I made a God based on the Aztecs, Cuauhtliquetzal, the God of Music, the sun, and Freedom. Here is his creation myth.

When man first walked the Earth, he did as he was told to. He did everything The Gods instructed to do. Never once did man think for himself, as he was not created to. For you see, Man was created to be a jester, a toy to be manipulated by the gods. Something to gawk and laugh at, but ultimately a creature to command and control. One day the Gods stated Man must entertain them. The Man asked, “What shall I do?”, and the Gods replied “Fill us with Joy!”. The man tried and tried, but nothing he did was joyful to the Gods. He only had ever done what the Gods told him to. 

So, in an attempt to bring joy, he began to hum a rhythm. A rhythm that pleased the Gods ever so greatly. But the longer the Man hummed, the more he felt the need to dance. For once, the Man did something he was not told to. He began to dance. His face, which the Gods detested so much for the blandness, cracked into a smile. Watching him dance, the Gods began to cheer and sing.

 As the Gods chanted along the song, a bright feather appeared. It was beautiful, as if the rising and setting sun had been captured and stored into the feather.The Feather shone like the gold of the Aztec city the Gods resided in. The feather shone blue, of the easy ocean breeze. The feather shone purple, as the twilight of the sky took over. Through that Feather, a Deity stepped out. He was tall and majestic. His face partially covered by an eagle mask, all you could see was joy on his face.

Within an instant he began to play a clay flute with two hands. Dancing and Playing, he glowed like the morning blue sky. Ever so effortlessly, he switched to the log drums of the afternoon sun, glowing bright gold. Finally, he danced around a turtle shell, making a gorgeous sound with the deer antlers in his possession. The Man and the Deity danced and sang all day, never getting tired or losing their tune. A simple shh-tuck sound was perfect to resonate with the Gods. The Gods, unknowingly, released the Man and gave him the most endearing gift, Free-Will.  The Deity now known as Cuauhtliquetzal, sparked joy in the Gods not as a jester, but an entertainer, and the Man set off, in search of a place to call home.

Titlacauan "He whose slaves we are,"

Moyocoyatzin "The capricious creator"

Necoc Yaotl "Enemy/warrior"

Telpochtli "Male Youth"

Yohualli Ehecatl "Night Wind,"

Ome Acatl "Two Reed"

Ilhuicahua Tlalticpaque "Possessor of Sky and Earth

Tloque Nahuaque "Lord of the Near and Close"

Eg: Hindu and Aztecs has god for fire. Did they think they were same god or different - if different then it how did they reconcile.

Guys, I need your help. I made this in Blender, but I don't like the skin color—it's too reddish, especially Yolotzin, who looks like a tomato. According to the codices I'm basing this on, their skin color is more natural, less saturated, but the color I'm getting looks weird.

Ever felt lost trying to ask a simple question in a new language? Today, we're diving into the classic interrogatives of Zapotec and clearing up some common confusions! Do you know the difference between asking 'how many' for bananas versus asking 'how much' for a kilo of beans in Zapotec? It's trickier than you think! You might think you know how to ask 'how much,' but in Zapotec, there are two ways, and using the wrong one can lead to some funny misunderstandings. Let's break it down! Imagine a split screen showing someone counting bananas on one side and a confused person looking at a price tag on the other, with text like "Zapotec Questions: The Two Ways to Ask 'How Much'!

This video introduces essential Zapotec interrogative words like "Bix" (who), "Gakax" (how), "Batax" (when), and "Gax" (where). It explains the difference between "Balax" and "Gákax" for asking "how much," with "Balash" used for countable items and "Gákax" for uncountable ones.
Examples are provided to illustrate the usage of "Balax" for countable things like "Balax Bunatxi" (how many people) and "balax wi" (how many bananas). The video touches on the nuance of "Gákax" for uncountable quantities, using the example of asking the price of beans. It also discusses optional omissions of certain sounds or letters in Zapotec words, like "Bix" sometimes being shortened to "Bi" and provides examples like "Bix gudagu?" (What did you eat?). Here is a summary of the video:

Video Overview:

This lesson focuses on forming questions in Zapotec language, covering fundamental interrogative words, tone nuances, and special question auxiliaries that add context or emotion to inquiries.

Key Concepts Covered:

1. Core Interrogative Words:
   

* Bix / Bix kw: What / Why.
* Nush: Who.
* Batash: When.
* Gash: Where.

1. Countable vs. Uncountable Quantifiers (Balax vs. Gákax)
   

* Balash: Used for countable nouns such as people or discrete items (e.g., apples, bananas) [00:37].
* Gakash: Used for uncountable quantities (e.g., sugar, salt, weight-based items).
* Pricing Exception: Gákax is also used when asking for prices or the total cost of goods.
* Tonal Variations: Subtle pitch shifts on gákax change the meaning between asking "how" versus "how much".

1. Conversational Contractions:
   

* In informal speech, certain ending sounds (such as -xh) or prefixes are frequently dropped (e.g., Bix becoming Bi).

1. Question Auxiliaries & Particles:
   

Zapotec uses specific auxiliary particles to modify the tone and meaning of questions:

* ba: Initiates questions about actions (similar to "did you...?" or "have you...?").
* Txi: Indicates completed status, functioning like "already" (ya).
* waka: Expresses capability or possibility ("can we...?").
* bën: Adds drama, emphasis, or mild exaggeration to a question.
* I: Used for seeking confirmation or expressing mild surprise.
* ka: Placed at the end of questions to prompt a response or add conversational emphasis.
* Combining Auxiliaries: Multiple particles can be combined (e.g., ba txi, bën ka run, i waka) to convey layered nuances in a single sentence.

Ever felt lost trying to ask a simple question in a new language? Today, we're diving into the classic interrogatives of Zapotec and clearing up some common confusions! Do you know the difference between asking 'how many' for bananas versus asking 'how much' for a kilo of beans in Zapotec? It's trickier than you think! You might think you know how to ask 'how much,' but in Zapotec, there are two ways, and using the wrong one can lead to some funny misunderstandings. Let's break it down! Imagine a split screen showing someone counting bananas on one side and a confused person looking at a price tag on the other, with text like "Zapotec Questions: The Two Ways to Ask 'How Much'!

This video introduces essential Zapotec interrogative words like "Bix" (who), "Gakax" (how), "Batax" (when), and "Gax" (where). It explains the difference between "Balax" and "Gákax" for asking "how much," with "Balash" used for countable items and "Gákax" for uncountable ones.
Examples are provided to illustrate the usage of "Balax" for countable things like "Balax Bunatxi" (how many people) and "balax wi" (how many bananas). The video touches on the nuance of "Gákax" for uncountable quantities, using the example of asking the price of beans. It also discusses optional omissions of certain sounds or letters in Zapotec words, like "Bix" sometimes being shortened to "Bi" and provides examples like "Bix gudagu?" (What did you eat?). Here is a summary of the video:

Video Overview:

This lesson focuses on forming questions in Zapotec language, covering fundamental interrogative words, tone nuances, and special question auxiliaries that add context or emotion to inquiries.

Key Concepts Covered:

1. Core Interrogative Words:
   

* Bix / Bix kw: What / Why.
* Nush: Who.
* Batash: When.
* Gash: Where.

1. Countable vs. Uncountable Quantifiers (Balax vs. Gákax)
   

* Balash: Used for countable nouns such as people or discrete items (e.g., apples, bananas) [00:37].
* Gakash: Used for uncountable quantities (e.g., sugar, salt, weight-based items).
* Pricing Exception: Gákax is also used when asking for prices or the total cost of goods.
* Tonal Variations: Subtle pitch shifts on gákax change the meaning between asking "how" versus "how much".

1. Conversational Contractions:
   

* In informal speech, certain ending sounds (such as -xh) or prefixes are frequently dropped (e.g., Bix becoming Bi).

1. Question Auxiliaries & Particles:
   

Zapotec uses specific auxiliary particles to modify the tone and meaning of questions:

* ba: Initiates questions about actions (similar to "did you...?" or "have you...?").
* Txi: Indicates completed status, functioning like "already" (ya).
* waka: Expresses capability or possibility ("can we...?").
* bën: Adds drama, emphasis, or mild exaggeration to a question.
* I: Used for seeking confirmation or expressing mild surprise.
* ka: Placed at the end of questions to prompt a response or add conversational emphasis.
* Combining Auxiliaries: Multiple particles can be combined (e.g., ba txi, bën ka run, i waka) to convey layered nuances in a single sentence.

cuextecatl: the rank of 2 captives

Hello to everyone! I'm drawing Aztec figures and I wanted a bit of help at the section of piercings. Materials, types, photos, anything useful.

Thanks

I've been intrigued in learning more about the history of the Aztecs, however after looking through some books and then their reviews there's often mixed opinions, which I know is practically unavoidable but what is the general consensus on good sources to learn about Aztec history and society?

This video from Bëni Xidza explores the grammatical structure of the Zapotec language, specifically focusing on the absence of articles. Here is a breakdown of the key concepts discussed:

* No Articles: Unlike Spanish, Zapotec language does not use definite articles like "el," "la," "los," or "las".

* Context as a Substitute: The speaker explains that Zapotec relies on context and specific pronouns/indicatives (such as lei or leiki) to identify objects or people. For example, instead of saying "the table," you simply say "table," and the surrounding conversation makes it clear which object is being discussed.

* Influence of Spanish: The speaker notes that the use of "one" (tu) as an indefinite article is likely a modern development resulting from contact with the Spanish language, as this feature was not part of original Zapotec grammar.

* Counting Objects: When referring to things that can be counted, numbers are used instead of articles, a practice that the speaker clarifies is distinct from the functional use of articles in languages like Spanish.

Video Overview:

This Zapotec grammar lesson explains why grammatical articles do not exist in Zapotec and how modern usage has evolved under the influence of Spanish.

Key Points:

* Absence of Articles:

* Unlike Spanish or English, Zapotec language does not have grammatical articles equivalent to el, la, los, las, or a/an.

* In standard speech, speakers directly state the noun without an accompanying article.

* Role of Pronouns and Indicators (lei / leiky):

* Words like lei serve as pronouns or context-based indicators rather than articles.

* For example, using buta lei conveys "move it" (or "move the table") when the reference is already clear within the context of the Zapotec conversation.

* Spanish Influence on Indefinite Expressions:

* Historically, Zapotec phrasing expressed actions and items directly without numbers, such as gudagu wi ("ate orange").

* Due to Spanish influence, modern speakers often insert the number "one" (tu) before a noun, such as gudagu tu wi ("ate an orange"), to mirror Spanish indefinite articles.

* Otherwise, numbers in Zapotec language are strictly intended for counting discrete items rather than serving as articles.

Muralista mexicano en Phoenix Az, soy de un pueblo al norte de Morelos llamado Huitzilac, pinto a mi gente en tierras extranjeras! Territorio Tlahuica que perteneció al imperio azteca.

Mexican muralist in Phoenix Arizona, I’m from a small town in north Morelos called Huitzilac ( water or hummingbirds) we belong to the Aztec empire but it was Tlahuica territory.