Obscure Mythology Chapter 24: Xalaquia, Central America

An Aztec Festival In honor of Chicomecohuatl.

     First of all I have to apologize for a few missing N’s in my last post, the computer I used has a sticky N button that I have to wail on to get to register and sometimes when I am typing too fast the N doesn’t register. I try to go back ad double check but alas, I always seem to miss a couple. There may even be a couple in today’s blog so please accept my apologies in advance and I will do more to keep, small but annoying problems to a minimum. Now on to today’s post. There are not many entries in the Mythology Dictionary under X but what really surprised me was that I had found my subject after reading just two entries! When I read this, I had to analyze and discuss it! So many emotions and thoughts came into mind after I read this. It truly exemplifies many of the reasons why organized religion can be dangerous and how easily people can be brainwashed by those in power. In all of my research into Central American and South American myths and beliefs I have never come across this before and I am very curious to see if there are any other festivals like this one in other Mezo-American religions. I don’t want to say anything more until after I introduce you to the Aztec festival, Xalaquia.

Xalaquia, Central America, an Aztec festival in honor of Chicomecohuatl (Aztec maize goddess)

This festival took place at the end of June when the maize was fully grown and featured the Xalaquia, a female slave painted to represent the maize plant. She was required to dance throughout the sixteen days of the festival, until on the last morning, she was led to the teocalli (an Aztec temple or place of sacrifice) and killed by the officiating priest who tore out her heart and offered it to the goddess.

     Sacrifice was common place in ancient times and just about every civilization did it on an occasion or two, by biblical times Jewish and Christian religions began to sacrifice animals instead of humans but there were still many areas of the world that had no problem with killing humans to appease their gods. The Inca would choose special women from the upper class, drug them and place them in certain sacrificial pits, leaving them to die from starvation or exposure. They believed by giving the gods and their ancestors one of their elites they would be better taken care of. The Celts would ritually bind and strangle one of their own dumping them in the local bogs which were purported to be the borders to the land of the spirits and gods. In all these cases the individuals had been so indoctrinated and drugged that they willing gave their lives for the better of the whole. The Aztecs were a little different and very brutal. They didn’t normally sacrifice there own, they used slaves or captured warriors. In one week of sacrifices in the early 1500’s Aztec priests sacrificed over 80,000 prisoners! One after another they were dragged up onto a huge stone slab and a priest would use a specially crafted obsidian knife to cut open their ribcages and rip out their still beating hearts. There was always a reason for the sacrifices whether it be to stop a drought or just to show their love to their gods. I believe the priests and elite practiced these sacrifices for one more nefarious reason, to control their population through fear. Any society wiling to rip the hearts out of anyone they didn’t like or opposed them sent a real strong message to those who lived within that society. It especially applied to those civilizations who chose from their own people to make their sacrifices. How many times was someone sacrificed for political or personal reasons back then? I know this isn’t exactly the same as sacrifice but many now believe the Salem witch trilas were concocted by a few church elders who wanted the lands and holdings that some of the accused women owned. It’s a messed up but very plausible theory and one worth looking into, which I shall do in a future post!

Going back to the entry from today, after I read it, I tried to imagine myself in that poor slave girls shoes. I would imagine that if she was a slave, I doubt they drugged her or were too nice to her during that sixteen days of dancing. I wrote a short story about a tribal princess being sacrificed by her father, I think I posted it on here earlier this year, anyway, had I know of this festival I think I would have written it in that particular dancing slave girls thoughts. I may have to try it. This was just one of many festivals and Holy Days that involved human sacrifice. It was these kinds of festivals and rituals that not only kept the populace content but also in line. It amazes me how our ancient ancestors who were just as intelligent as us, if not more, could have allowed these kind of things to happen, but those in power have always found ways to keep their power and their people under control.  I should note that the various accounts of when the mysterious god, Vericocha, and his men came to the Aztec people one of the first things he did was to ban all sacrifices of any kind and that decree was the reason the Aztec priest and elites drove Vericocha and his followers away. They knew the hold that sacrifices had and were not willing to give up that kind of power not even for a God! Well I suppose I’ve taken up enough of your time. I hope you have enjoyed this entry and we are now only two letters away from ending this project and moving onto others. As always, thanks for reading and have a wonderful day……..PEACE!!!!!!!!!