Article suitable for older students

Aztec feasts of the dead

26th Oct 2023

Garland of marigolds, Aztec feast of the dead, Codex Borbonicus p.28

In Aztec times, two consecutive festivals, ninth and tenth in the solar year of eighteen ‘months’ - each lasting twenty days - were particularly associated with cults of the dead. Their names in Classical Nahuatl were Tlaxochimaco (‘The Offering of Flowers’) and Xocotl huetzi (‘Fruit Falls’). They correspond very approximately to our months of August and September. These feasts are also known as Miccailhuitontli (‘Little Feast of the Dead’) and Hueymiccailhuitl (‘Great Feast of the Dead’) in Mesoamerican Nahuatl.
Here we present, slightly abridged, a description of the first of these, as recorded in Book II of the Florentine Codex, in English, Spanish and Nahuatl, in collaboration with the team at Proyecto Hunab Ku, Puebla, Mexico. (Compiled by Ian Mursell/Mexicolore)

Two days [before the feast] there was the seeking of every kind of flower, scattered over the mountains... And when they had been gathered, when it was dawn, then they were strung together. Then they were twisted, they were wound [in garlands].
And when there had been the arranging, then carefully they were set down; they were indeed handled with esteem, they were cared for with reverence.
Dos días antes de la fiesta se llevaba a cabo la búsqueda de flores. La gente se esparcía por las montañas cuando buscaban cada flor: varias flores, flores de montaña... Y una vez que habían sido recolectadas, al amanecer, eran ensartadas. Después eran trenzadas, convirtiéndose en guirnaldas. Se les trataba con estima y cuidado reverente.
Viptlatica in suchitemoloa, necenmanalo in tepepan in tlatemolo in xuqujch suchitl, in nepapan suchitl, in tepepan suchitl... Auh yn omonechico yn ocaaxitico suchitl, yn oaxioaco, yn otlatujc, njma ic moczozo tlaczolo, tlazoa: auh yn omozozoc, suchitl, mec momamalina, mjlacatzoa, vel viujac viujtlatztic, totomaoac, vel tomactic. Auh yn otlacencaoaloc, mec tlamatzin motlatlalia, vel momalhuja, momauizpia:

And when this was done, all the common folk together fell to making tamales for themselves. In the evening they plucked turkey hens and [killed] dogs. There was confusion. There was indulging in sleeplessness; there was wakefulness. There was living for the feast day. It was as if each one was active’ there was preoccupation on the part of each one so that there would be preparation.
And when the day broke, the guardians of the god thereupon each made offerings to Huitzilopochtli; they adorned him with garlands of flowers; they placed flowers upon his head.
Y una vez hecho esto, toda la gente común se dedicaba a hacer tamales para sí mismos. Por la tarde, se desplumaban pavos y mataban perros. Había confusión. Había que entregarse al insomnio; había vigilia. Había preparación para el día de la fiesta. Era como si cada uno estuviera activo; había preocupación por parte de cada uno para que todo estuviera listo.
Y cuando amaneció, los guardianes del dios hicieron ofrendas a Huitzilopochtli; lo adornaron con guirnaldas de flores; colocaron flores sobre su cabeza.
Auh yn iquac muchioaia yn, yn ixqujch maceoalli, ceneuetzi in motamalhuja, teutlacpa in qujujujtla totolti, yoa in chichime, no teutlacpa in qujnchichinoa, techichinolo, in monequizque ioatzico: neixpololo, acuchiztli nechioaltilo, necuchizololo, yilhujnemoa, iuhqujn tlatlaciuj, netetequjpacholo, injc tlacencaoalo.
Auh yn otlatujc in iehoantin teupixque, njman ie ic qujtlamamaca in Vitzilopuchtli, qujsuchicuzcatia, conicpasuchitia:

And before him they kept spreading, they kept lining up, they kept placing in rows, they kept hanging in rows all the various flowers, the precious flowers, the gifts made as offerings.
Thereupon flowers were offered all at the same time to all of the gods, the images of the gods. Thereupon in all the houses, in the homes of the stewards, in the homes of the great noblemen, and [in] each of the young men’s houses, they all laid them out [before the idols]; they all spread them out in people’s homes.
Y ante él seguían esparciendo, alineando, colocando en filas, y colgando en filas todas las diversas flores, las preciosas flores, los regalos hechos como ofrendas.
Entonces se ofrecieron flores al mismo tiempo a todos los dioses, a las imágenes de los dioses. Al mismo tiempo, en todas las casas, en los hogares de los mayordomos, en las casas de los grandes nobles, y en cada una de las casas de los jóvenes, todos las colocaron ante los ídolos; todos las distribuyeron en los hogares de las personas.
yoan ixpan qujtetequjlia, qujtetecpanjlia, qujujujpana, qujtetecpiloa, in ixqujch nepapan suchitl, in tlaozosuchitl, in manquj, in tlamantli:
niman ie ic tesuchimaco, cenvetzi m ixqujchtin teteu, yn imixiptlaoan teteu, tlatlacateculo, tesuchitilo, tesuchiapano, teicpacsuchitilo, in vncan in teteupan:
njman ie ic cenvetzi in noujan calpan, in calpixque inchan, in veuei pipilti inchan; yoan in tetepuchcali, qujcentzacutimanj, qujcentzacutimomana in techachan.

And when this was done, when they had been ornamented, then there was eating, there was drinking. Everywhere there was eating, there was celebration of the feast day.
And when midday came, then there were singing and dancing. Verily they ornamented all the youths, the masters of the youths, the leaders of the youths, the seasoned warriors, the shorn ones, the Otomí. There in the god’s courtyard, in the courtyard of [the Temple of] Huitzilopochtli, there was dancing.
Y cuando esto se hizo, cuando fueron ornamentadas, entonces hubo comida, hubo bebida. En todas partes se celebraba la fiesta con comida y bebida.
Y cuando llegó el mediodía, entonces hubo canto y baile. Adornaron a todos los jóvenes, a los maestros de los jóvenes, a los líderes de los jóvenes, a los guerreros veteranos, a los rapados, a los Otomíes. Allí en el patio del dios, en el patio del Templo de Huitzilopochtli, se celebraba un baile.
Auh in ie iuhquj yn otecencaoaloc mec tlatalqualo, haatlioa: noujan tlatlaqualo, yilhujtlamacho.
Auh yn oacic nepantla tonatiuh mec cujcoianolo, vel ixqujch qujcencaoa, in telpuchtli, in teachcaoan, in telpuchiaque, in tequjoaque, in quaquachictin, in otomj: vncan in netotilo in teuitoalco, yn itoalco Vitzilopuchtli.

Also the women danced, the courtesans, the pleasure girls. They went, each one, between [pairs of men]; they each went grasped in their hands; they were grasped about the waist. They were all in line; they went winding to and fro. Nowhere did the line break; nowhere were hands loosed. They went in order.
También las mujeres, las cortesanas, bailaban; iban cada una entre parejas de hombres, sosteniéndose de las manos y sujetándose por la cintura. Estaban todas en línea; iban zigzagueando de un lado a otro. En ningún lugar se rompía la línea; en ningún lugar se soltaban las manos. Iban en orden.
No iehoantin in cioa mjtotiaia, amo iehoan in teichpuchoan, iehoantin in mahaujltianj, yn avianjme intzatzalan mantiuj, inmatitech maantiuj, mocujtlanaoa, zan cenpanti, zan cenpantitiuj, mococolutiuj, acan cotonj, acan momacaoa vipantiuj.

And the singers, those who sang for them, those who beat the drums for them, who beat the ground drums for them, were quite apart, quite to one side. They were against a building, against a round altar [or pyramid]. And the altar was completely round, circular, like a spindle whorl. Against it, by it, stood [the musicians].
Los cantantes, aquellos que cantaban para ellas, aquellos que tocaban los tambores y golpeaban los tambores de suelo para ellas, estaban apartados, completamente a un lado. Estaban junto a un edificio, un altar redondo o pirámide. El altar era completamente redondo, circular, como un huso. Junto a él estaban los músicos.
Auh in cujcanjme, in qujncujcatia, in qujntlatzotzonjlia, qujnueuetzotzonjlia, zan nonqua, zan chico, caltech in manj, emomoztitech: auh in momoztli, zan iaoaltic, teujlacachtic, malacachtic, yn jtech, yn itlan manj.

And as they danced, they did not keep leaping nor did they make great movements; they did not go making dance gestures; they did not go throwing themselves continually about, they did not go dancing with arm movements, they did not continually bend their bodies, they did not continually go whirling themselves, they did not keep going from side to side; they did not keep turning their backs.
Mientras bailaban, no daban saltos ni hacían grandes movimientos; no hacían gestos de baile; no se arrojaban continuamente; no bailaban con movimientos de brazos; no doblaban continuamente sus cuerpos; no se revolvían; no iban de un lado a otro; no daban la espalda.
Auh ynic mjtotia, amo chocholoa, amono ontlayiaoa, amo ontlayiauhtiuj, amo motlatlaztiuj, amo momaitotitiuj, amo mopapachoa, amo momamalacachotiuj, amo aujc onviuj, amo tztizinqujcza.

It was quite quietly, quite calmly, quite evenly that they went going, that they went dancing. Very much as a serpent goeth, as a serpent lieth, was the dance. None disturbed, none intruded, none encircled, none broke in.
And those who embraced the women were only the great, brave warriors. But those who were only masters of the youths did not embrace them.
Lo hacían de manera tranquila, calmada y uniforme mientras avanzaban, mientras bailaban. El baile era muy similar a cómo se mueve una serpiente, cómo yace una serpiente. Nadie molestaba, nade se entrometía, nadie rodeaba, nadie interrumpía.
Y aquellos que abrazaban a las mujeres eran solo los grandes y valientes guerreros. Pero aquellos que solo eran maestros de los jóvenes no las abrazaban.
Zan yujian zan matca, zan tlamach yn iattuj, yn mjtotitiuj: ceca zan coamantiuh, coanotiuh in netotiliztli, aiac tlaolinja, aiac tlaamana, aiac tlepeionja, aiac tlaixneloa. Auh in cioa in q’nnaoa, zan iehoantin in veuey tiacaoan: auh in zan tiachcaoan, mono iehoatin, amo qujnnaoaia.

And when there was an end to the dancing, there was only a little sun; already the sun was about to set. There was dispersing, there was going on the part of each one.
And everywhere in the houses, there was singing; there was singing in each one. They sang for their gods: perhaps Omacatl, or Chicome coatl, or Ehecatl, or Coatl xoxouhqui.
Cuando terminaba el baile, quedaba solo un poco de sol; el sol ya estaba a punto de ponerse. Había dispersión, cada uno se iba por su lado.
En todas partes de las casas se escuchaba canto; en cada una se cantaba. Cantaban para sus dioses; quizás Omacatl, o Chicome Coatl, o Ehecatl, o Coatlixcohuqui.
Auh in necaoalo in netotilo, za rachi tonatiuh, ie oncalaquiz tonatiuh, cecenmanoa viujloa. Auh in noujan calpan, cujcujo, qujncujcujcatia yn inteteuoan: yn azo omacatl, anozo chicome coatl, anozo hecatl, anozocoatl xoxouhquj.

Over here, over there, there was singing; song was widespread. Cries were widespread as there was singing. The singing kept reechoing in a great din.
And only the revered old men and the revered old women drank pulque. And he who became really drunk cried out at people or boasted of his manly deeds.
Aquí o allá, se cantaba; la canción se extendía. Los gritos eran comunes; resonaban al unísono con el canto. La canción resonaba en un gran estruendo. Solo los ancianos respetados y las ancianas respetadas bebían pulque. Y aquel que se embriagaba gritaba a la gente o se jactaba de sus hazañas masculinas.
Nanachca in cujcm, quitzacutimanj, in cujcm, tlacaoacatimanj, tlacaoacatinemj in cujco, xaxamacatimanj in cujcatl.
Auh zanyioque, in ueuentzttzm, yoa yn ilamatzitzin, in tlaoana: aut vel oiujntic, tetzatzilia, anocze moqujchitoa.

NOTES
• We’ve taken the English text above from the translation by Arthur J.O. Anderson and Charles E. Dibble of Book 2 - The Ceremonies - of the Florentine Codex by Fray Bernardino de Sahagún (School of American Research and the University of Utah, Santa Fe, 1981)
• According to the Codex on the first day of the ‘month’ called Tlaxochimaco ‘they held a feast in honour of the god of war, named Uitzilopochtli. In this they offered him the first flowers [grown] in that year’
• Whilst the main description of the festival in the Codex is in Nahuatl, Book 2 contains a summary of it - and the other eighteen ‘months’ - in the opening pages in Spanish
• Our Spanish text was kindly provided by our friends at Proyecto Kunab Hu, a Nahuatl and Nahua culture teaching team based at the University of Puebla. They point out that Tlaxochimaco was the feast’s name in the Nahuatl of Tenochtitlan; Miccailhuitontli was the name in Mesoamerican Nahuatl and Miccailhuitzintli (‘Venerable feast of the dead’) was the name in the Nahuatl of Tlaxcala

• There are alternative versions of the names of the two feasts in English: besides ‘Little Feast of the Dead’ and ‘Great Feast of the Dead’ they’re sometimes called ‘Feast of the Little Dead Ones’ and ‘Feast of the Adult Dead’. Together the two feasts appear to form a single major ritual festival of offering to the dead in Aztec times. Fray Diego Durán, a Dominican friar who witnessed ceremonies dedicated to the dead in early colonial times, wrote later about the first feast: ‘According to my information, it was the commemoration of innocent [unbaptised] dead children, and that is why the diminutive [Miccailhuitontli]. was used. In the solemn ceremonies of this day offerings were made to honour and venerate these children’.

• The Codex Telleriano-Remensis gives another description of the feast of Miccailhuitontli:-
’The feast of all the dead begins on the third of August. During this feast they made offerings to the dead, placing food and drink on the tombs; this they did for four years because they believed that in all that time the souls did not reach their place of rest. Thus, the dead were buried with all their clothing, because they believed that by the end of four years, the souls would have suffered much toil, cold, and fatigue and passed through places where there was much snow and thorns’.
• Key additional source (recommended): The Skeleton at the Feast: the Day of the Dead in Mexico by Elizabeth Carmichael and Chloë Sayer, British Museum Press,1991.

Picture sources:-
• Main, and pix 8, 11, 12 & 13: images scanned from our own copy of the facsimile edition of the Codex Borbonicus, ADEVA, Graz, Austria, 1991
• Pix 1 & 3: images from the Florentine Codex (original in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence) scanned from our own copy of the Club Internacional del Libro 3-volume facsimile edition, Madrid, 1994
• Pix 2 & 4: images supplied by Proyecto Hunab Ku (note: these are AI generated, not real photos)
• Pic 5: image from Primeros Memoriales scanned from our own copy of the facsimile edition, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, 1993
• Pic 6: image scanned from The Aztecs: People of the Sun by Alfonso Caso, University of Oklahoma Press, 1958
• Pic 7: image scanned from Codex Telleriano-Remensis by Eloise Quiñones Keber, University of Texas Press, Austin, 1995
• Pic 9: image from the Codex Tudela (original in the Museo de América, Madrid), scanned from our copy of the Testimonio Compañía Editorial facsimile edition, Madrid, 2002
• Pic 10: image courtesy of Corazón Mexica.