What started out as a simple weekend getaway in Tepoztlán, Morelos, turned out to be far more. Tepoztlán is just the other side of the mountain range that runs Southeast-South of the volcano Popoctéptel and separates the Valley of Mexico from the Valley of Tepoztlán. It's the mountain range visible by looking south on clear days from our apartment's balcony in Coyoacán.
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The Valley of Tepoztlán is on the other side of Ajusco Volcano, South of Mexico City
(Photo: Reed, by leaning out our West-facing Bedroom Window!) |
We've lived in Mexico for five years, but we can still be surprised and delighted not only by the drama and sheer majesty of the Mexican countryside but by the multiple levels of Mexican culture—the clearly discernible, if subtle, threads in the complex cultural weave that is Mexico today. Never has all this complexity come together with quite the power as during our recent visit to the Sacred Valley of Tepoztlán.
The Valley of Tepoztlán is formed by three mountain ranges. The original peoples identified each cerro, hill, as the domain of a specific named god. Regarding the use of the word 'hill'. Tepoztlán is at 1,700 meters (5,577 feet) above sea level, so the 'hills' are really mountain peaks. Be that as it may, in Mexico they are cerros, hills.
On our way to visit the ex-Convento, we came upon the street where the Saturday Open-Air Market was being held.
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| Market-Day in Tepoztlán Framed by the Pueblo's Ever-Present 'Hills' |
Continuing on, we arrived at the door to the spacious Atrio, or forecourt, of the former Dominican Convent. To our right rises the 16th c. Church of the Natividad, Nativity.
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| Church of the Natividad (Photo: México Desconocido) |
Exceptionally large, the Atrio space is nonetheless dominated by El Tepozteco mountain, which rises 600 meters (almost 2,000 feet) behind it.
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| Outdoor Shrine Guarded by El Tepozteco |
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| Newlyweds Leaving the Church ... Looking Pretty Scared |
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| Women of Tepoztlán Taking a Break |
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| Little Girl Engrossed in Play |
Next we head for the ex-Convento located on the far side of the church.
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| Walkway Along One Side of Atrio Between Shrine and Entrance to ex-Convento. |
In front of us a door opens into the inner courtyard typical of Spanish Colonial architecture.
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| Moorish Arches ... |
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Interior hall runs around the courtyard, providing shelter from the rains.
Notice the mural paintings on every inch of the walls and ceiling. |
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| Detail: Mural Paintings |
We are embraced by the simple sense of calm created by this architecture. Reed: "
The Spaniards knew how to do tranquillity."
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| Symmetry and Proportion Create Sense of Tranquillity |
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| Kitchen Garden |
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| As Glimpsed From the Inside |
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| The Outside World ... Viewed From Within |
Climbing the stairs to the second floor, we are initially attracted to the sunlight coming in from the inner courtyard.
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| The design of the fountain derives from the Moors, who occupied Spain for 800 years. |
Catching our eye is a small, covered porch whose arches frame unforgettable views of El Tepozteco mountain range.
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| El Tepozteco Mountain Range |
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| More mountains .... |
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| Unusual rock formation .... |
Thoughtful Spanish friars constructed cement benches along the wall. As we sat, taking in the power of place created by the majesty of the mountains, questions inevitably arose: How were these mountain ranges formed? What is the geography of this area? Who were the original people, and how did they live before the Spanish arrived?
How the Mountains Were Formed
Reed reminded me that the area is right smack in the middle of the Volcanic Axis that belts Mexico's mid-section.
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Mexico City and Environs: Volcanic Axis indicated by Red Lines.
Note: State of Morelos (Lower Left) and Popocatéptl Volcano (Lower Right).
Tepoztlán is in State of Morelos, between bottom two red lines. |
Later I learned that the mountains are the result of two sets of tectonic forces:
- Compressive forces that acted horizontally, side-to-side (East-West); and
- Other pressures originating deep inside the earth that resulted in vertical, up-down movements.
What a wild ride those contrary forces would have created as they folded and buckled the earth's crust!
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From pyramid looking across Valley of Tepoztlán to range on other side. (CLICK to enlarge)
Notice the lines of mountain ranges ... the 'folds' created by tectonic forces. (Photo: Yuri) |
The region's elongated and generally asymmetric mountains were created by the high spots on the folds that run East to West. Low spots on the folds created valleys like the Valley of Tepoztlán. These same contrary forces created the 'breaks' in sections of the mountain.
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Young friend climbing El Tepozteco stands where path follows gigantic "crack" in the rocks.
(Photo: Yuri) |
The mountainous terrain that came about as a result of these contrary tectonic actions also significantly affects weather patterns. The
physical geography of the State of Morelos puts it in the biological transition zone between North and South America, between the
Nearctic (
Arctic and Temperate) zone (North America and Greenland),
and the
Neotropical (
south of Tropic of Cancer) zone (Mexico, Central and South America). It's no wonder that UNESCO has recognized Mexico as one of the world's most biologically diverse regions.
On top of that, the entire State of Morelos is drained by the Balsas River, which at 771 kilometers (479 miles) is one of Mexico's longer rivers. Maize (corn) developed along the Balsas River some 9,000 years ago, which is also about when farming began in other key global regions: the Fertile Crescent, northern and southern China, Africa's Sahel, New Guinea and parts of India.
The region's biodiversity gave rise to an abundance of plants with medicinal properties, so it's not surprising that the Tepozteco territory was known as the land of witches and healers. Certainly, the ancients were recognized for having accumulated great experience and knowledge in the treatment of illnesses.
It's at moments like this that we take deep breaths and pause to reflect on the depth and complexity of Mexico's history.
Tepoztlán: Small Town With a Big Past
If Mexico's complex geography provided conditions that permitted cultivation of maize and many other plant foods, then a better supply of food—
including surpluses—
led to development of what's commonly called Mesoamerican civilization. When the Spanish arrived, they encountered a true civilization—
complex, hierarchically organized in both cities and agricultural communities—
, whose rulers were capable of exerting their power and influence over long distances.
It was somewhat mind-boggling to discover that the history of the little pueblo of Tepoztlán encapsulates the primary elements of Mexico's larger history.
Note: Both this section and the subsequent one (Colonial Period) have been excerpted and translated from several Mexican sources. Care was taken to preserve the vocabulary and tone of the original Spanish texts.
Before the Spanish Arrived
In Náhuatl, Tepoztlán means "Place of the Copper Hatchet." It isn't known who first inhabited the lands of what today is the town of Tepoztlán. Pottery found in the municipality suggest the Middle Archaic culture, which thrived around 1,500 BCE.
Different gods were venerated in Tepoztlán, among them
Tlaloc, god of rain, and
Ehécatl, god of wind. But the principal god was Ome Tochtli (Two Rabbit), god of pulque (nectar of the maguey cactus) associated with vegetative fertility and bountiful harvests. On the summit of the Tlahuiltepetl hill are ancient ruins that the people refer to as the "Casa del Tepozteco," or the place consecrated to the god Ome Tochtli, "Two Rabbit" in Náhuatl.
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| Detail: Mural at Tepoztlán Depicting Two-Rabbit, Ome Tochtli. |
Each hill had a different name according to the god who inhabited it. Thus the hill of Tepoztlán was also called Tepoztécatl. According to tradition, pilgrims from as far away as Guatemala came to worship Ome Tochtli (sometimes spelled Ometochtli).
Archaeological findings from a later period indicate that as the
Xochicalco, Toltec and Chichimeca cultures developed, one of the most important personages to emerge was Ce Acatl ("A Reed"). Born in Tepoztlán (actually, in nearby Amatlán), Ce Acatl lived there until he was a teenager. Local tradition credits his extraordinary nature to his origins in Tepoztlán. Ce Acatl spent his youth in Xochicalco where he joined the cult of the feathered serpent.
The Toltecs made Ce Acatl their supreme chief in Tula, their capital, and he lived there for many years. Given the title of Topiltzin, our prince, his 'magnificent genius' found expression in the arts and sciences. Finally falling victim to temptation and envy, Ce Acatl took refuge with some followers in Cholula, Puebla. From there he left for the Gulf Coast and died in Coatzacoalcos (in the place where the serpent died).
After his death, Ce Acatl came to be regarded as a god. His influence on later cultures was enormous, then he was called Quetzalcóatl, the unmatched culture hero: "Ce Acatl Tolpiltzin Quetzalcóatl."
In 1438 Tepoztlán was conquered by the Mexicas (Meh-SHE-cahs), who sought to strengthen their authority over the Tepozteco people by ordering that a stone plaque in honor of their eighth ruler, Ahuizotl, be embedded in the wall of the temple.
In the Tepozteco some remaining buildings support this historic relationship. On a relief of the pyramid is a plaque embedded in a wall with the representation of Ahuitzotl and the date 1502, which marks the end of Ahuizotl's reign. It is likely that this date also marks the pyramid's construction.
Between 1438 and the arrival of the Spanish, Tepoztlán was a tributary pueblo of the Mexicas. As did other centers in the region, Tepoztlán paid tribute in the form of products of paper de
amate (fig), grand blankets, fine cotton clothing for men and women, loincloths, war regalia (arms and insignia decorated with rich feathers), decorated small bowls, corn and beans.
Colonial Period
As persons of European descent, it is difficult for us to fathom Mexico's historical and cultural depth, but the history of Tepoztlán, rich in its detailed commemoration of the past, somehow makes the connection easier.
Carlos Pellicer (1897-1977), writer, poet, musician, sets the emotional context:
"We will never be completely Mexicans until we become familiar with the marvelous art of our indigenous ancestors, in order to love and admire it."
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| Mural of Seeds Created for Tepoztlán Fall Fiesta: Battle Against the Spanish |
In 1519 the Spanish arrived in the territory of what is today Mexico. In 1521, in just a few hours, the barbarian (sic) troops commanded by Hernán Cortés, burned Tepoztlán. Of that day Bernal Díaz del Castillo, the
conquistador who accompanied Cortés and chronicled the conquest, wrote:
"One day early in the morning, we left for Cuernavaca and found bands of Mexica warriors that had left that pueblo. The [Spanish] horsemen followed them for more than a league and a half [27 kilometers; 16 miles] in order to surround them in another large town called Tepoztlán.
"Here they had very good Indians and plunder. Three or four times Cortés summoned the chiefs to come in peace, but he warned that if they didn't come he would burn the pueblo. The answer was that they did not want to come. So to put fear in the other pueblos, Cortés set fire to half the houses."
In the first years after the military conquest, the people were served by Brothers of Oaxtepec and Yautepec. In 1559 the Spanish Viceroy Luis de Velasco authorized establishment of the Dominican Order to convert the inhabitants. The mission was entrusted to Brother Domingo de la Función, who knocked down the stone representation of the god Ome Tochtli.
Brother Domingo was also given the task of building the convent complex. Begun in 1570, construction of the Convent of Tepoztlán was completed in 1580. Construction of the church was begun in 1580 and completed in 1588.
Taking Stock
So here we sit ... quietly resting in a former Dominican Convent, its architecture the very essence of tranquillity. But we're aware that this tranquillity was built four hundred years ago on top of the violent destruction of the pueblo of Tepoztlán.
From where we sit, El Tepozteco hill is clearly visible. Just outside our line of sight are the ruins of the ancient pyramid, abode of the god Ome Tochtli, Two-Rabbit, but we know the pyramid is visible from the adjoining room—should we choose, there's even a telescope for getting a closer view of the pyramid.
So here we are ... Original Peoples, Colonial Mexico, Today's Mexico and a couple of foreigners ... resting together in one place.
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| El Tepozteco Pyramid, Tepoztlán (Photo: Guía Morelos) |
Afterword
I find myself reflecting on the pueblo's fiestas ... and somehow I end up back where I concluded the first post on Tepoztlán. The passage seems equally applicable here:
Lest there be any doubt about the ambivalence of Tepoztlán's current inhabitants toward the Spanish invasion ... during the pueblo's traditional fall festival, the people of Tepoztlán commemorate the ceremony of the baptism and marriage of the Tepozteco in order to remember the reason for converting from the polytheistic religion to the Catholic rite.
The re-enactment is performed in Náhuatl, the language of the Aztecs, which is also translated into Spanish, the language of the invasores (invaders), whose soldiers brandished the Sword and whose priests carried the Cross. In this way, the moment in Tepoztlán when allies of Lord Cuauhnáhuac of nearby Cuernavaca challenged the Tepozteco is kept alive.
Dating to about 1850 CE, the tradition is maintained with dances representing the lords of Yautepec, Oaxtepec, Tlayacapan and Tepoztlán. After the dances, the people then set off for the central plaza ... back to today's world.
Still Curious?
Videos available via UTube:
- UTube (27 sec): Good view across Valley of Tepoztlán showing the massifs, independent mountains, that were thrust upward by vertical tectonic forces;
- UTube (16:00 min) Chinelos Part I: Excellent 3-4 min opening segment with views of the mountain ranges accompanied by traditional Mexican music; views through car's front windshield of ride into to town. I don't know what comes next; I've never watched it to the end because an inappropriate mix of triumphal (Wagner, Beethoven) European music puts me off.
Related Jenny's Posts:
Source Texts (Spanish unless otherwise noted):
