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//by Zeferino Clemente Mendoza Bautista//
Archaeological evidence shows that the Valley of Oaxaca (Guila Naquitz, Gheo Shih, Cueva Blanca) has been occupied since the Lithic Age 9500 to7000 BC. Furthermore, there are pre-History paintings in nearby rock shelters that confirm the data by linguistic researchers who point out around 8000 to 7000 BC. Petrography has been found near the village. Large group of immigrants called Otomangue arrived from the north and later split into several smaller groups.

FIRST SETTLEMENTS

Balaa Xte Guech Gulal (House of Ancient Village), Community Museum permanently exhibits hieroglyphic lintels, carved stones slabs, calendar signs, ceramic urns, incense burners and vessels with effigies used during different periods of time by the ancestral inhabitants of the community, the history, process, and commerce of weavings, and lastly traditional weddings and cultural La Danza de la Pluma. Colonial documents credit Xa guie “Under the Crag” to be the first settlement of the Zapotecs, Benni Zaa “People Where the Clouds Are” and oral history recounts that Xa-guie (today Teotitlan del Valle) was one of the sites or settlements where high-priests came to have meetings with the people of the Etlan Valley “Place of Beans”; they agreed to built their temple-shrine, which later would had become as their city Looh Vanna? (today San José Mogote) ca. 1200 BC. Both religion and commercial network links these ancient settlers with the contemporary dwellers of the valley (Atzompa, Xoxocotlán, Coyotepec, Cacautepec, Tomaltepec, Huitzo, Huijazo’o, Huayapam, Dainzú, Ocotlan, Teocuicuilco, Chicomexochitl, Zaachila, Tilcajete, Jalieza, Cuilapam, Zimatlan, Xaaga, Mitla, Lambityeco, Yagul, Tlapacoya, and Zegache).

THE BIRTH OF THE MIGHTY ZAPOTECS

All these achievements were influenced by the ideology of the Olmecs, the Jaguar as symbol representing authority among supernatural forces and human beings. As the population increased, commerce did as well. Eventually the people moved their capital to on top of the hill. Also they reinforced the system based on “collective labor” tequitl (Tequio) in Nahuatl and Gun Guexh in Zapotec, and the Guela Guet Zaa “Zapotec Dough Corn” (an ideological, political, cultural, social and economic system) that resulted in an admirable syncretism of engineering and artistry on the of mountain top. Dain Bees Zee “Hill of the Jaguar” (today Monte Alban) was the sacred ceremonial, social, political, commercial, and military center where the Benni Zaa reached their zenith. From this geographical and strategic summit all kinds of foodstuff and merchandise were exchanged or bartered (trueque), for others. Their goods were brought up carried on their backs with a lasso to their front; e.g., the obsidian, grinding stone, jade, green stone, turquoise, copper axes and many other precious stones; also feathers of scarlet macaw and quetzal, fowls, turkeys, falcons, hares, dogs, opossum, skunks, peccary, deer and jaguar skins, huaraches (leather sandals), drums, reed baskets, cotton textiles such as clothes, loin-clothes, skirts and all kinds of fishes, turtle and sea shells, ceramics griddles, vessels, pots, the staple food,( maize), roasted maguey, honey, prickly pear, cactus ears, cochineal insects, indigo bark, cacao, copal incense, avocado, black zapote, squash, chili peppers, beans, wild onions, tomatoes, wild berries, guavas, cinnabar, herbs, plants, palm mats, roots, native tobacco, pineapples, peanuts, rubber ball, amaranths, gourds, calabashes, cooked grass hopper, salt, ocotes resinous torches, beams and countless herbs and spices (as condiments) were exchanged on the main plaza of Dain Bee Zee 600 B.C. by 200 AD there was exchange on religions and commercial with the Teotihuacanos and the Mayans by 400 AD as well. Jorge Acosta uncovered a miniature temple in the North Platform of Dain Bees Zee belonging to 200 BC to 200 AD, and it is believed to be from "Xaquia", obviously referring to Xaguie; moreover, a ball court, still unexplored, has been identified on the eastern side of the village belonging to the same period of time.

The Zapotecs of today still sell what they produce in a Tianguis (traditional market) in the Valley of Oaxaca, in places such as Tlacolula, Ocotlan, Zaachila and Etla. The social-cultural environment lasted to 900 AD then the administrative power of Benni Zaa changed to Xaguie. At the same time, in the North, the legendary warrior 8 Deer “Jaguar Claw” of Tochtepetl (Tututepec) “Hill of Rabbit” was conquering kingdoms in disputes like the “The War of Heavens”, “The War of Flints”and the “The War of Wasp” in Tilantongo, Jaltepec, Tlaxiaco and Coixtlahuaca (Mixteca Alta).

After the fall of Dain Bees Zee, around 1100 AD, Xaguie (here legend mingles with history) held the religious capital and administrative center where their novices were brought to be educated for the priesthood. By the 1300s Zaachila I “Heavenly Cloud Reptile” (The First) was born, the son of a high priest. Some time later, they had decided to build a palace suitable for their residence and their eternal resting place. And each time when the Benni Zaa Bi Xoox (priest) died he was carried on the shoulders of their elite who took him to Lyo Baa “Land of Tombs”. Corn was the symbol of life in each ceremony throughout Mesoamerica. The natives paid homage to the dead using the Yie Tugul “Flower of the Dead”, cempoaxochitl (yellow flowers), fruits, food and clouds of copal incense. The corpse of a Benni Zaa ruler would have been buried with rich ornaments like carved bones, ceramic, gold, turquoise, and deity effigies in Lyo Baa (later, Mictlan “The Underworld” in 1494 by the Mexicas, today Mitla).

These elements were integral to the Mesoamerican cosmology in their worship of the Omnipotent Creator of Everything. The Sacred Duality: Life – Death, Time – Space, Day, Fire – Water, – Night, Spirit – Matter, Beginning – End, Mother Earth and Father Sky.

As the threats of Mixes led by Condoy became a danger on the East, eventually, the militaristic power of Zaachila I moved to (the present) Zaachila Yoo in ca.1350 to fight the Mixes and Chontales at the same time. Zaachila II came to power and conquered the Mixes, making his army even stronger. Later his son Zaachila III received more threats from the West by the Ñu Saa Bi (Mixtecs), the descendants of 8 Deer “Jaguar Claw” who later married the nobility of Zaachila, Tilantongo, Teozaocalco and Jaltepec. Their offspring was given a kingdom in Saha Yuco, (in Mixtec, later Cuilapam”Valley of the Walnut Palm Fruit”). Zaachila III, still in power, saw the incursions led by the Mexica Huey Tlatoani “He who Speak” Ahuitzol “Otter”. After many skirmishes in the valley and the last one in Guiengola “Big Boulder”, he made peace with Zaachila III´s son Gucijo Zaa “Thunder Cloud”, giving his daughter´s hand in marriage, she was named Pelaxila “Cotton Flake”in Zapotec and Coyolicatzin in Nahuatl. The Valley of Oaxaca was dominated by the Mexicas and their towns was translated into Nahuatl and reinforced tributes.

They had a son named Gucijo Pii “Thunder Wrath”, who became the ruler of Tehuantepec and his sister named Donaji “Great Spirit” who later fell in love with a Mixtec prince Nucano of Yanhuitlan which ended in tragedy, she was slain by her husband´s antagonistic warriors and she was taken back to Cuilapam and buried as “doña Juana Cortés”. Among the lordships of Mictlan, Teotlzapotlan, Cuilapam and Tehuantepec ca.1400s, their leadership flourished due to several complex marital relations for power and succession with the Mixtecs from the north and the Mexicas of the island of Tenochtitlan.

THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE IN THE VALLEY The word Teotitlan comes from the Nahuatl, the language of the Nahuas. From the mid 1450’s there was the Mexica influence of Motecuhzoma Ilhuicamina ”Bowmen of the Sky” from commerce in Coixtlahuaca (Mixteca Alta) and later by Ahuitzol in the Lo Láa (Huaxyacatl) Valley of Oaxaca. The war-like influence of the Triple Alliance of Tlacópan, Texcóco and Tenochtítlan and their culture (translating almost every single town into Nahuatl, was the lingua franca i.e., the Benni Zaa became Tzapotecatl ) and commerce dominated the Mesoamerican world in less than 200 years, as well as the majority of the Southern region at the time. In Lo Láa they established a garrison permanently and collected taxes- tributes. The Nahuas translated in Nahuatl all the tows conquered like Tlaltitongo, Etlan, Atzompa, Xoxocotlan, Mexicapam, Teozapotlan, Ocotlan,Teititac, Tlalixtac, Tlacochahuaya, Huayapam, Maculxochitl, Tlacolula, Mictla and Matatlan. Included among them of course, was Benni Xa Guie “The Dwellers Under the Crag”, or as they called themselves in their native language, Dixi Zaa “Word of Clouds”. This explains the great variety of merchandise, words, concepts and “native world” values that are still evident today among the inhabitants of the village.

PILGRIMAGE SITES There are two sacred places of pilgrimages every 3th of May, to the present day. It is an arduous climb, but gladly endured to pay homage at these oracle places, i.e. El Picacho (in Spanish)“The crag” or Guie Betz (in Zapotec) “Brother Stone” and Guie Bilie Xnuashs (Piedra Ornamentada de la Mujer) “Ornamented Stone of the Lady” better known as La Cuevita “Little Cave” are sites where each 31th of December, 1st and 2nd of January there are pilgrimages to celebrate New Years and to implore and ask for fertility, health and the propitiation of well being of families of the community. Also, a private house in the street Aquiles Serdán No. 4 exhibits El Cristo Grande, its pilgrimage is on May 3th.

COLONIAL TEOTITLAN Francisco de Burgoa in his Geografica Descripcion in 1674 mentions the town pueblo de Teutitlan which he translate in native language as Xaquije “al pie de la montaña” which is very close to Xaguie. The main purpose of the friars was to impose their Christianity and demonize native cosmology. The European claimed the superiority concept of their God. The Dominican point of view in Los Dominicos Forjadores de la Civilización Oajaqueña II “…Los indios adoraban a Lucifer… al gran demonio encima de un peñasco…”. Consequently, the religiously inspired conquest wiped out a large part of the indigenous population who did not peacefully accept the worship of the Christian God. Smallpox, to which the indigenous had no immunity, also contributed, the Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits, and Agustinians who either came to the New World or were borne in New Spain, misunderstood the native religions and people, claiming they were savages and idolatrous Indians worshipping the devil by invoking evil spirits. Therefore, the Conquistadores in the 16th century placed their faith in their Christian religion and the King of Spain. Their medieval motto was gold, glory and service to God. The bishops and monks truly believed they were right, claiming to save the souls of natives thru evangelization. The indigenous were people already living in a society free of prejudices and of the privatization of property. The Spanish were still rooted in the feudal society of the Middle Ages. For these reasons, in my research on the toponymy I engaged an academic point of view without any Occidental religious influence. The Nahuatlacan etymology, the origin of the compound word Teotitlan, which I translate as Teotl-Sacred or Divine, Ti-Our and Tlan- Place, Near or Under, which will be Our Sacred Place: Tenets that are still embedded in the Benni Gulal “Ancient People” Zapotecas of today with strong pre-Hispanic features such as a language and a cosmogony practiced in the Roman Catholic Church. The stigmatization of the natives is evidenced by their sculptures that were used as stones for the walls of the church. The colonization by New Spain of the native nations Cemanahuac “Land Between Waters” drastically affected the course of indigenous civilizations all over the American continent. It was the beginning of a new method of exploitation of labor on behalf of La Encomienda: an economic and religious system that was used to extract tributes from the conquered, which they had to give as payment for their evangelization. The first bishop of the Nueva Villa de Antequera between 1535-1555 was Fray Juan Lopez de Zarate (1490-1555). By his orders the telar (a weaving device) was introduced, as was the teaching of shearing the sheep, whirling the wool on the spinning wheel. The people of Xaguie or Teotitlan del Valle was already working with cotton and the back strap loom thousands of years earlier. THE CONTEMPORARY VILLAGE Teotitlan del Valle is an artisan and farming community by tradition, supplying their own goods and harvest. At the beginning of the 20th Century several anthropologists researched and wrote several articles. They describe the early pre-Hispanic lifestyle. Today, imminent globalization touts it as a potential hide-away tourist village, a sacred place where indigenous cults are still embedded in Catholic rituals. The Spanish invasion of the Valley of Mexico in the 16th century resulted in the sincretization “mixture” of Spaniards and Mexican Indians to represent the contemporary Oaxacan tradition. All the Mesoamerican deities were replaced by Christian saints, sometimes by violence such as the swords, iron mark and illnesses destined for those who did not accept Christianity. FIESTAS The beliefs and traditions of indigenous people of Oaxaca date back thousands of years, e.g., the concept of the Guelaguetza system based on mutual help was a cornerstone of the development of ancient culture. Teotitlan del Valle preserves this custom during each wedding. The Guelaguetza is essential for a Bius (fiesta), e.g., assistance in the making of tortillas, food, and helping provide food and other needs such as pigs, firewood, turkeys, maize, beans and poleo (a kind of smelly bush). There are complex rituals and social activities during the eve of each bius and the Cofradias better known as Mayordomias (Catholic fraternal organizations). Weddings are grand events featuring velas de concha (ornamental bee wax candles) and several different kind of bundles of fruits, reed baskets of bread, and 2 xicapestle (gourd vessels) of chocolates bars for the bride´s family. These gifts, Gal Resiac Lass “Making Peace in the Heart” marking the marriage deal or engagement, are called a Contentacion (Contentment) and are considered a tribute or reward for the bride and her relatives. The Ahuehuete “The Sage One” with his moral leadership unites the couple in the traditional way, beginning a new family.

FESTIVITIES The clash of two cultures and the fall of the Aztecs (1519-1521). It is reinterpreted from noon to nightime by La Danza de la Pluma, in the atrium of the 17th Century Dominican Church on: Main Fiesta to La Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo (The first Wednesday after the first Sunday of July) Fiesta to La Virgen María de la Natividad (The 8th of September) Fiesta to La Virgen María del Rosario (The first Sunday of October) Fiesta a La Virgen Guadalupe (12 of December and a third year when the dancers finish their promise)

These Fiestas are celebrated annually. Parades two days earlier wind throughout the main streets, with Calendas (big round circular planks covered by cloth with pictures of the Sun and Moon) and women wearing their traditional gowns and carrying on their heads colorful flowers inserted around saints´ pictures fastened to reed baskets; all followed by the plumados. The next day La Danza de la Pluma from 4:00 to 7:30 PM announces the eve, and at dusk, fire works are lit in the atrium of the church to the rhythm of local bands.

The Catholic church of Teotitlan del Valle is guardian of the canvas of La Preciosa Sangre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo (The Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ) belonging to the golden period of Viceroyalty Novohispano 18th Century, a masterpiece of the great painter Miguel Cabrera (1695-1768), a Creole born in the Villa de Antequera, New Spain, today the City of Oaxaca, Mexico.

La Danza de La Pluma is rooted in the spiritual teaching to the indigenous of the New World, the conversion of the Mexicas to Christianity. The reality of the conversions to Christianity in Zapotec lands was first evidenced by Gucijo Pii accepting being baptized and given a Christian name as “don Juan Cortès” but later he continue performing his native religion which made him guilty of heresy and obliged to give up his throne, and brought back to be buried in Cuilapam. Later with the fall of the Zapotec lordships of Tehuantepec, Cuilápam, Teotlzapotlan and lastly Xaguie, which was home of the last Zapotec dynasty, the great Heavenly Cloud Reptile, Zaachila I, equal in power to the ruler Ce Acatl Topiltzin Quetzalcóatl of Tollan (Tula). Fray Andres de Olmos began the conversions with sermons and the theatrical teaching of Teatro Misionero with its Juicio Final in Santa Cruz Tlatelolco which later arrived in La Nueva Villa de Antequera, eventually in Santiago Apostol Cuilapam, Santa María Zaachila and obviously in Santa María Teotitlán del Valle.

Author: Zeferino Clemente Mendoza Bautista Write to: Manuel Fiallo No. 34 Teotitlan del Valle, 70420 Oaxaca clemente76@hotmail.com044 (951)155 3090

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