EDUCATION AND CULTURE
PLACES OF LEARNING IN ANCIENT TIMES
The people of Mesoamerica who were advanced in regards to science,
architecture and art, and constructing the pyramids in relation to the cosmos,
surely had a very advanced sense of rhythm, melody, and space in regards
to their music.
While we have many images of the instruments,
thanks to the Codices - pre and post invasion,
and images of performance combination of instruments,
e.g.,
uehuetl with teponaztli, tlapitzalli, ayacaxtli etc.,
sadly, there is very little documentation on what the music
sounded like via indigenous ears.
The written documentation is via European ears,
so the descriptions can be, needless to say, less than flattering.
What we do know is that there were places of learning for artists
and musicians, much as we have conservatories now, and, as always
there are folkloric musicos and classically trained musicos, who played for a
variety of formats.
We are told that Moctezuma had music played for him every time he ate and
we also have descriptions by
Franciscans - arrived in Mexico 1523,
Dominicans - arrived in Mexico 1526
Agustinians - arrived in Mexico 1532
Jesuits - arrived in Mexico 1572
of the music played before, after and during the dances.
*
"before any business could be transacted Cortes ordered an altar built,
after the hasty erection of which Fray Barlolome de Olmedo, "who was a fine singer, chanted Mass. "
Symbolically this chanting of Mass was an excellent prelude to the later efforts of the missionaries who,
everywhere they went, SANG their services. What the Indians failed to grasp in words was at least partly conveyed in music."
Historia Verdadera, Bernal Diaz del Castillo
It must be reiterated that many of the people died due to disease brought
by Europeans and that whoever did not succumb to disease did the best
they could to survive in a "New World" as their very old world was taken
away from them. It is truly amazing that what we do have survived at all.
CALMECAC
attended mostly by the sons of the noble classes
focused on turning out leaders (tlatoque),
priests, scholars/teachers (tlatimini),
healers (tizitl) and codex painters (tlacuilos).
They studied rituals, ancient and contemporary history,
literacy, calendrics, some elements of geometry, songs (poetry),
TELPOCHCALLI
for practical and military studies
CUICACALLI
the house of song, where music was taught
There is written documentation during first 30 years of the Spanish invasion from various priests
- Dominican, Franciscan, and Agustinian, as well as written documentation from various laymen
describing how and what the dance looked like and what the music accompanying the dance sounded like.
indigenousinstrumentsofmexicoandmesoamer.weebly.com/16th-century-indigenous-dance-practices.html
HISTORY
It is believed that 90% of Mexicos indigenous population succumbed to disease within the first 15 years
of Spanish occupation. Imagine if you will 90% of the countries population disappearing and the remaining
10% trying to survive and hold on to their culture.
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-diseases/smallpox-article/
"Nearly all scholars now believe that widespread epidemic disease, to which the natives had no prior
exposure or resistance, was the overwhelming cause of the massive population decline of the Native Americans."
Cook, Noble David. Born To Die, pp. 1-11.
Considering the circumstances set against them, it
is amazing that any of the MEXICA culture survived at all.
While other ancient civilizations, e.g., China, India Japan, Europe etc.,
suffered invasions from various cultures, none of these countries lost a huge
percentage of their populations to disease, which is why their music,
art and culture is still relatively intact and documented, albeit changed
from what it once was.
"THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE"
The Columbian Exchange: Plants, Animals,
and Disease between the Old and New Worlds
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nattrans/ntecoindian/essays/columbian.htm
HISTORICAL INFO/BIIBLIOGRAPHIES
*
The term AZTEC comes into prominence after the writing of the Prussian Alexandar Von Humboldt
and later the North American William Hickling Prescott. The only document claiming to have used the
word AZTEC during the first 100 years of the invasion is the Cronica Mexicaotl,
The document, written in Nahuatl, was found by Joaquín García Icazbalceta in the Boturini collection,
and later moved to the French national Library in Paris and first published in 1949 in translation by
Adrián Leon. i.e., the word AZTEC was already popularized in 1835 some 120 years
BEFORE the first translation purportedly written by Fernando Alvarado Tezozomoc
Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859;
Williams, Helen Maria, 1762-1827, transl.
Researches concerning the institutions & monuments of the ancient inhabitants of America,
with descriptions & views of some of the most striking scenes in the Cordilleras!
2 vols.
London: Longman, 1814.
Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859;
Black, John, 1783-1855, transl.
Political essay on the kingdom of New Spain. 2 vols.
New York: Riley, 1811. Contemporary calf.
The term became popularized when William Hickling Prescott also wrote his history of Mexico.
"HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO" - 1839
He lived in Mexico for a number of years and also wrote a history of Mexico.
There is no documentation in English, Spanish or Nahuatl of the indigenous
people of Mexico city calling themselves AZTEC.
PLACES OF LEARNING IN ANCIENT TIMES
The people of Mesoamerica who were advanced in regards to science,
architecture and art, and constructing the pyramids in relation to the cosmos,
surely had a very advanced sense of rhythm, melody, and space in regards
to their music.
While we have many images of the instruments,
thanks to the Codices - pre and post invasion,
and images of performance combination of instruments,
e.g.,
uehuetl with teponaztli, tlapitzalli, ayacaxtli etc.,
sadly, there is very little documentation on what the music
sounded like via indigenous ears.
The written documentation is via European ears,
so the descriptions can be, needless to say, less than flattering.
What we do know is that there were places of learning for artists
and musicians, much as we have conservatories now, and, as always
there are folkloric musicos and classically trained musicos, who played for a
variety of formats.
We are told that Moctezuma had music played for him every time he ate and
we also have descriptions by
Franciscans - arrived in Mexico 1523,
Dominicans - arrived in Mexico 1526
Agustinians - arrived in Mexico 1532
Jesuits - arrived in Mexico 1572
of the music played before, after and during the dances.
*
"before any business could be transacted Cortes ordered an altar built,
after the hasty erection of which Fray Barlolome de Olmedo, "who was a fine singer, chanted Mass. "
Symbolically this chanting of Mass was an excellent prelude to the later efforts of the missionaries who,
everywhere they went, SANG their services. What the Indians failed to grasp in words was at least partly conveyed in music."
Historia Verdadera, Bernal Diaz del Castillo
It must be reiterated that many of the people died due to disease brought
by Europeans and that whoever did not succumb to disease did the best
they could to survive in a "New World" as their very old world was taken
away from them. It is truly amazing that what we do have survived at all.
CALMECAC
attended mostly by the sons of the noble classes
focused on turning out leaders (tlatoque),
priests, scholars/teachers (tlatimini),
healers (tizitl) and codex painters (tlacuilos).
They studied rituals, ancient and contemporary history,
literacy, calendrics, some elements of geometry, songs (poetry),
TELPOCHCALLI
for practical and military studies
CUICACALLI
the house of song, where music was taught
There is written documentation during first 30 years of the Spanish invasion from various priests
- Dominican, Franciscan, and Agustinian, as well as written documentation from various laymen
describing how and what the dance looked like and what the music accompanying the dance sounded like.
indigenousinstrumentsofmexicoandmesoamer.weebly.com/16th-century-indigenous-dance-practices.html
HISTORY
It is believed that 90% of Mexicos indigenous population succumbed to disease within the first 15 years
of Spanish occupation. Imagine if you will 90% of the countries population disappearing and the remaining
10% trying to survive and hold on to their culture.
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-diseases/smallpox-article/
"Nearly all scholars now believe that widespread epidemic disease, to which the natives had no prior
exposure or resistance, was the overwhelming cause of the massive population decline of the Native Americans."
Cook, Noble David. Born To Die, pp. 1-11.
Considering the circumstances set against them, it
is amazing that any of the MEXICA culture survived at all.
While other ancient civilizations, e.g., China, India Japan, Europe etc.,
suffered invasions from various cultures, none of these countries lost a huge
percentage of their populations to disease, which is why their music,
art and culture is still relatively intact and documented, albeit changed
from what it once was.
"THE COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE"
The Columbian Exchange: Plants, Animals,
and Disease between the Old and New Worlds
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nattrans/ntecoindian/essays/columbian.htm
HISTORICAL INFO/BIIBLIOGRAPHIES
*
The term AZTEC comes into prominence after the writing of the Prussian Alexandar Von Humboldt
and later the North American William Hickling Prescott. The only document claiming to have used the
word AZTEC during the first 100 years of the invasion is the Cronica Mexicaotl,
The document, written in Nahuatl, was found by Joaquín García Icazbalceta in the Boturini collection,
and later moved to the French national Library in Paris and first published in 1949 in translation by
Adrián Leon. i.e., the word AZTEC was already popularized in 1835 some 120 years
BEFORE the first translation purportedly written by Fernando Alvarado Tezozomoc
Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859;
Williams, Helen Maria, 1762-1827, transl.
Researches concerning the institutions & monuments of the ancient inhabitants of America,
with descriptions & views of some of the most striking scenes in the Cordilleras!
2 vols.
London: Longman, 1814.
Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859;
Black, John, 1783-1855, transl.
Political essay on the kingdom of New Spain. 2 vols.
New York: Riley, 1811. Contemporary calf.
The term became popularized when William Hickling Prescott also wrote his history of Mexico.
"HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO" - 1839
He lived in Mexico for a number of years and also wrote a history of Mexico.
There is no documentation in English, Spanish or Nahuatl of the indigenous
people of Mexico city calling themselves AZTEC.
HISTORICAL INFO/BIIBLIOGRAPHIES
*
The term AZTEC comes into prominence after the writing of the Prussian Alexandar Von Humboldt
and later the North American William Hickling Prescott. The only document claiming to have used the
word AZTEC during the first 100 years of the invasion is the Cronica Mexicaotl,
The document, written in Nahuatl, was found by Joaquín García Icazbalceta in the Boturini collection,
and later moved to the French national Library in Paris and first published in 1949 in translation by
Adrián Leon. i.e., the word AZTEC was already popularized in 1835 some 120 years
BEFORE the first translation purportedly written by Fernando Alvarado Tezozomoc
Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859;
Williams, Helen Maria, 1762-1827, transl.
Researches concerning the institutions & monuments of the ancient inhabitants of America,
with descriptions & views of some of the most striking scenes in the Cordilleras!
2 vols.
London: Longman, 1814.
Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859;
Black, John, 1783-1855, transl.
Political essay on the kingdom of New Spain. 2 vols.
New York: Riley, 1811. Contemporary calf.
The term became popularized when William Hickling Prescott also wrote his history of Mexico.
"HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO" - 1839
He lived in Mexico for a number of years and also wrote a history of Mexico.
There is no documentation in English, Spanish or Nahuatl of the indigenous
people of Mexico city calling themselves AZTEC.
*
The term AZTEC comes into prominence after the writing of the Prussian Alexandar Von Humboldt
and later the North American William Hickling Prescott. The only document claiming to have used the
word AZTEC during the first 100 years of the invasion is the Cronica Mexicaotl,
The document, written in Nahuatl, was found by Joaquín García Icazbalceta in the Boturini collection,
and later moved to the French national Library in Paris and first published in 1949 in translation by
Adrián Leon. i.e., the word AZTEC was already popularized in 1835 some 120 years
BEFORE the first translation purportedly written by Fernando Alvarado Tezozomoc
Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859;
Williams, Helen Maria, 1762-1827, transl.
Researches concerning the institutions & monuments of the ancient inhabitants of America,
with descriptions & views of some of the most striking scenes in the Cordilleras!
2 vols.
London: Longman, 1814.
Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859;
Black, John, 1783-1855, transl.
Political essay on the kingdom of New Spain. 2 vols.
New York: Riley, 1811. Contemporary calf.
The term became popularized when William Hickling Prescott also wrote his history of Mexico.
"HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO" - 1839
He lived in Mexico for a number of years and also wrote a history of Mexico.
There is no documentation in English, Spanish or Nahuatl of the indigenous
people of Mexico city calling themselves AZTEC.
