The Aztec Lady of the Dead | Mictēcacihuātl

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WHO AM I?
Hey there, I’m Cinzia DuBois. I’m a part-time, self-funded PhD student and KZfaqr, Podcaster and writer. I’ve been creating videos for over thirteen years. On this channel, I talk about dark and ancient history, literature and folklore. I discuss productivity, personal development, PhD, academia, and mental well-being on my second channel.
❗️DISCLAIMER
I am just a random student on the internet who loves reading, especially about ancient history and classics. My videos aim to make classics and ancient history interesting and accessible to everyone. I am not a professional or qualified educator, “expert”, historian or classicist. However, I ensure that all the information I use in my video scripts has been collated from numerous credible sources. Additionally, I am dyslexic, and I will mispronounce words. This does not stem from willful ignorance, and I try to research how to pronounce words before filming, but I often misread my phonetic spelling. In light of this, please do not rely on my video for an authoritative or reliable source of how to pronounce certain words.
Resources:
Brandes, Stanley. “Iconography in Mexico’s Day of the Dead: Origins and Meaning.” Ethnohistory 45, no. 2 (1998): 181-218. doi.org/10.2307/483058.
Kilroy-Ewbank, Lauren. 2015. “Coatlicue.” Khan Academy (blog). 2015. www.khanacademy.org/humanitie....
Elizabeth M. Brumfiel and Gary M. Feinman, eds., The Aztec World (New York: Abrams, 2008).
Cecelia Klein, "A New Interpretation of the Aztec Statue Called Coatlicue, 'Snakes-Her-Skirt'," Ethnohistory 55, no. 2 (Spring 2008): pp. 229-250.
Richard Townsend, The Aztecs, 3 ed. (London: Thames and Hudson, 2009).
Esther Pasztory, Aztec Art (University of Oklahoma Press, 1983).
Davíd Carrasco and Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, eds. Moctezuma’s Mexico: Visions of the Aztec World, revised (University Press of Colorado, 2003).
Charles E. Dibble and Arthur J. O. Anderson, eds. Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain, 12 vols. (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1950-82).

Пікірлер: 72

@Shunshnura 10 ай бұрын

Neat little fun fact about Aztec (Mexica) Religion/Mythology: In the Aztec path to the afterlife, there are 9 layers which the recently deceased would have to travel through to achieve eternal peace. The first of these layers was called “Itzcuintlan”, and its obstacle was a river which a dog would have to guide you through by helping you swim across it, however, one would only guide you if you treated dogs well when you were alive. So essentially, in Aztec religion, if you had been a dick to dogs when you were alive, you’d be stuck wandering the banks of this uncrossable river, forced to contemplate the way you were a dick to dogs for eternity, never allowed to achieve peace and closure.

@AllTheHappySquirrels 10 ай бұрын

I love this so much! Good to know I'd be okay for at least the first layer of the afterlife ❤

@andycasale 10 ай бұрын

Wow ❤️❤️ it’s crazy how dogs are related to other death gods/goddesses in so many cultures 🤯

@guaporeturns9472 8 ай бұрын

Good thing I’m not Aztec

@FaeQueenCory 10 ай бұрын

Mictecacihuatl is one of my favorite gods. The fact she lives on today as La Santa Muerte and continues to support gay rights is a symbol of anticolonial pride.

@angel2641 8 ай бұрын

La Santa muerte is not the same. That has more to do with brujería/witchcraft. It poses as a saint to disguise the real evil that lies beneath. But that’s just how I view it. But it’s not the same at all.

@jettybetty3173 10 ай бұрын

This was wonderful! I'd love to see a video about Dia De Los Muertos and maybe more about the Nahua people. I'm half Mexican and have been trying to learn more about my culture and my people so this video was really helpful.

@carrieamoreno 10 ай бұрын

the Ancient Americas youtube channel may be of interest to you

@Siwacoatl 10 ай бұрын

I'm Mexican, so I appreciate you covering Mexica/Aztec religion since there aren't that many videos about it in English.

@jeffbrownstain 10 ай бұрын

I've always perceived the archetype of Death as feminine, and I promise that's not just because I'm afraid of powerful women! I once had to walk through a ridiculous snowstorm to get to a friends house for shelter and saw a gaunt old women literally pushing her 100s with a walker and hunched over half buried already, stomping through that same snowstorm with some type of vengeance I'd never seen before... That's what the reaper looks like to me; that old lady was out for blood and I did not want in her way.

@azraelsblade 10 ай бұрын

The TL at the end of a syllable makes a TK sound and the HU makes a WH sound. So it should be “Mik-Tay-Kuh-See-Whatk.”

@vanzetti1927 10 ай бұрын

I was really impressed with your pronunciation. You did a great job.

@mathieuleader8601 10 ай бұрын

Mictēcacihuātl eating stars reminds me of the Ancient Egyptian primordial goddess of night Nut

@winterburden 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for this neat Lady of the Dead video Cinzia!

@hapitoons1515 10 ай бұрын

Perfectly timing since i just listen to an audible book about Aztec's beliefs about death

@gnostic268 10 ай бұрын

I almost screamed out loud with excitement when I saw this on my YT feed 😁 I'm home alone but the cats and my dog think I'm goofy anyway so no big deal. LoL

@SpicusMojificus 10 ай бұрын

I've heard the story of Coatlicue giving birth to Huitzilipochtli told differently with every new book I read or video I see on the topic. The story of the sun also sounds a little different, I heard it was different gods taking turn being the sun during the different eras. It might be regional differences and the fact that the Spanish tried to destroy all the mythology for centuries after the conquest.

@CeceScissorhands 9 ай бұрын

I love this !! I don’t see a lot of accounts cover the Mexica (Aztec) people and their gods and mythology 🙌🏽

@jeremysmith4620 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, I never get to hear the term "psychopomp" enough times per day. I think psychopomp was actually in my top 5 dream jobs, but I'm not good with boats nor do I have a giant book, chains, or any other accoutrements that would befit such a title, sadly. Plus I get lost easily and I'm not sure about GPS service down there. Guess I'll stick with my day job.

@morganmayfair4755 10 ай бұрын

Eating the stars… sounds like Egyptian goddess, Nut. I like the idea that there was an older spiritual understanding these remnants are pieces of. The snake also represents energy… we are more wave than particle between lives 😮

@nickrhodes9031 10 ай бұрын

As ever, grateful for learning something new (technically ancient but you know what I mean). Thank you.

@pcarebear1 10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for this video! As Central American, it's hard to find clear history videos about Mesoamerican myths/history/etc. I can see why our view of death is SO different from other western cultures, we see death as just a chapter in life, we even do the novenas (prayers for 9 days w/the rosary) with family and friends and eat the fave foods of the deceased (we also offer them a plate of the food, white 🕯, and water during the 9 days on an altar).

@maggie8324 10 ай бұрын

Lovely, inclusive diversity of the wider cultures. Very nice to see the old presentation format. Helpful, in regard to me, focusing on the content over the atmosphere. Mistress Cinzia, I do like your channel. (Happy Face)

@hannahsolo27 10 ай бұрын

Oh yay! I am at work right now but can’t wait to watch this when I get home. Thank you for always putting together such entertaining and informative videos, Cinzia!!

@chloepop102 10 ай бұрын

I LOVE YOU AND YOUR VIDEOS SO MUCH you feel so cozy and comforting for me to watch please keep up the amazing work🩷

@CinziaDuBois 10 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!!

@bujongols 6 ай бұрын

The pronunciation was on point! Lol I was like "wait...wait, how did she just say 'Dia de los Muertos' right now?" I had to hear it again LOL. I was surprised, but more so impressed. The Nawa pronuciation was great too.

@jamesomeara2329 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, this was an interesting introduction to the history, especially being how little I actually know of the classical cultures of Central and South America. That considered, an interesting thing to me about the archetype of Death as a feminine is there's a continuity even into the contemporary era. On the one hand is the Wiccan faith with the symbolism of maiden, mother,and crone. From the storytelling side I think of Death of the Endless from Niel Gaimin's Sandman series. The archetype has never truly disappeared.

@AncientAmericas 10 ай бұрын

This is a most unexpected surprise!

@andrewoliver5541 10 ай бұрын

Great video, as always, Cinzia! Thanks for all your work.

@lesliemoiseauthor 10 ай бұрын

I love the diverse mythology you draw from. Have you read Terry Pratchett's Death novels?

@MythologywithMike 9 ай бұрын

Well it looks like I found a new channel to binge. Stuff like this is right up my alley!

@alicias.8482 10 ай бұрын

A nice little video I could fit in during a break at work

@brownyuio 10 ай бұрын

You learn something new every day! Thank you for this!

@AllTheHappySquirrels 10 ай бұрын

Ive never heard of this deity, thanks for sharing this story!

@mezmarionybarra 10 ай бұрын

WONDERFUL AS ALWAYS THANK YOU ❣️❣️❣️

@CinziaDuBois 10 ай бұрын

You are so welcome

@thedreadpiratewesley2301 10 ай бұрын

Looking classy today library lady

@user-px3mi5pz3f 6 ай бұрын

This is absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. This really resonates with me and found your tone of voice super helpful. 🎺🖤⚽🙈🔥From Dahshon As of right now I identify as an Egyptian, native american African male.

@dieorwrite9460 10 ай бұрын

It's actually heartwarming how the decapitation is in the end an act of sacrifice from a goddess out of selfless desire to keep time running. Also kind of fleeting but interestingly that Yama is the personification of Death in India mythology. It very much carried over to Chinese, and later Japanese, mythology surrounding Death as well. However, Yama got localised in Ancient China as Yan Wang （阎王, The Yan King), who is the Judge of the Underworld and also a very real historical figure called Bao Zheng (包拯）, who lived in the Tang Dynasty and is seen as the most fair and unbiased judge in Ancient Chinese history, so that after his death he became the ultimate judge of human souls in the afterlife/underworld so that all humans will get a fair trial.

@baronarcanus9111 10 ай бұрын

Just another Queen of Heaven...

@willmendoza8498 10 ай бұрын

I'd love to hear more about this

@yensid4294 10 ай бұрын

The syncretism of Roman Catholicism & native pre-christian beliefs is always so interesting, especially in the cultures that engaged in ancester worship.

@6xxxMickeyxxx6 10 ай бұрын

Amazing work and such eloquence!

@goblin3359 10 ай бұрын

Thank you for this! Fantastic work.

@nunyobidness2358 10 ай бұрын

Going to go ahead and appropriate for Halloween😊

@mezmarionybarra 10 ай бұрын

Hahahaaa, I mean, Jahajajaaaa

@ReadingNymph 9 ай бұрын

This was a great bite sized video, so informative as always

@adriennesontag-murphy1181 8 ай бұрын

Thank you, this is amazing!!!!!

@CinziaDuBois 8 ай бұрын

You're so welcome!

@Wee_Catalyst 10 ай бұрын

Thank you, this was so enjoyable! Loved the spooky music 😊

@valerietorres9347 10 ай бұрын

Loved the video and would love to see more videos about mesoamerican mythology 🫶❤️

@cristopherj1324 10 ай бұрын

Tonaticah 🥹💜🇲🇽

@Faerieblood666 10 ай бұрын

I woild love a video on Santa Muerte

@wingweaver023 10 ай бұрын

💜💛

@AMoniqueOcampo 10 ай бұрын

So does this lady have any connection to Santa Muerte?

@CinziaDuBois 10 ай бұрын

In a way yes, but sort of a little no. Santa Muerte originally appeared as a male cult figure in mid-20th century in Mexico, so thousands of years later. I haven't found out how the cult figure transitioned from male to female, but there is a chance this decision was made based on the ancient Mictēcacihuātl

@mjkluck 10 ай бұрын

Good stuff, Kiddo.

@mathieuleader8601 10 ай бұрын

Typhon would find this goddess of death very attractive

@ronaldmccomb8301 10 ай бұрын

Great job with the content and pronunciations in this video, Miss Lady of the Library. On a side note, do you have a schedule of water sources you thrust your hand out with a book in it?

@jeffbrownstain 10 ай бұрын

If the Aztecs' belief that the world is cyclical and that each sun length of 52 years is correct, and following the Aztec creation myth strictly, then we would be in the 9th sun right now. This is because 500 years / 52 years per sun = 9.2 years. The height of the Aztec civilization was in the 15th century, which is about 500 years ago. The Aztecs believed that the fifth sun began in 1427 CE. 500 years later, in 1927 CE, the ninth sun would have begun. However, the Aztec calendar was based on the cycles of the sun and moon, and these cycles are not perfectly regular. So, it is possible that the each sun began a few years earlier or later. The idea of us being in the 9th sun today based on a strict calculation of 500 years divided by years per sun as a simplified interpretation. The Aztec calendar system was more complex, considering various interlocking cycles of the sun and moon. The fifth sun was destroyed by a flood. The Aztecs' beliefs about the sun are metaphorical and metaphysical. They are not meant to be taken literally.

@Heothbremel 10 ай бұрын

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

@rafaelfcf 10 ай бұрын

I hear Portuguese, I like

@mrcjc9298 10 ай бұрын

Is this goddess the origin of the Santa Muerte figure?

@xenogorwraithblade2538 9 ай бұрын

I mean, I tend to think more of the cute goth chick from the Sandman graphic novels.

@rheannalake6974 10 ай бұрын

Do my story Welsh girl . 🐚🛎

@madrandomize5115 10 ай бұрын

They sure loved their decapitations and dismemberments ...

@dsalazarm 6 ай бұрын

there is no "aztec" culture, that was a military allience. like calling Europe "the Allied Forces", Mesoamerica is the area, and Nahua the language group, Anahuac is what its called in Nahuatl