The Story
As Indigenous Chicanos and Mesoamerican descendants raised in the United States, many of us grow up feeling both rooted and displaced at the same time. We live on land we feel deeply connected to, yet far from the communities and contexts that shaped our ancestral traditions. This book comes out of that in-between space.
Colonial histories often portray the Aztec/Mexika as obsessed with bloodthirsty gods and ritual violence. But when we turn to Indigenous sources, a different picture emerges: a sophisticated worldview shaped by close observation of nature, reflection, and lived experience. It is a system that makes room for myth as symbolic storytelling and for inquiry as a sacred act.
This book invites readers to see Aztec/Mexika thought as a form of natural pantheism, where the universe itself is sacred. It also offers clear, practical guidance for engaging the ceremonial calendar in ways that make sense in the modern world. It is most effectively utilized as a companion to the Aztec/Mexika calendar "A Mexican Count of Days," published annually by the same author.
Author: Kurly Tlapoyawa
Publisher: Chimalli Media
Published: 02/06/2026
Pages: 102
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.74lbs
Size: 11.00h x 8.50w x 0.28d
ISBN: 9798218932169
About the Author
Tlapoyawa, Kurly: - Kurly Tlapoyawa is an Indigenous Chicano archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker who lives in Albuquerque, NM. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. He is the co-host of the podcast "Tales From Aztlantis," which explores Chicano, Mexicano, and Mesoamerican history and archaeology, and challenges disinformation about those topics.
Description
As Indigenous Chicanos and Mesoamerican descendants raised in the United States, many of us grow up feeling both rooted and displaced at the same time. We live on land we feel deeply connected to, yet far from the communities and contexts that shaped our ancestral traditions. This book comes out of that in-between space.
Colonial histories often portray the Aztec/Mexika as obsessed with bloodthirsty gods and ritual violence. But when we turn to Indigenous sources, a different picture emerges: a sophisticated worldview shaped by close observation of nature, reflection, and lived experience. It is a system that makes room for myth as symbolic storytelling and for inquiry as a sacred act.
This book invites readers to see Aztec/Mexika thought as a form of natural pantheism, where the universe itself is sacred. It also offers clear, practical guidance for engaging the ceremonial calendar in ways that make sense in the modern world. It is most effectively utilized as a companion to the Aztec/Mexika calendar "A Mexican Count of Days," published annually by the same author.
Author: Kurly Tlapoyawa
Publisher: Chimalli Media
Published: 02/06/2026
Pages: 102
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.74lbs
Size: 11.00h x 8.50w x 0.28d
ISBN: 9798218932169
About the Author
Tlapoyawa, Kurly: - Kurly Tlapoyawa is an Indigenous Chicano archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker who lives in Albuquerque, NM. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. He is the co-host of the podcast "Tales From Aztlantis," which explores Chicano, Mexicano, and Mesoamerican history and archaeology, and challenges disinformation about those topics.
