#Mexica

[theepoetspoem]

People introduced themselves to me like they'd never met me before. Guess my bangs really do make a big difference.

[illustratus]

[tlatollotl]

Why do some people rage against using the term Aztec, but say nothing when someone uses Maya (multiple cultures), Zapotec (Bën Za), Mixtec (Ñuu Savi Sukun, Ñuu I'ni, Ñuu Andivi), Tarascan (Purépecha), Huichol (Wixárika), Cora (Náayerite), Huastec (Téenek), or any other indigenous groups? Especially when discussing archaeologically defined groups/cultures that may be quite distinct from their contemporary descendants?

I'm not saying that we shouldn't use better terms. We most definitely should. Anasazi, for example, should never be used beyond a single sentence saying it is no longer an acceptable label when reviewing and discussing the historiography of the Puebloan peoples.

But that doesn't mean some terms should be abandoned in lieu of another term that is no way better. Replacing Aztec with Mexica ignores the two other ethnic groups/city-states that made up the Triple Alliance. I want you to stop and think And see if you can recall what those two groups were. I'll give you a hint, Nezahualcóyotl was from one of those groups.

Give up? They were the Acolhua and Tepanec. So, if you want to stop using Aztec, that's fine. But you have to replace it with Mexica, Acolhua, and Tepanec every time. However, that replacement is only limited to talking about Tenochtitlán, Texcoco, and Tlacopan. Why? Because there were more ethnic groups within the Basin of Mexico, not to mention outside the Basin of Mexico, that were under control of the Triple Alliance and were distinct from being Mexica, Acolhua, or Tepanec. You could, of course, replace Aztec with Triple Alliance, or Ēxcān Tlahtōlōyān in Classic Nahuatl. Totally fine if a little unwieldy. Though you may run into issues with people confusing the Triple Alliance of Mesoamerica with several Triple Alliances in European history.

But what really is the issue with using Aztec to refer to the multitude of ethnicities and cultures that made up the Triple Alliance? It isn't derogatory or insulting. The term is based on the semi-mythical homeland of numerous groups that occupied Central Mexico and made up a large part of the Triple Alliance (the Tlaxcalteca were from Aztlan, as well). In fact, Aztec is a handy term to refer to the collection of all these groups despite the polity not being a monocultural entity because these groups did share many cultural features, histories, and/or languages.

You could compare the term Aztec to Roman. A broad term that encompasses many peoples. But when necessary, you can discuss individual or small groups of ethnicities/cultures within the broader polity. And that includes the people of Rome itself which you could refer to as Romani, which they called themselves, to be distinct from the larger broader socio-political Roman label for the people of the Republic/Empire outside of Rome proper.

It's an issue of scale, I think. But that's why we have multiple terms available to use when the context and need arises. And if better terms come along, by all means replace the previous terms.

If you disagree, I would like to know why. This was sort of a rant into the void from seeing other online discourse. I really would welcome a good explanation as to why we should replace Aztec with Mexica at the expense of all the other groups that made up the Triple Alliance.

[sealhaus]

Dog gods

Half of my illustration and design final

[satellites-halo]

mexica Miku (mexiku)

(she's lightskinned bc I am as well 🫶)

[hygalax]

Xochipilli the prince of flowers, patron of two spirits

[eduseyes]

Teotihiacán, City of the Gods

2024.02.25

[ynotvida]

Milwaukee, WI

2024

[nadiezda]

Mi ilustración para la exposición “El Mictlán” en la que participé

El mictlán es el inframundo en la mitología Mexica y Nahua.

Al Mictlán sólo iban aquellos que morían de muerte natural, sin distinción de rango ni riquezas, o de enfermedades que no tenían un carácter sagrado. Para los mexicas, el muerto debería de atravesar nueve regiones.

Las regiones del inframundo formaban la travesía dentro del submundo con obstáculos específicos que expresan niveles de putrefacción y tormentos tanatomórficos que padecen los muertos en su regresión orgánica después de 4 años, y ya cuando los muertos alcanzaban lograr atravesar los infiernos, si es que lo lograban, estos podrían liberar su alma, logrando así el descanso ante la presencia de Mictlantecuhtli y Mictecacíhuatl, el señor y la señora de la muerte, los regidores del inframundo.

[finsterwalds]

Drew some Mexica Gods because I find their depictions fascinating... Mictlantecuhtli, Tezcatlipoca and of course Quetzalcoatl :)

[toastedclownery]

Me when Sun and Moon siblings (cw artistic nudity)

[illustratus]

[fideos-de-verdura]

The Sun killing the Moon

[sealhaus]

Character + pet (I guess former pet) assignment for school

Reclusive Museum archivist scarifies dead dog to a dead god as a lest resort, dead god is so delighted by this that he decides to use the dog as a vessel and torment the poor guy for offerings. So he ends up having to go on some wacky adventure through the underworld to get his dog back.

[hygalax]

Xochiquetzal the god of love, patron of mothers, and Tezcatlipoca the god of darkness, chaos, and the gruesomeness of war.

this painting is based on the mythology of Tezcatlipoca kidnapping Xochiquetzal, and making her his wife. Yikes.

I took a lot of inspiration from woodland native art