Subject: Ixicoatl, etc.

Sent: 05/02 10:45 AM

Received: 05/02 10:38 AM

From: Ken McElhinney, kenmce@catskill.net

To: Dwayne Edward Rourke, drourke@direct.ca

 

What I know of precolumbian american religion is based partly on my

readings in the states, partly on six months in central Mexico, somewhat

on conversations with others and somewhat on my knowledge of how

pre-christian European religions have fared. I went to Mexico for the

express purpose of learning Spanish. While I was there I took an

interest in religion, but cannot claim to be an expert on it. When I

got your E-mail I went to dig out my notes & mementos to see if I had

more detail on the feathered/fiery serpent distinction. The first thing

I found was a postcard captioned îFeathered serpents carved in stone

adorn the temple of Quetzalcoatl in Teotihuacanî Precisely the opposite

of my recollection. Here is a copy of a section out of my journal of

the time. It may give you some background on how my opinions were

formed.

 

So far I have met two professional historians, one history buff,

and one guide book. All of them act as if meso American history were

reasonably well known. All of these people say that there are sources

(Codices? the Spanish?) of knowledge about the Indian cultures. I need

to find one of these that I can grill thoroughly. These Mexican

ìMaestrosî, much like doctors in the states, tend to get riled if you

question their pronouncements. How exactly do we know that the Aztecs

threw beating hearts into that little hole? Did the Spanish say so?

15th Century Europeans were not known for their sensitivity to other

cultures. Objective anthropological observation did not really exist at

this time. It was expected that a travelers tales would be

entertaining. Since most people did not travel themselves exaggerations

and embellishments were not a problem.

 

The Spanish considered Indians as superior to animals, but not

much. Throughout history enemies and groups who are going to get the shaft are

dehumanized and put down so as to justify there coming treatment.

Whether you are napalming ìgooksî (ìthey donít care about individual

lives like we doî) or putting forty or fifty unwashed, unchristian, half

mad, heathen savages on the bonfire (ìIt will discourage the others from

sinningî) it is easier to not consider your enemy a rational and

reasonable human being.

 

Given this as a background what am I to think of the Spanish

records? There is a ìreconstructedî pyramid at Malinalco that is as large as all

of the rest of the ruins there put together. I asked my (host) family

how the govít. knew to build the pyramid where and as it is. They said

 

A). tourists like pyramids. They are simple and easy to understand.

B). the govít. likes tourists.

C). the govít builds pyramids.

(End of journal entry)

 

I did study up on whatever was available and understandable on

mesoamerican religion. I feel that our current state of knowledge about

these people, their ways & their gods, is somewhat primitive. It is

clear that their were a lot of peoples and cultures here, that they had

quite sophisticated cultures, and in some fields were as, or more,

advanced than anyone on earth at that time. When the Spanish came they

did a quite deliberate (and reasonably good) job of attempting to

destroy the existing religions, cultures, memes and records.

 

As I understand it the Quetzal is a bird, a unit of currency,

and possibly a name, (like naming your child Moses). Quetzalcoatl was a

famous king, a God, and a sacred flying snake. Digging through my

records yields no mention of Ixicoatl, and plenty of references to

Quetzíy being both. I know that in the old European religions that one

god might have two names depending on when and where they popped up.

Perhaps this is where I got the Icxi/Quetzy distinction?

 

Anyhow, now that Iíve gone through my records I find nothing at all to

support the distinction I made in my E-mail 8-( and quite a bit to

support your usage. If I do run into more solid information, as opposed

to ìI seem to recallî Iíll pass it on. In the meantime it seems to be

safe and proper for you to leave your web page captions just as

they are...

 

Good fortune with your work,

 

Ken McElhinney