Nagualism: A Study in Native American Folk-lore and History — John Shaqi
Nagualism: A Study in Native American Folk-lore and HistoryBrinton, Daniel G. (Daniel Garrison)
Religion
Nagualism: A Study in Native American Folk-lore and History
Brinton, Daniel G. (Daniel Garrison)
Indian mythology -- Mexico; Indians of Mexico -- Religion; Nagualism
Saying this, he took a sheet of paper, held it up to show that it was
blank, folded it for a moment, and then spread it out covered with
writing! This deft trick convinced his simple-minded hearers of the
truth of his claims and they rushed to arms. He led them, clothed in the
robe of the Virgin and with her crown on his head. But neither their
enthusiasm nor their leader’s art magic availed, and soon Jacinto and
his followers fell victims to the stake and the gallows. After their
death the dance of “the tiger,” or of Chac-Mool--the “ghost dance” of
the Mayas--was prohibited; and the use of the sacred drum--the favorite
instrument of the native priests--was forbidden.[31-†]
In fact, wherever we have any full accounts of the revolts against the
Spanish domination during the three centuries of its existence in New
Spain, we can manifestly trace the guiding fingers of the powerful
though hidden hand of Nagualism. An earlier revolt of the Mayas in
Yucatan occurred in 1585. It was led by Andres Chi, a full-blood Indian,
and a descendant of the ancient royal house of the Cocomes. He also
announced himself as a priest of the ancient faith, a prophet and a
worker of miracles, sent to instruct his own people in a new religion
and to give them an independent political existence. Seized by the
Spaniards, he was charged with idolatry, sorcery and disturbing the
peace, and was ignominiously hanged.[32-*]
Not less definitely inspired by the same ideas was the Mixe Indian,
known as “Don Pascual,” who led the revolt of the Tehuantepec tribes in
1661. He sent out his summons to the “thirteen governors of the Zapotecs
and Chontales” to come to his aid, and the insurrection threatened to
assume formidable proportions, prevented only by bringing to bear upon
the natives the whole power of the Roman Church through the Bishop of
Oaxaca, Cuevas Davalos.[32-†]
Nearly the same locality had been the scene of the revolt of the
Zapotecs in 1550, when they were led by a native priest who claimed to
be an incarnation of the old god Quetzalcoatl, the patron deity of the
nagualists.[32-‡]
In the city of Mexico itself, in the year 1692, there was a violent
outbreak of the natives, when they destroyed three million dollars worth
of property. Doubtless this was partly attributable to the scarcity of
food which prevailed; but that the authorities traced it also to some
secret ceremonials is evident from the law which was immediately passed
forbidding the Indians to wear the _piochtli_, or scalp-lock, a portion
of the hair preserved from birth as part of the genethliac
rituals,[32-§] and the especial enactments against the _octli_.
As for the revolt of the Tzentals of Chiapas, in 1712, it was clearly
and confessedly under the leadership of the nagualistic priesthood, as I
shall indicate on a later page.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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