ILWIKAYOTL By: Kurly Tlapoyawa “We are all connected; to each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the Universe atomically.”1 - Neil DeGrasse Tyson The modern-day descendants of the Nawa peoples have inherited a complex cosmovision from their indigenous ancestors. This philosophical and scientific achievement is the product of a thorough and disciplined observation of the natural world.2 Needless to say, an in-depth analysis of this multi-layered view would require volumes of text to cover, and even then it would be incomplete. This short essay will cover the basic principles of the Nawa cosmovision, and hopefully provide a foundation from which further studies can be taken. Without a doubt, the most popular misconception is that the Nawa worshipped several gods as part of ceremonies and rituals. The pages of history books are filled with descriptions of rain gods and sun gods, complete with illustrations depicting bloody rituals of human sacrifice. The idea that the Nawa cosmovision never developed beyond the worship of gods and goddesses is a direct result of a stubbornly lazy academic intelligentsia, which actively refuses (with few exceptions) to cast a critical eye on the mainstream interpretations of the Nawa worldview.3 Therefore, what follows is a brief analysis of Nawa cosmovision and philosophy from an indigenous perspective. In this essay I will attempt to outline the evolution of the Nawa cosmovision from that of a myth-based set of beliefs to a more scientific worldview. This evolution represents a profound philosophical process that lasted up until the time of European invasion. I have also included quotes from several prominent contemporary scientists to illustrate just how far along the Nawa were in their understanding of the cosmos.4 One has to wonder 1 Neil Tyson, "Good Reads." Accessed July 3, 2012. http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/12855.Neil_deGrasse_Tyson. 2 Miguel Leon-Portilla, Aztec Thought and Culture (Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1963), 134-135. 3 It is commendable that historians such as Michael Smith, Nigel Davies and Matthew Restall have debunked the popular myth that the Mexikah viewed Hernan Cortez’ arrival as the “return of Ketzalkoatl.” Unfortunately, this myth is still unquestioningly promoted in many mainstream history books. 4 This is not meant to suggest that Nawa views from over 500 years ago match up perfectly with modern astrophysics, but rather to show the remarkable similarities between the two. It is my contention that these similarities would only have become more and more compatible had European invasion not put a violent end to the development of the Nawa cosmovision. I believe that the Nawa dedication to philosophical and scientific growth, as well as their openness to adaptability and change, would have born this out to be true. We see evidence of this via advancements in astronomy, agriculture, literature, and the measurement of time prior to European invasion. 1 what further accomplishments would have occurred had Nawa philosophical development been allowed to continue undisturbed. Let us begin by addressing an unfortunate trend among writers to refer to the Nawa philosophical worldview as a “theology” rather than a cosmovision.5 While this may appear to be mere semantics to some, the words we use carry very specific meanings and directly affect how we perceive things. As we shall see, “theology” is a hopelessly inadequate term, based on an uninformed analysis of Nawa philosophical principles. Let’s start by taking a look at the dictionary.com definitions for both words: Cosmovision (n): A particular view or understanding of the world, esp. the view of time and space and its ritualized representation and enactment by Mesoamerican peoples. Theology (n): The field of study and analysis that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe; study of divine things or religious truth; divinity. As we can plainly see, theology is directly related to the study of a people’s belief in a living “god,” or “creator.” In most cases, this belief suggests a conscious author and architect of humanity. Conversely, cosmovision is the study of the physical Universe as a whole. That is, the study of the composition, structure, and history of our Universe, which is then used to inform the basis of a life philosophy. The concept of an external, sentient “creator” is grounded in superstitious religiosity, which runs contrary to the Nawa worldview being developed and expanded upon by Nawa philosophers.6 Rather than a living “god” watching over humanity, Pre- Kuauhtemok Nawa philosophers recognized the Universe in its totality as the “all.”7 As such, the Universe has no supernatural forces acting upon it. Nawa philosophies and mythologies were derived from this cosmovision, using metaphor to explain the form and function of the Universe and describe mankind’s connection and relationship to it – and to each other.8 While “cosmovision” is an adequate term in English to describe the Nawa philosophical and scientific worldview, I feel that using Nawatl terminology makes much more sense. After much searching, I found the term “ilwikayotl,” as used by Juan Luna-Cardenas, to fit perfectly.9 Therefore, in this essay I will use the terms “cosmovision” and ilwikayotl” interchangeably. When humans began to question the purpose of their existence and accept their own mortality, their philosophical pursuits gave birth to various religions. One 5 A Google.com search for the term “Aztec theology” resulted in 6,150,000 documents containing that phrase, while “Aztec cosmovision” returned only 59,700. 6 Gregory Cajete, Native Science (New Mexico: Clear Light Publishers, 2000), 52-55. 7 James Maffie, "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Accessed May 25, 2012. http://www.iep.utm.edu/aztec/ 8 Leon-Portilla, Aztec Thought and Culture, 8-9. 9 Arnoldo C. Vento, Mestizo: The History, Culture and Politics of the Mexican and the Chicano (Maryland: University Press of America, 1998), 57. 2 of these religions came to be known as Christianity. According to Christianity, an all- powerful male god created humanity, and he will someday pass judgment over mankind based on how closely his laws are obeyed. Christians are supposed to live out their lives trying to be as obedient to their god as possible so as not to anger him and be sent to hell as punishment. It would appear that the primary motivation behind their religion is fear. Kindness just for the sake of being kind is not sufficient. It is the fear of going to hell and suffering eternal torment if they disobey their god that motivates their actions. This fear-based worldview holds true among most modern mainstream religions, the followers of which I collectively refer to as “religionists.” Religionists tend to hold on to their various creation stories, despite whatever scientific, observable evidence may arise to contradict their myths. In stark contrast to this, we see the active promotion of rational thought and skeptical inquiry among the Nawa. While the Nawa view of the Universe began as a series of complex mythologies, these myths were adaptable and malleable, changing as new discoveries came to light. Nawa philosophers, known as tlamatinimeh, displayed a clear commitment to expanding their knowledge beyond the realm of mere superstition, resulting in a rich tapestry of philosophical achievement.10 As Miguel Leon-Portilla states: “Attempting to explain the temporal origin of the Universe and the nature of its spatial structure, the tlamatinime clothed their thoughts in the rich symbolism of the very myths which they were in the process of modifying in accordance with their rational discoveries.”11 In the section of the Codice Matritense de la Real Academia, which addresses the Nawa perspective on doctors and medicine, we see a clear aversion to superstition and magic, and the recognition of the need for verifiable, observable evidence based on experience: The true doctor. He is a wise man [tlamatini]; he imparts life. A tried specialist, he has worked with herbs, stones, trees, and roots. His remedies have been tested; he examines, he experiments, he alleviates sickness. He massages aches and sets broken bones. He administers purges and potions; he bleeds his patients; he cuts and he sews the wound; he brings about reactions; he stanches the bleeding with ashes. The false physician. He ridicules and deceives the people; 10 Leon-Portilla, Aztec Thought and Culture, 25. 11 Leon-Portilla, Aztec Thought and Culture, 26. 3 he brings on indigestion; he makes illness worse; his medicines are fatal. He has dark secrets he will not reveal; he is a sorcerer and a witch; he is familiar with the noxious herbs and possesses their seeds, he practices divination with knotted ropes. He makes sickness worse; his herbs and seeds poison and his cures kill.12 As a result of this dedication to rational thought, the Nawa philosophies and traditions transformed from a set of myths into a cosmovision based on observable evidence - not a system of superstitions guided by blind, unprovable faith in some “mystery god” or “creator” who controls the destiny of humanity. Ilwikayotl is the direct result of the Nawa dedication to studying and understanding natural forces. However, most modern scholars have refused to acknowledge this evolutionary thought process, and view the Nawa as somehow “stuck in time,” ignoring the philosophical advancements made beyond basic mythology. This has resulted in a muddled interpretation of the Nawa