MEXICA IDENTITY AND CONSOLIDATION
(1325-1521)
Mexica is the original term for pronouncing Mexican, Mexicano and Mexicana in our Nahuatl language. Theoretically, Chicano also derives from the term Mexica.
Nahuatl is known to be the most commonly used Nican Tlaca (Indigenous) language in Mexico. Spoken by Mexica centuries ago and continues to be spoken by millions in Mexico and Central America. The Mexica people established a great civilization in Anahuac from 1325 to 1521. The Mexica excelled in science and technology, arts and architecture, language and writing, agriculture and cuisine, medicine and mathematics. Physicians were accomplished herbalists who did medicinal research and doctors were skilled surgeons using knives made of volcanic glass to perform surgery.
The Mexica were also the first to provide universal compulsory education to all children regardless of his or her social status. There is an enormous amount of surviving material from which we can begin to learn from our Mexica culture. There is more information on the culture and civilization of the Mexica than any other Nican Tlaca culture of Cemanahuac (so- called Western Hemisphere) from which we can reconstruct our Anahuac nation.
The Mexica were victims of a deliberate and systematic destruction assailed by the European Spaniards. Ethnocide as a component of genocide is what brought about the extermination of the Mexica. Spaniards with the use of smallpox as a biological weapon and Christianity with the use of forced conversions and torture is what brought about the terrorism and systematic destruction of the Mexica.
Mexica is part of our Anahuac heritage that gives us our collective cultural identity; our cultural connection and point of consolidation. The Mexica component of our Anahuac heritage and culture is a powerful source and force for the liberation of our people.
Note:
The vast majority of the people who are labeled as Hispanic or Latino in Anahuac so-called North America are largely of Mexican/Anahuaca descent from both sides of the border and largely de-tribalized which are ultimately those of us who have been classified as mestizo.
And it's to them whom we more specifically direct our message of Mexica identity as a culture and practical solution as an alternative to the current state of neglect and oblivion that our people bear while assimilated and open to being co opted by others who's interest is any but our people's liberation through decolonization.
It's these of our people who can change the course of history for the Indigenous people of Anahuac.
-In general manner, Mexican education in both its forms hoped to produce strength of mind and of body, and a character devoted to the public good. The stoicism with which the Aztecs were able to meet the most terrible ordeals proves that this education attained its end.
DAILY LIFE OF THE AZTECS
By Jacques Soustelle
-While we would like to criticize this oversimplified view and to allude to the dangers of overgeneralizing, we know that a study of the wealth of information about the Mexica is indispensable for an understanding of their contemporaries. If we wish to describe the daily and institutional life of a Mesoamerican people in detail, the most pertinent example is to be found in the Mexica culture.
MEXICO'S INDIGENOUS PAST
By Alfredo Lopez Austin and Leonardo Lopez Lujan
POINT OF UNITY
When speaking about Mexica our message is meant to awaken the vast majority of our people on both sides of the artificial colonial border which is situated between what is known as the U.S. and Mexico.
A great number of our people on both sides of these two colonies have lost their cultural identity whether tribal or of an organized culture encompassing many communities. Therefore, for the vast majority of our people in this circumstance, Mexica serves not just as an identity that already belongs to us by means of language, foods, customs and heritage, but as a blueprint against colonialism. Liberation here is clearly the goal and it must begin with our people.
There is more information on the Mexica than any other Nican Tlaca (Indigenous) group in all of Cemanahuac (the so-called Western Hemisphere). The ideals and philosophy of Mexica education meets the needs of the vast majority of our people who lack the cultural awareness and necessary knowledge to understand the simple meaning of colonialism and what it has implicated upon our Nican Tlaca people and Cemanahuac continent in general. Without this cultural instrument, procrastination becomes the ultimate barrier against liberation.
To deny our human dignity is to deny our right to freedom.
How can our people know what this means if we are unrecognizable to ourselves and unable to stand dignified. Our human dignity relates to our special value as respected people. But how can we know our special value if we don't know our true identity ? We have given up our humanity to Colonizers who steal the natural resources of our continent and who label us with European identities ( Hispanic, Latino/a/x, Raza Mestizo, and American) as if we were their property. Where's the special value in that ? Where is the human respect in that ?
After 500 plus years of European 95% genocide and colonial settlement, we should be thinking total liberation. We should be thinking about our special value as Nican Tlaca human beings, but how can we if we don’t even know our cultural identity. How can we value ourselves and demand respect if we don’t even control our own natural resources and destiny ? How can we ever be a free and an independent people from colonialism if we are enslaved to the religion and government that the Europeans of Europe enforced upon us ? How will our people eliminate the falsehood and fear of a “white” god standing over them ? And the fear of not being governed by European descendants and their colonial institutions? What then must be done ?
The alternative is Anahuac Education with a focal point on MEXICA !
Only then can we be truly dignified as we begin to move forward and towards Anahuac Liberation.
-Nevertheless, thanks to the accounts of Spanish friars and conquistadors, and to native and creole (Mexican-born) historians, we have more information on this civilization than on any other native culture of the New World.
MEXICO: From The Olmecs To The Aztecs By Michael D. Coe and Rex Koonts
A.N.L.M.
Comments
Post a Comment