoamerican civilizations, the Aztecs put great ritual emphasis on calendrics, and scheduled festivals, government ceremonies, and even war around key transition dates in the Aztec calendar. "

Yes I saw your post!! Thank you for reminding me about the Mesoamerican influences in Rain World, I definitely think it ties into the theme of cycles and rebirth and whatnot. I completely forgot about it but a while ago I was bouncing around an idea in my brain about how the Cycle mirrors the circular nature of several Mesoamerican calendars. I need to do more research in that area if I want to actually come up with anything concrete, though.

At least in terms of Ancient astronomy, I think they would place importance on the movements of celestial bodies for similar reasons. In our own world, very early astronomy was developed as a form of time-keeping first and foremost, leading to the development of calendars and standardized units of time. (For example the word "month" comes from "moon" in English, and lots of other languages derive their words for "month" from "moon" as well).

On a metaphorical level the movements of celestial bodies represent the world's different cycles, particularly the cycle of death and rebirth. This is a common theme across many human cultures, and is of course another big theme in Rain World.

[chakotaybodypillow]

CHAKOTAYS TRIBE !!!!!! PLEASE READ IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HIS TRIBE!!!! I'VE DONE RESEARCH TO TRY AND FIND THE ANSWER!! <3

What the hell even is Chakotays tribe??? Would it be a surprise that there is an answer to that? What tribe he was based on has been questioned for a while and I’ve only seen a few people come close to a proper answer. I’ve seen people say that he is of Navajo/Dine descent or Ojibwe. I wouldn’t say any of those are wrong as his “traditions” were all over the place it made it hard to tell. Our first bit of evidence is the location he and his father traveled to in the episode “Tattoo”. Now this is my least favorite episode in Voyager, almost as worst as TNG’s Code of honor lol. So, it’s always hard to watch and I haven’t done so in a while, but I do remember they said they traveled to Central America. Obviously, this makes up a few different countries and tribes, but the most predominant Nation in this area are the Maya. I’ve been doing tons of research on this matter, and its literally impossible to compare Chakotay’s tribe to an individual Maya tribe. This is where the writers used the “Hollywood Indian” stereotype because its just all over the place. Other than the location, a few things that gives it away is the name of his tribe. They call themselves the “Rubber Tree People”. If you are familiar with Mesoamerican history, you would know that this is what “Olmec” is roughly translated to. Linguists were able to translate it from the Nahuatl word “Olmecatl” meaning “the rubber people who live on this land”. The rubber tree also plays a significant role in Mesoamerican tribes. The rubber from the tree was used to make the ball for the sacred game of “ulama”. Which played an important role of in the creation story in the Popol Vuh about the Hero Twins. The Olmecs came before the Maya and Aztec, but a lot of Olmec culture influenced their own. Whether or not Chakotay’s tribe were direct descendants of the Olmecs is unknown to me. It wouldn’t make much since historically speaking, but it would fit the narrative of the episode “tattoo”. Another indication would be one of his decedents, Ce Acatl. Ce Acatl Topiltzin was a real person who was a ruler of the Toltecs. I’ve only read a lil bit bout him so I won’t speak on what he did or who he was until I’ve done more research. Finally, one of the other MAJOR indications to me was in his short background story of pathways. I am aware that these are not canon, but it gives a glimpse into what the creators had in mind while creating theses characters. The literal first page is his father recounting a story from the Popol Vuh, and he’s talking about the Hero Twins, Seven Macaw, and the Maize God. My mind was blown when I read that, cause I started research about this a few yeas ago and was using clues from the show and figured since I had read the book before and didn’t remember any significant information about his tribe, there wasn’t any point to open it up. I read the book again at the beginning of the year and lost my mind. All of my answers were there lol. But it confirmed what I already knew. I felt hella proud cause I took the long way to get an answer and was still right. Anyways there’s still sooooo much to say about this and I’m working on a well put together paper explaining why the customs and traditions they gave him were wrong or confusing. I hope people will read cause I put a lot of research into it. I also have what I think to be some good lore that could fix a little bit of the damage that was done. More on that later though 😊.

[okiankeno]

I don't go here very often but the new pyro archon and the characters from this new area not having at least tan skin or darker literally is so embarrassing for the hoyo like. If Natlan is based on Mesoamerican or West African civilizations then where is the melanin. I thought the same about Sumeru tbh since a lot of characters have Islam names, or ancient Egypt influences. The colourism of this game is insane.

[itspheenixbaby]

now playing...my baby just cares for me - nina simone.

what im most excited for in my genshin dr

me shifting to genshin and it being one of my top three is kinda ironic since i dont especially like or play the game anymore lool.

family my family is one of the richest in teyvat. i have three siblings (and good parents because i need a support system, im not that strong) and im the youngest. my only sister and i have an antagonistic relationship, which im kinda excited for? im just curious idk i never had that w anyone.

intelligence God, im so excited to learn. ill be a polygot, alchemist and a explorer. i scripted leaving the akademiya in under four years and then becoming an adventurer because im not spending all my time cooped up in a college! fuck that!

job many, many jobs. i just think being able to have all that expirience will be so thrilling!! & my most anticipated job is an author. ive got my content figured out already too, social parodies & societal commentary.

setting im a worldbuilding *fiend*. so i took the liberties of changing teyvat. the continent is more archaic & historically accurate in terms of fashion, language and culture (so that means no tacky over designed outfits, gov’t workers in batty riders or people saying “bro” and “dude” 🙄) much more diversity as well, not just in terms of features and skin tone but lots more land & major cities per nation and a wide range of accents as well as discernible cultural differences across [domestic] regions. but still not super historically accurate, and veering more on “magical” like disney princess stories.

natlan lowk have no idea how natlans actual cultural design works? 💀 like i quit genshin so im lost on that front. but i split it in three distinct regions. tribe 1-2, which is of mesoamerican influence; tribe 3-4, with west african influence (where im from); and tribe 5-6 with polynesian influence. its the same “tribe” as in game (whatever tf those are) but with a different look. i like this system a lot tho.

s/o this is so cliche but he’s definitely a big ass part of my reason for shifting to genshin. like hes the only s/o i actually *go crazy* with scripting about the rest of them the “romance” is general and non descriptive. our love storys finna be sooo romantic i cant even. also we have a slight age difference and im excited to tease him about it.

[southwest-pottery-bracket]

Round 1, Match 1: Northern Polychromes

I call these the "Northern Polychromes" because they are only (in Fourmile's case) or predominantly (in Salado types' case) found in Arizona and New Mexico.

Salado Polychrome

Left, Gila Polychrome oval bowl (AD 1300-1450); Right, Tonto Polychrome olla (AD 1340-1450). Arizona and New Mexico.

vs.

Fourmile Polychrome

Fourmile Polychrome bowls, AD 1325-1400. Arizona.

More information about each type below the cut:

Salado Polychrome

Cliff Polychrome bowl, southeastern Arizona, AD 1350-1450.

Am I biased because this is what I'm writing my dissertation about so I've been thinking about Salado polys nonstop for about 3 years straight? MAYBE. But that's because they're interesting!

Salado polychrome is a collective name for various black, white, and red types of Roosevelt Red Ware. Pinto, Gila, and Tonto polychrome are the three main types, but there are a lot of described type variants.

Around AD 1275, there was a huge drought that lasted 20 years and impacted the whole Southwest. People moved out of the northern Southwest (Mesa Verde, the Four Corners area, southern Utah, northern Arizona) en masse. If you've ever heard of the "mystery" of the "disappearance" of the Anasazi - it's not a mystery, and they didn't disappear. There was a drought, crop failure, social/political instability, and they moved south to where there were population centers and perennial rivers. Some of these immigrants integrated into pre-existing towns; others formed their own enclave settlements.

And right around this time, a new style of pottery became popular in central/southern Arizona and western New Mexico. Like, really popular. Rapidly widespread, all but replacing the previous black-on-white and red-on-buff painted pottery. Gila polychrome (the most common type of Salado polychrome) is notable for being the most widespread decorated ware in the archaeological Southwest. Why?

Archaeologists debated this for decades upon decades. Were the Salado an immigrant group who brought this ware from the Tonto Basin, from the Sinagua, from the Colorado Plateau, from Mexico? Was it a Hohokam development? Was it Mesoamerican influence? You can read the debates back and forth in the 60s-80s and FEEL the palpable frustration!

Modern scholars basically agree that there's no "Salado" culture, that rather Ancestral Pueblo immigrants from the Kayenta and Tusayan regions of northeastern Arizona developed it after they moved to the south. These Salado polychrome pots weren't centrally made and traded widely, they were predominantly made locally to where they were found. But does it represent a retention/renewal of a Kayenta immigrant diaspora identity, or an integrative ideology that brought together immigrants and locals? And where do the Mesoamerican motifs come from?

I'm arguing more from a Kayenta immigrant diaspora identity marker cohesion-after-migration perspective, but it's a super interesting time of upheaval, reorganization, and social dynamism in the Southwest that really set the stage for the modern Pueblos and tribal groups we know today.

Salado polychromes themselves are defined by a red-slipped exterior, a white field, and black designs on white. The black does not touch the red. The exteriors of bowls are usually left plain red, with all the elaborate decoration on the inside. Sometimes there's so much white you can barely see the red. Two- and four-fold rotational symmetry is common; twinned elements are common, but each twin is usually slightly different from the other, not perfect mirrors. Abstracted representations of feathers and feathered serpents are really common too (the Mesoamerican connection). The black paint is organic, relying on a pigment called beeweed - which may have been sourced from back up in the north, a long way to go but clearly important to the people making these pots!

Fourmile Polychrome

Fourmile Polychrome bowl, AD 1325-1400, central Arizona.

Fourmile Polychrome is a type within White Mountain Red Ware. It's basically contemporaneous with Salado Polychrome, but was made in a different, more northern distribution, by Ancestral Pueblo people who didn't move so far south and congregated around Zuni and east-central Arizona.

Dynamic and bold and more likely to be asymmetrical, Fourmile polychrome is defined by designs in black glaze paint (manganese-based mineral paint with lead in the mix, to make it glossy when it fires and melts) outlined in white.

Both of these types were made by the coil-and-scrape method common to Ancestral (and modern) Pueblo potters (though a small percentage of Salado Polychromes were made by paddle-and-anvil, an argument for the type as an integrative practice...)

[whencyclopedia]

Dogs and Their Collars in Ancient Mesoamerica

Dogs were an integral aspect of the lives of the people of Mesoamerica regardless of their location or culture and, throughout the region, were recognized as liminal beings belonging not only to the natural world and that of humans but to this world and the next.

Dogs were believed by the Aztec, Maya, and Tarascan to travel between worlds, assist the souls of the dead, warn of dangers to the living and, at the same time, were regarded as a food source, companion, and guardian in daily life. The dogs of the indigenous people are frequently depicted without collars because it seems to have been thought that these would restrict the dog’s movement between worlds.

Even so, collars did exist – fashioned for humans to wear – and it is thought that these developed from dog collars. This model changed with the arrival of Christopher Columbus (l. 1451-1506) in the West Indies in 1492. Columbus’ dogs all wore collars and were much larger than the animals the natives were used to. The European dogs had also been trained for war and so were far more savage than any dog a Taino, for example, had ever known.

After Columbus, who sailed for Spain, more Spanish invaders arrived and made their way north through South America to Mesoamerica, bringing Christianity with them. Christianity began to replace indigenous beliefs and, as the Catholic Church claimed dogs had no souls, belief in the supernatural power of the dog declined. Although there were no doubt many indigenous peoples who still believed in the dog as a psychopomp, there is no widespread evidence of this belief after the arrival of the Spanish as compared with pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The descendants of the ancient people of the region have only begun restoring their ancient cultures in the past 100 years and so, in time, the dog has slowly regained the status it once held.

Olmecs & Their Dogs

The Olmecs of Mesoamerica lived in the lowlands along the Gulf of Mexico c. 1400-400 BCE and bred dogs as food. The Olmecs are the oldest civilization in the western hemisphere, inventing the first written language of Mesoamerica as well as distinctive art and architecture which would influence the later civilizations of the Aztecs, Maya, and Tarascan, among others. The sacred animal of the Olmecs was the jaguar which was thought to be spiritually related to the dog. The dog was therefore associated with the divine while, at the same time, serving as a food source. There seems to have been no contradiction in this as dogs, servants and messengers of the gods, also served humanity by graciously offering themselves as food.

A tomb of the Zoque peoples, a Mesoamerican population thought to be descended from the Olmec, was discovered in 2010 in Chiapa de Corzo containing jade collars. These were ornamental collars for human wear but could have developed from the dog collar. The tomb dates to between 700-500 BCE and is the oldest pyramid tomb yet found in the region.

The indigenous people of modern-day Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and neighboring regions, built pyramids as temples, not as tombs, and this find is thought to reflect an earlier Olmec practice of keeping precious objects in temples – one that was observed by later cultures. The jade collars, though clearly for human use, could have linked an officiant with the spirit of a liminal dog who would bring messages from the gods.

Continue reading...

[imperiuswrecked]

Designing an animated character means more than just creating how the character looks. As three TAG Character Designers share, it requires an understanding of physical movement, technology, and the art of collaboration. By Kim Fay MULTI-LAYERED MAGIC SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE CHARACTER DESIGNER: KRIS ANKA In Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales is catapulted across a multiverse filled with Spider-People. All of them are charged with protecting its existence, and all of them have very different ideas about how to do this. Especially Miguel O’Hara, AKA Spider-Man 2099. Unlike Miles and his predecessor, Peter Parker, Miguel intentionally altered his DNA to become a Spider-Person. Because he played a role in his own transformation, he is as multi-layered as the movie he inhabits—literally. Character Designer Kris Anka approached Miguel in stages, adding layers throughout the process to develop the complexity of this superhero. When Anka was invited to work on Across the Spider-Verse by Joaquim Dos Santos, the film’s director, he was already familiar with Miguel. A CalArts graduate, Anka had been working at Marvel comics for eight years, even designing one of Miguel’s suits. He had worked in animation before his Marvel stint and was ready to return. Little did he know that his three-month contract would extend to three years, with much of his time focused on Miguel. While Miguel exists in comics, and screen audiences got a glimpse of him briefly in the end credits of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Anka says the sequel’s creative team wanted to take a new approach to the character. Some early pre-concept work had been done, and “they knew the vibe they wanted,” he says. “They wanted Miguel to be someone who was very proactive. He always had to have a presence. When he walked into a room you think, oh, this guy takes things more seriously than everyone else. He had to move in that intentional way—I’m on the hunt—physically intimidating.” The film’s Visual Development Artist Spencer Wan did physicality animation tests, giving Anka an understanding of the impact of Miguel’s weight. Miguel has claws and doesn’t stick to walls, “and he’s not lithe, he’s not an acrobat. He’ll go through a wall rather than find some artful way around it,” Anka says. Working with his musculature, he had to figure out how to make Miguel fit in with the visual language of Spider-Man while at the same time stand out among the other Spider-People from the previous movie. “We had two very separate approaches with him,” Anka explains. The first was translating the comic design into a character that would work in animation. While the strong red and blue silhouette would remain, in animation action scenes with a lot of movement, “Miguel could accidentally become a muddled mess because of all that blue,” says Anka. He added red to Miguel’s palms and soles, designed red arm bands that angled in specific directions, and created a red design for the back of his suit that looked different from the front to make sure the audience could always tell what side of his body they were looking at. With this initial design done, Anka sent Miguel down the pipeline. Then the vis-dev team told him they were working Mesoamerican Burle Marx-influenced patterns into the backgrounds. Marx was a Brazilian landscape architect whose style had distinctive patterns. Like the other Spider-People, Miguel inhabits his own universe—Nueva York in the year 2099. Anka was asked to return to Miguel to unite the character’s look with his world. “To make everything feel that Miguel was born in this culture,” he says. Anka spent the next six months focused on working in patterns without breaking the original silhouette. The blue parts would have a faint pattern underneath the digital texturing; the red parts would have the same pattern, but it needed to be stronger. Overall, they wanted three different layers of detailing to the suit, and the challenge, Anka knew, was to “add a sophistication to the design without it being ham-fisted and too noisy. Things can get really loud really fast.” Anka was given some loose patterns to work with, but nothing lined up. He researched everything from Marx’s designs to Mesoamerican textiles to architecture for inspiration—and set about experimenting. He tested what would happen if the pattern was curvier, straighter, softer, or more hard-edged. Then he had to ask, “Where does everything fit so it all looks intentional to the anatomy?” His method was to take all the red parts—the mask, the chest, the arm bands, and the legs—and use each to show how he could break down the pattern and still retain the silhouette. He had vis-dev choose which versions of each body part they liked best. Once he had that, he says, “I would try to holistically find commonalities between those patterns and bring it all into one unified piece.” Now that Miguel was ready to move down the pipeline again, it was decided that Anka would translate the geometric patterns he had designed directly onto the model—not a usual role for a Character Designer. But nothing about Miguel and the rest of the Spider-People was usual. “Every design is wildly asymmetrical including Miguel’s body,” Anka says. But because he’d been thinking about the patterns for so long, “I could figure out, how does this all really sync up, [so] when it went into animation, everything lined up already,” he says. On and off, Anka spent 16 months working on Miguel. It was a laborious process, but one he gladly undertook in service of the ultimate payoff—a design, he says, “that feels effortlessly that character by the end.”

Kris Anka interview on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with Key Frame Magazine (issue no. 22)

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓃮 Even the Sun Influences the Tide: Chapter Seven

Even the Sun Influences the Tide: After the death of your foster brother, King T’Challa, you had spent much of your year of mourning in isolation. When your mother gathers you and your sister to end your mourning period, you encounter the newest threat to Wakanda: Namor. You don’t know what to think of Namor, but you do know one thing: he probably shouldn’t be making trips to see you at your beach hut.

Warnings: None.

To Note: Namor/K’uk’ulkan x Fem!Reader, I Tried To Make The Yucatec Maya & Xhosa Translations/Traditions As Accurate As I Can Get.

Word Count: ~2.6k

Previous | Masterlist | Next

You woke with a small jerk, gasping and writhing against the blanket that covered your body. Disoriented, it took you several seconds to fully become cognizant of your surroundings. You were fairly sure you weren’t in Wakanda anymore. Stilling yourself, you stared at the blue rock overhead as your heart pounded in your chest and you wracked your brain, struggling to remember what had happened and how you ended up where you were. You should probably start from what you remembered last. You had been in the process of fixing your dinner, maize meal, when your senses had alerted you that you weren’t alone…

It grew fuzzy after that.

Softly moaning, you pushed a palm against your forehead and tried to remember. Blue people. Someone had nipped you from your home. Okoye would be so disappointed in you for letting your guard down, then again, you were in your homeland. A place that was supposed to be impenetrable. The only person you knew had the ability to slip into Wakanda undetected was K’uk’ulkan, but in your hazy memory, you only saw blue. Not bronze. Perhaps he had sent his people to collect you… but for what reason? You wouldn’t say your… arrangement, was perfect, or okay in your mothers eyes (if she ever found out), but it worked.

Sitting up with a grunt, you wobbled in place before realizing you were cradled within a hammock. Glancing down at your body, your fingers lightly grasped the blanket covering you. It was beautiful, stitched carefully and embroidered with beautiful scenes. Homemade. You swung a leg over the side of the hammock, shifting the blanket and sitting on the edge, further rubbing your neck. Flashes of water filled your vision, the sting in your eyes from ocean water, something covering your nose and mouth. Water streamed around your body at an impossibly fast pace.

“Not in Wakanda,” You murmured to yourself, sliding your other leg off the hammock and sitting fully upright. You looked around, seeing that while the cavern was indeed a cavern, it wasn’t uninhabited. There were a few pieces of furniture around you, some blankets, an intricately woven tapestry hanging on the far wall. Mesoamerican. “This is not going to go over well with mother.”

Your attention was directed to the end of the cavern as a blue woman, dressed similarly to K’uk’ulkan, walked in carrying a colorful piece of cloth draped in her arms. Your eye twitched in subtle recognition. She had been one of the ones who had taken you from the beach. She stopped in front of you and bowed her head slightly.

“Saludos, princesa,” Her voice was soft, respectful. “Way le realeza ta wilaj nook' xíiw. Tak k janti' le ba'ala' meentik teechi’.” (Here royalty wears traditional clothing. We had this made for you.)

You didn’t know what she had said, but you could imagine that she wanted you to take what she held out. You did so, and realized that it was clothes, and you were probably meant to change into them. The woman bowed before leaving you alone once more.

“I am seriously in over my head, and I really should have brought my Kimoyo beads to the hut…” You murmured to yourself before looking down at the gauzy bright cloth in your arms. It was best to change and find out what you were doing here. Surely K’uk’ulkan would be around…

The dress, as you found out, was comfortable to wear, and came with a shawl of beads that hung on your body. You liked that it reminded you of your ceremonial clothing at home. You were sitting on the edge of the hammock, toeing the smooth cavern flooring when the blue skinned woman walked back into the room.

“Ko'oten tin wéetel, princesa.” (Come with me) She spoke, bowing to you before gesturing towards the way she had come. Your best guess was that she wanted you to follow her, so you got to your feet and carefully stepped over to her. Appeased that you were following, the woman turned around and began walking. As you continued to follow her, walking through more caverns, you wondered what the woman’s name was, because you couldn’t just keep calling her ‘the blue skinned woman’ in your head.

“Excuse me?” You spoke up, finding your voice. Gentle yet sharp eyes flickered to yours as she looked over her shoulder and paused. You chewed your lip for a moment. “Can I ask you what your name is?” You received a stare. Right. She probably didn’t understand what you were saying. You pointed to your chest. “Y/N.” You enunciated, before gesturing to her. You were blinked at for a moment, the woman contemplating your gesture.

“In k'aaba' Namora, princesa.” (My name is Namora) She said, pressing a hand over her heart. You were fairly sure that she had said her name was Namora, but you repeated it just in case you were wrong.

“Namora,” You said, noting how similar it was to Namor. Namora gave you a small smile, one that you found to be quite beautiful, as she bowed her head once again before resuming her pace. The walk to your destination took you through a winding corridor of caverns that are illuminated by softly glowing sconces. Eventually you arrived in a more spacious cavern that held a tent of sorts. Namora walked over to the entrance and gestured to it. Eyeing the tent, you steeled yourself, taking a breath, before entering.

An explosion of color greeted your eyes and you stopped short. In front of you were beautifully painted murals, no doubt depicting historical events. Your eyes washed over each and everyone of the murals, appreciating the craft and story behind the painted masterpieces. Then your eyes fell on K’uk’ulkan sitting in front of an unfinished mural, paintbrush in hand with a small table next to him full of paint. Eyeing the mural he was working on, you recognized three figures with another standing opposite, a rather familiar sight. He was painting the night you had met in person.

“I hope you are not too disoriented, Y/N,” K’uk’ulkan spoke, gently setting the paintbrush down on the table.

“No, not disoriented.” You softly answered, your eyebrows pinching together for a moment. Breaking his intense gaze, you looked back to the murals. “Why did you bring me here?” He didn’t respond, his eyes burning into yours until you felt like you were being drowned in them. You shifted where you stood and tilted your head, eyes squinting at him.“Namor?” You prompted once more. His eyes tightened for just a brief moment before he finally responded.

“Am I your enemy, In k'iino’?” You shivered at the tone in his voice. Like he was hurt that you chose to use that name. Pressing your lips together, your eyes dropped down to your bare feet.

“K’uk’ulkan,” You corrected yourself softly, reminding yourself of the promise you had made to him weeks ago. He said that Namor was the name his enemies used, and made it very apparent that you were not his enemy. Enemies did not sit quietly next to each other. Enemies did not give gifts which you still had around your wrist. Enemies did not comfort you when you needed it. Enemies did not almost kiss. Your face warmed at the memory of what had happened the last time you and K’uk’ulkan had been together. Swimming in the water as stars kissed the horizon, he’d been impossibly close and you’d wondered what it would have been like to kiss a god. You cleared your throat. “May I ask why I am here? Wherever that may be?”

K’uk’ulkan rose from his seat and stepped up to you, raising a hand to gently brush his fingers across your cheek. He could feel the heat beneath your skin, rushing across your face with delicacy and warming comfort. It was a sight that he would give anything, do anything, to keep. That’s why you were here. Your happiness was like a beacon of light within the depths of his kingdom. K’uk’ulkan had given the sun to his people, but he himself had wanted a sun of his own to cherish and love.

“War is coming, Y/N,” K’uk’ulkan spoke to you, letting his fingers linger upon you beautiful sun kissed skin. He wished to keep your skin, your beautiful mind, untouched by the savagery of war. Untouched by death. Pursing your lips, you looked down once more.

“I know that, Shuri has told me of my mothers lack of cooperation… but why am I… here.” K’uk’ulkan’s fingers slipped to your chin and pushed until you were looking in his eyes once more. You could see his emotions burning within his eyes, intense and serious, but not without that touch of softness you had grown to love. K’uk’ulkan was a deadly warrior, hardened by death and destruction… but the way he looked at you so gently, with softness and kindness, and— you didn’t want to think of that word for fear of it all being in your head. You didn’t want it to be just a dream.

“You know why,” K’uk’ulkan replied, his other hand reaching for the wrist which held the jade bracelet he had gifted to you weeks ago. His mother’s bracelet. You had refused to remove such a precious gift that meant so much to K’uk’ulkan. You felt his fingers stroke the tender skin of your wrist and run along the point where he could feel the beat of your heart. There was a certain tenderness in which he caressed your skin, mirroring a deep desire you were fearful of. The internal battle within your body was ripping at your mind. Wakanda was your home, they had welcomed you with open arms when you became orphaned, they deserved your loyalty, they had your loyalty. But your heart was another matter, because you were fairly sure that you no longer held it.

“K’uk’ulkan,” You whispered, your eyes wavering in silent pain. “Please don’t make me choo—“ He was pulling your lips to his before you even had a chance to finish your sentence. Your surprise was short lived as the heat from his lips soaked into yours unexpectedly, but not unwanted. It wasn’t like you hadn’t wondered what it would be like to kiss this almost godlike man. You had. But you had never actually expected it to happen. Your eyes closed as the fingers on your chin pulled your lips closer and K’uk’ulkan slipped his other hand around your back.

There was a burning sensation of anticipation in your chest, and you didn’t know if it was because you knew you shouldn’t kiss him or because you wanted more. You knew better. You knew better than to allow this. To get close. To indulge. K’uk’ulkan knew what you were thinking and kissed you deeper, striving to extinguish those questioning thoughts from your mind until all you could do was feel. His lips pushed at yours, all too easily urging them to part. Your proceeding gasp was swallowed by K’uk’ulkan as his tongue darted forwards to sweep against yours, tasting you and devouring the soft noises emerging from your throat. He never imagined that someone from the surface could taste this sweet. But you weren’t just another surface dweller, you were his surface dweller.

When your lower lip was tugged and your body was pulled just a little closer to K’uk’ulkan’s, you softly sighed against his lips and pressed your palms against his chest. His beard was surprisingly soft against your cheeks and for a moment you wondered how he kept it so soft, but those thoughts evaporated when K’uk’ulkan’s tongue curled against yours once more. You didn’t know at what point your feet were convinced to move but you found yourself pinned to one of the painted walls, K’uk’ulkan looming over you while his mouth repeatedly kissed your lips.

His thumb skimmed across your cheek, stroking the rest of your cheekbone as his fingers slowly slid to the nape of your neck. K’uk’ulkan pulled your lips against his more ferociously, carving paths of fire and urging your lips to part wider so he could twist your tongue around in a whirlpool of desire turned adoration. You were an indulgence he would gladly devour. Wrapping an arm around your back, he dug his fingers into your flesh, hunger to explore a deeper intimacy that only you made him crave.

K’uk’ulkan would have loved to continually kiss you, indulge in your taste and devour the soft sounds that emerged from your throat, but he could hear the way your heart strained in your chest. Fast. Rapid. Struggling. Surface dweller. So with lingering hunger he pulled back and rested his forehead against yours. You were sucking in air like you had just swam ten miles without surfacing for air. Sweet ancestors this man knew how to kiss. Opening your eyes, you slowly lifted them to look into the brown eyes of the man that turned your world upside-down.

“Don’t make me choose between you and them,” You softly begged, your fingers pressing into his chest and brushing against the edge of his necklace. You almost felt like clawing at him. “Don’t make me choose, please.” K’uk’ulkan greatly disliked the way you begged, you were his precious k'iino’, the one who brightened his world. He had never indulged himself in his long life. Always giving. But never taking. For once, just this once, he was going to be selfish. K’uk’ulkan brushed his fingertips across your cheek once more.

“Yaan teech in jóok' chi’, Y/N, (You have my promise)” K’uk’ulkan vowed in his native language. “I will not make you choose between your home and your heart.” He told you, drawing his fingers along your face and down your neck. “That is why I wish for you to stay out of the fighting.”

“But—“ K’uk’ulkan pressed his thumb against your lips, silencing your protest.

“I will not have you caught up in this war, In k'iino’,” He told you in a firm voice, one that you knew he would not entertain argument with. “That’s why you must stay here, where I know you will remain protected and unharmed.” There was that word again. War. You disliked it. You disliked it immensely.

“I don’t like fighting, K’uk’ulkan, you know that,” You said, your lips moving against his thumb. “Can’t we solve this without bloodshed?” With the way you were looking at K’uk’ulkan, he would have done anything you’d have asked. But he still had to protect his people. “Please, is there anything I can do to work this out? Can we make an alliance?” Alliance? Oh yes, there was an alliance that could be made… but you might not be ready for that type of commitment, let alone willing.

“There is a ceremony that would sway my people,” K’uk’ulkan admitted to you, moving his thumb down your lip to your chin. At this point, you didn’t care what you had to do to prevent war. You would do it. Anything to prevent bloodshed, to prevent death.

“I’ll do it,” You rushed out without a second thought. K’uk’ulkan, leaning into you more, tightened the grip he had on your waist while his brow crinkled.

“Y/N, do not make that decision with haste,” He advised. “It is not something that can be undone, not to my people.” No matter how much he wanted you, how much he desired you, it had to be your decision. He refused to back you into a corner from which you could not get out of. “It is not your only option.”

“I trust you and I trust your people, K’uk’ulkan, I will do that ceremony.” His lips twitched at the corner, a smile slowly blooming. He brushed his fingers across your cheek, tucking a section of your hair behind your ear.

“Your trust means everything to me, In k'iino’,” He said, resisting the urge to take you against the wall in that moment. He would have you soon enough, he only needed to wait a little longer. “The ceremony will need to be prepared, Namora will help you with the traditional Talokanil ceremonial outfit.”

Date Published: 4/16/23

Last Edit: 4/2/23

Previous | Masterlist | Next