Tales From Aztlantis

We are joined by Colleen Lucero to talk about the upcoming exhibit Hopi Kachina Dolls: Blessings for a Balanced World, which opens October 2 at the Brooklyn Museum, and her work with the Hopivewat Learning Center. Colleen is a Hopi community member from the village of Hotevilla. She is the Managing Director of the Hopivewat Learning Center, a community-designed organization that facilitates accessible opportunities for Hopi people ...

Rebirth of an Aztec Codex

There are some stories from Mesoamerican history that, when you first hear them, sound almost too good to be true. Take for example, the Tonalamatl Aubin. Now, for those not familiar, the story goes like this: a sacred Indigenous calendar survives the destruction of the Spanish invasion, vanishes into European collections where it gets passed from collector to collector, and eventually ends up sitting in a ...

When people hear phrases like “human sacrifice” or “cannibalism” their minds don’t immediately jump to the Crusades, Rome, medieval Europe, or the Bible. They jump straight to brown skin, feathered headdresses, and temples drenched in blood. Type in a quick Google search for the phrase and Mesoamericans (the Mexika/Aztec, in particular) become humanity’s favorite villains. “Savage.” &...

Given the current climate here in Occupied America, we thought it would be worth taking a look at the Chicano Moratorium march of August 29, 1970. The event serves as a good example of how we organized as a community to speak out against an unjust war and the price our people paid fighting in it. This episode was originally released as a Premium (paid only) episode, but we wanted to give everyone a chance to check out our discussio...

As the sun slowly rose over the Rio Grande on September 15, 1891, Catarino Erasmo Garza stood on the Texas side of the border holding in his hands two objects that would come to define his life: a Winchester rifle and a revolutionary proclamation. For years Garza had fought the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz through his many newspapers and publications. Now he announced that he was laying down the pen and taking up arms. In the open...

We Watched a White Woman "Channel" Quetzalcoatl... So You Don't Have To

Can someone really channel Quetzalcoatl? Or is it just another example of New Age spirituality borrowing from Indigenous traditions without understanding them?

In this special bonus episode of Tales From Aztlantis, Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl sit down together in the same room for a live reaction to one of the strangest DVDs they've ever encoun...

What happens when Indigenous DNA becomes the next frontier of resource extraction? In part two of this episode of Tales from Aztlantis, Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl are joined once again by Joe Yracheta, an Amerindigenous scientist of Purépecha and Rarámuri heritage and a leader with the Native BioData Consortium. Together, they explore one of the most pressing—and least discussed—issues facing Indigen...

What happens when Indigenous DNA becomes the next frontier of resource extraction?

In Part 1 of this thought-provoking episode of Tales from Aztlantis, Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl are joined by Joe Yracheta, an Amerindigenous scientist of Purépecha and Rarámuri heritage and a leader with the Native BioData Consortium. Together, they explore one of the most pressing—and least discussed—issues facing Ind...

Did the Aztecs have a concept of virtue? In this episode, we dive into a lively scholarly debate over the Nawatl phrase kwalli and yektli ("good" and "right") and whether it can properly be translated as "virtue." Examining colonial dictionaries, the Florentine Codex, the Wewetlahtolli, and the work of scholars from the sixteenth century to today, we explore the evidence for a distinctly Nawa ethical tradition. Along the way, we di...

Aztec Philosophy, Ethics, and the Outward Path with Dr. Sebastian Purcell

What if living a good life isn't about chasing happiness, but about building strong relationships and fulfilling your responsibilities to others?

In this episode of Tales From Aztlantis, Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl sit down with philosopher Dr. Sebastian Purcell to discuss Aztec (Nahua) philosophy, ethics, language, and his groundbreaking boo...

Family, friends, and listeners:

We gather virtually at a momentous historical threshold. The United States is engulfed in the pageantry, corporate sponsorships, and national choreography of its Semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration
of Independence. Across the landscape, museum exhibitions are being mounted, monument plaques polished, and civic speeches drafted.

We are being summoned, coll...

Danzantes, Mexicanistas, and other cultural practitioners often display a banner that they claim is the "original" and "true" banner of the Mexika people. Often referred to as the Panketzalli, Bandera de Cuitlahuac, or the Bandera de Victoria, this symbol can be found emblazoned on t-shirts, flags, dance regalia, murals and tattoos. But where does this image actually come from? And who created it?

listener comments? Feedback? Shoot ...

What does the 2nd Mexican Empire, Confederate soldiers on the run, and the TV show The Office have to do with a white supremacist secret society in St. Louis? Author and historian Devin Thomas O'Shea joins us to talk about his fantastic new book "The Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis." Strap yourselves in, dear listeners, you are in for a wild ride!

Our guest: 
Devin Thomas O&r...

If you were to walk out onto the street right now and ask the average person to close their eyes and picture an “American Indian,” what images would flash across their mind? For most, those images wouldn’t be of contemporary indigenous lawyers, scientists, artists, or tribal leaders navigating the complex realities of the 21st century. Instead, their minds would automatically drift to a beautifully lit cinematic l...

In the blistering heat of New Mexico’s sun-baked earth, under the protective gaze of Okuu Pin–the Turtle Mountain that majestically stands guard over Albuquerque–a strange and persistent legend has taken hold. It’s a story of hidden Jews, of ancient rites disguised as Catholic rituals, and of shadowy ancestors who supposedly hid their true faith during the Inquisition. This is the tale of New Mexico’s ...

Today, we’re talking about how we tell history, and specifically, how the media treats indigenous cultures. We are diving into the recent cultural history of the so-called Aztec Death Whistle. I’ve wanted to look into this topic for a while, but a recent horror movie about the whistle prompted a discussion on the Aztlantis discord, so I felt the time was right to dive into it. The main question at hand is how and why di...

Well, dear listeners, here we go again.

Like a brainless zombie emerging from the grave, a long-dead statue of Christopher Columbus has lurched back to life in order to reign terror on Washington DC.

And as his statue’s reanimated corpse claws its way up from the depths, it pauses momentarily to once again draw breath and utter…

“It’s a Me, Christopher Columbus!”

If you don’t know what I am referrin...

What is the actual history of Cinco de Mayo, what importance does it hold for Chicana/Chicano/Chicanx communities, and most importantly why is it celebrated in the United States? Well dear listener, if you have ever asked yourself any of those questions, you're in luck. Today's episode explores why we celebrate. Enjoy!

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This December, I'll be joining Skeptoid Adventures as your guide for T...

On the morning of April 20, tourists climbed the ancient steps of the Temple of the Moon at Teotiwakan, taking in the grandeur of the once-thriving Mesoamerican metropolis. From personal experience, I can tell you that the air that day was probably thin and dry, and the stones were likely still cool from the night before. Families would have paused briefly to catch their breath as they ascended a path that had been walked for centu...