Southern Origin of Uto Aztecan hypothesis

[Mark David Morris]

Johanna,


My apologies for the late reply, but the state of our technology in Santa
Ana Chiautempan sometimes complicates getting out timely responses.

I would be interested in hearing more about Hill's argument if you could
provide further information.  Like Alec, I also lean toward a western
hypothesis (whether north or south I know not) for eruption of Nahuatl in
central and eastern Mexico and the consequent separation of  "Mayan"
languages into northern and southern branches, and I believe that the Rio
Balsas-Rio Atoyac route into the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley would be the
probable route of Nahuatl's migration into central-eastern Mesoamerica.
Given the clear presence of Nahuatl in the culture of the
Olmeca-Xicallanca who establish in Cholula and Cacaxtla by 650 A.D. and
who had been the key mediators of long distance trade between Teotihuacan
and the region of the Usamacinta River, I have a hard time imagining that
Nahuatl was not a key part of the fluorescence of culture, commerce and
communication in the "Classic" period of Teotihuacan and Cholula.   Below
follow some thoughts on your earlier posting on Tezcatlipoca and a passage
from a personal letter written in Tlaxcala (Panotlan) in 1743 that may be
of some related interest to you.

I think your reading of Tezcatlipoca as being "two and three" as specific
manifestations is correct and that Tezcatlipoca was a strong tutelary god
because he was many, or omnipresent.  For example, his various names
probably point not only to different metaphorical expressions of
Tezcatlipoca but also traces of older Mesoamerican deities such as jaguar
that were applied to Tezcatlipoca and that brought different calendar and
festival associations to the cult of Tezcatlipoca.  Zapata y Mendoza's
citation of the Franciscans' whipping of a youth who appeared as Necoc
Yaotl in San Sebastin Matlahuacala also gives the impression that Necoc
Yaotl had his own distinct atavios.  Whether by accretion of older
traditions or metaphorical elaboration, the sum of Tezcatlipoca in
postclassic Mexico as a omnipresent "trickster" god associated with war,
night and water easily reconciles the two interpretations offered by
Preuss and Mengin and Kirchoff: being two or three refers to being many or
being "omnipresent," a chief molder of human affairs who can assure the
Tolteca-Xicallanca victory against the Olmeca-Xicallanca.


Text:
Auh tlazo mahuistic Pilic onicnequisquia oniYesquia niMiquetzin nozo ni
Santiago =  mah onimohquepani niYey nozo ninahui ycah nimismohmahquili
pahquili in san nozel yhuan totlazo mahuisnantzin ycah nixicos.

P.S. In honor of your comments on Tezcatlipoca, Luis Reyes' Nahuatl
seminar translated this letter on Saturday past, that which would be
available to you, if there are no more tricks played here while I'm trying
to be so quiet.

Sincerely,
Mark Morris




















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La muerte tiene permiso a todo

MDM, PhD Candidate
Dept. of History, Indiana Univ.