"Gods" and "Sacrifice"

[Kurly Tlapoyahua]

Recent statements have been made regarding the concept of "Gods" and human
sacrifice among the Aztekah/Mexikah people. Most of this discussion has been
dominated by Europeans who use European texts as their primary sources.
Perhaps an Indigenous perspective on this subject is needed. I offer the
following:

Sahagun, Duran and others eh? Hmmn sounds like a shady bunch of characters
to me. I suppose if
the Nazis took it upon themselves to write the history of the jews we would
be using their
texts as primary sources as well? "Informants" were actually what we we call
"Praying Indians"
- those who sided with the Spaniards and against their own people. These
were the only cats who
were even taught how to read and write in Latin characters, and even then
under the watchful
eye of their Spanish masters. These same "informants" would be killed if
their writings did not
reflect the views of their masters. Thats something to consider. Also, the
Spaniards had just
spent the last few hundred years conducting smear campaigns against the
Moors and jews. Why
would they be doing anything different here?

Second, the idea of "Gods" did not even exist among Anawak societies.
The term Teotl has mistakenly been translated as "God" - possibly because it
is similar in
pronunciation to "Theos." But hey, if you repeat a lie enough times, people
no longer question
the validity of it, they just accept it as truth.
Yet this lie seems just as ingrained as the myth of sacrifice. Ketzalkotal
(Which translates to
"beautiful and upstanding Serpent" NOT "Feathered serpent" as many would
like to believe) was a
titl egiven to men adn women who had achievd enlightenment, and transceneded
their human-ness.
A man named Ze Akatl Topilztin was porbably the most noted person to hold
this title. The
spaniards were called "teuleh" by the Mexika - a term which means "stinky"
or "smellY" - (why
do you think they were bathed in Kopal smoke and flowers) so much for
European dillusions of
grandeur.

No reliable records exist which indicate sacrifice ever existed (though the
Spanirds did manage
to torture a couple of confessions out of a couple of Mayans - which in
iteslf means nothing,
Salem witch trials anyone?) The Mexika did, however, have a very strict
legal system.
Drunkennes, theft, adultery, etc. were punishable by death. The criminals
would have their
heads removed, cleaned, and placed on display (the famous skull racks) a
strong detereent to
any would-be criminal. (BTW the number of skulls on dsplay was greatly
exagerated by the
Spaniards)

Cortez was allowed to enter Mexiko-Tenochtitlan for a number of reasons: He
announed that he
and his people were represnetatives of a far-away kingdom and he gave no
indications of intent
to wage war, he arrived during a time when warfare was traditionaly not
waged (most warriors
were tending to crops and fields at this time), It was custom to recieve
representatives of
other nations in good faith.

My sources? Well, I have done most of my research while living in Mexiko. So
these might be
hard to find:

Juicio A Espana - Xokonoschtletl
Los Gobiernos Socialistas de Anahuac - Dr. Romero Vargas Iturbide
Mosaico De Turquesas - Arturo Meza Gutierrez
Calendiaro Mexicano - Aruro Meza Gutierrez
Esplendor de la cultura Anahuac - Miguel Angel Mendoza
Invasion o Conquista - Akamapichtli
Human sacrifice among the Aztecs - fact or fantasy? - Dr.Peter Hassler

There are literally hundreds of books such as these. Most I own, and far too
many to list here.


PS - funny that only Post-conquest codices have any references to
"sacrifice" - has anybody
ever bothered to even question why?

In Mexikayoyeliztli Aik Ixpoliuz
"Kurly"
Tlapoyawa

Also, I am not a member of this listerve, any responses can be made to me
at: Godkillah at Hotmail.com
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