127 avsnitt • Längd: 50 min • Månadsvis
We explore Chicano, Mexicano, and Mesoamerican history, archaeology, and culture, and combat the spread of disinformation about these very topics. Your hosts Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl invite you to join them on a fascinating journey through Mesoamerica’s past, present, and future!
The podcast Tales From Aztlantis is created by Kurly Tlapoyawa & Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
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Well, dear listeners, it happened. Like a super-shitty reboot of a failed TV show that nobody asked for, Donaldo Octavius Frump is back for season two. And like all shitty reboots, this one looks like it’s just going to be more of the same: a rancid clown car of tired, racist, bullshit. Only this time he’s brought along a friend, A similarly focused little troll who many think is pulling the strings. I’m referring to, of course, the world’s richest and dumbest human being, Elon Musk. And the combined power of these pathetic clowns has already had disastrous effects. One of Ronald’s primary campaign promises was the institution of a mass deportation program inspired by the infamous “Operation Wetback” of the 1950s. You know, that bygone era when America was “great.” This comes as no surprise really, as Trompito has publicly praised these Eisenhower-era immigration raids since he first ran for president way back in 2016. And leading up to the recent election, he only escalated his verbal attacks on immigrants, proclaiming to his sycophants and cultists that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.”
In fact, at the Republican National Convention this past July, he declared that "The Republican platform promises to launch the largest deportation operation in the history of our country," as his crowd of dipshit supporters held up signs bearing the phrase "mass deportation now!"
He even directly referenced Operation Wetback way back in 2015 (he didn’t identify it by its name at the time, but I’m sure we can look forward to the normalization of the word “Wetback” in the coming months.) Ronald stated, "You look back in the 1950s, you look back at the Eisenhower administration, take a look at what they did, and it worked.”
But did it work? Historians say the program tore families apart, violated civil rights — and at times, turned deadly. And yeah, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that former President Barack Obama earned the title of “deporter-in-chief” for overseeing the deportation of 3 million plus individuals, 2/3 of which had no criminal record. But he ain’t gonna be President again, and we need to prepare ourselves for the shitshow on the immediate horizon.
So with that, dear listeners, we here at the Tales From Aztlantis Podcast thought it would be prudent to take a look at Operation Wetback and its precursor the Bracero Program. Because as they say, everything old is new again.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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In this throwback episode from Season 2, Kurly talks with Ruben Ochoa about the Mexika calendar system that he deciphered through his own math expertise and analysis of the codices.
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He recently released a documentary film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom" about Indigenous textile production in Oaxaca.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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For our season 4 finale, we take some time to answer burning questions from our listeners, and make some book recommendations for those interested in learning more about Chicano-Mexicano history, culture, and identity!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He recently released a documentary film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom" about Indigenous textile production in Oaxaca.
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Last of The Aztecs!
Online racial conspiracists often share historical photos of a man and woman dubbed "The Last of the Aztecs." But who are the individuals in the photo? What is their actual story? And what do they have to do with a showman and circus tycoon from Connecticut? Lets find out as we delve into the tragic story of...The Last of The Aztecs!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He recently released a documentary film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom" about Indigenous textile production in Oaxaca.
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in the Podcast:
Freak Show: Presenting Human Oddities for Amusement and Profit
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Well, dear listeners, it’s that time of year again: when the mainstream media and their corporate overlords conspire to wage war on the winter holiday meant to celebrate the birth of our savior and erase our annual traditions. We are referring of course, to the birth of Witzilopochtli as our sun reborn, and the associated feast of Panketzaliztli. But fear not, dear listeners, because here in Aztlantis we proudly say “Merry Panketzaliztli” and honor Witzilopochtli as the true reason for the season!
Tlazkamati to Micorazonmexica for the amazing episode artwork! Support their online store here: https://www.etsy.com/mx/shop/MiCorazonMexica
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is also a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. His recent projects include the documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and "The Casagrandes Movie" on Netflix. @kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Nawatl Language Mistranslations!
Lots of well-intentioned folks are sharing information about the Nawatl language online. Unfortunately, this information is sometimes inaccurate or even worse, completely made up! Today we are joined by Nawatl language educators Yan Garcia (author of Learn Nawatl), and Dr. Magnus Hansen (Nawatl Linguist), as we explore Nawatl language mistranslations, mispronunciations, and pseudohistorical misrepresentations!!
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is also a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. His recent projects include the documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and "The Casagrandes Movie" on Netflix. @kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Dr. Andrew White joins us to talk about the consequences of shows like Ancient Apocalypse, and how pseudoarchaeology is often used to accomplish nationalist and frequently racist objectives. So join us as we take a bizarre journey through a world of neo-nazi Graham Hancock fanboys, Atlantis-pushing occultists, and anti-Indigenous propaganda!
About our guest:
Andrew White is anthropological archaeologist (PhD 2012, University of Michigan) with interests in hunter-gatherers, lithic technology, human evolution, and complex systems theory. He is particularly interested in combining archaeological methods and theory with ethnographic data and computational modeling to develop new ways to push the boundaries of our understanding of the social, cultural, and evolutionary aspects of the human past. He has spent some time confronting pseudo-archaeological claims about the human past and feels that other professional archaeologists should do the same.
https://www.youtube.com/@andrewwhite33
Your Host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is also a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. His recent projects include LiDAR-assisted survey in the Maya hinterlands of southern Belize, the documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and "The Casagrandes Movie" on Netflix. @kurlytlapoyawa
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Forging Aztecness, Danza Azteca history with Kristina Nielsen
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Kristina Nielsen to discuss the history of the Danza Azteca and Mexikayotl traditions!
About our guest:
Kristina Nielsen received her Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2017. Her research focuses on how music and dance in Aztec revitalization movements shape community histories and identities. Nielsen’s research is highly interdisciplinary and draws on ethnographic research methods, anthropology and area studies, particularly Indigenous and Latin American studies. Her current project examines Indigenous agency in the Mexican Folkloric Ballet’s staging of the Indigenous past. She is also in the process of writing a book that explores how Aztec dancers in Los Angeles navigate tradition, histories, and identities through music and dance.
You can follow Dr. Nielsen's and other music scholars' work here: @music_textbook
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is also a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. His recent projects include the documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and "The Casagrandes Movie" on Netflix. @kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this episode:
Kristina F. Nielsen, “Forging Aztecness: Twentieth-Century Mexican Musical Nationalism in Twenty-First Century Los Angeles,” Yearbook for Traditional Music 52 (2020): 127–46, https://doi.org/10.1017/ytm.2020.18.
Kristina F. Nielsen, “Composing Histories: The Transmission and Creation of Historicity, Music and Dance in the Los Angeles Danza Community” (PhD Diss., University of California, Los Angeles, 2017).
Kristina F. Nielsen, “The Role of Interpretation in Determining Continuity in Danza Azteca History,” Ethnomusicology Review, May 17, 2014, https://ethnomusicologyreview.ucla.edu/content/role-interpretation-determining-continuity-danza-azteca-history.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Your hosts:
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Remembering the Maya Apocalypse with Dr. John Hoopes!
About our guest:
Dr. John Hoopes is an anthropologist with broad training in the archaeology of pre-Hispanic indigenous cultures, with a focus on indigenous populations of southern Central America between Mesoamerica and the Central Andes. He has built a solid base of empirical, scientific evidence and robust theories to help define these as a significant unit of study. Dr. Hoopes has undertaken extended critiques of both scientific and popular models, the latter including significant prejudices and misconceptions about indigenous cultures. His research is motivated by a strong sense of ethics, justice, and a desire to help people understand the world in detail by expanding knowledge as guided by informed insight.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this episode we explore the origin and meaning of the word Chicano. What does it mean to be a Chicano? Do Mexican Americans who hold right-wing views get to call themselves Chicano? Join your hosts as we dig into these topics!
End song: Indigena by Aztlan Underground
Used with permission (Tlazkamati, Yaotl Mazahua!)
https://youtu.be/DZTmWj2pQJE?si=8ZbmUSi5hTM8Dhv9
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Day of the Dead is Subversive Spirituality!
Long before the arrival of Europeans, some of the Indigenous Mesoamerican traditions of honoring the dead were celebrated with two specific feasts: Mikailwitl (feast of the dead), and Wey Mikailwitl (great feast of the dead). These feasts were celebrated in early August through mid-September. In fact, we are currently in the “month” of Mikailwitl right now, as it began on August 8th or the day Chikome Kozkakwawtli in the ancestral Mexika calendar. These celebrations were dedicated to honoring the dead through dance, song, and offerings of food and drink. Altars and burials were adorned with marigolds, a sacred flower thought to attract the spirits so that they might enjoy the offerings left in their memory.
Today, these celebrations have been blended with Catholic traditions, and take place on All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Many think that Mikailwitl and Wey Mikailwitl were absorbed into the Allhallowtide (All Saints Day and All Souls Day) under the direction of the Catholic Church, as these Christian holidays also involve honoring the dead. Unfortunately, this popular claim is often repeated without any evidence to back it up. For example, a column about Dia de Muertos published on the website weareyourvoicemag states “in an attempt to convert the natives to Catholicism, the Spanish colonizers moved the celebration to November 1 and 2 (All Saints Day), which is when we celebrate it currently.”
But is this how it really happened? Listen and find out as we explore the different ways that our ancestors negotiated and navigated the colonial process by masking their rituals and ceremonies behind a catholic facade!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cover art: 1680 Pueblo Revolt at Hopi, Fred Nakayoma Kabotie, 1976. Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Laboratory of Anthropology, Santa Fe.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The "Indias Mexicanas" who arrived in New Mexico during early colonization brought with them traditional healing and ceremonial practices. Members of the church often accused these women of practicing "witchcraft." In this episode, we are joined by New Mexico State Historian Rob Martinez to discuss the legacies of these women!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The "Indias Mexicanas" who arrived in New Mexico during early colonization brought with them traditional healing and ceremonial practices. Members of the church often accused these women of practicing "witchcraft." In this episode, we are joined by New Mexico State Historian Rob Martinez to discuss the legacies of these women!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Dia de los Muertos: The Chicano Connection!
Chicanos directly influenced the popularity of modern Dia de los Muertos celebrations in both the United States and Mexico. Let's find out how!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
Regina Marchi, “Chicano Art as Alternative Media: Its Influence on US Popular Culture (and Beyond),” The International Journal of the Arts in Society 4, no. 5 (2010): 447–64, https://doi.org/10.7282/T3X63K9R.
Regina Marchi, “Hybridity and Authenticity in US Day of the Dead Celebrations,” Journal of American Folklore 126, no. 501 (January 1, 2013): 272–301, https://doi.org/10.5406/jamerfolk.126.501.0272.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this EXTENDED members-only episode, we are joined by Chicano author Scott Russell Duncan to talk about his new book "Old California Strikes Back" and the state of Chicano publishing!
"Old California Strikes Back is a modern Ramona Diary, the record tourists kept of the sites of Old California and the book Ramona and Hollywood movies that renamed and transformed them. A mix of fantasy and memoir, the author SRD's tour turns surreal as he enters the myths of the Californios with the talking head of the Chicano folk hero Joaquin Murrieta. They race a self-styled Zorro to get the spurious Jewels of Ramona while the media is convinced SRD and Joaquin are the serial killer dubbed Two-Heads. Ultimately, SRD records his truth and recreates a reality where he may exist."
Purchase here: https://amzn.to/483B3LA
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this episode we are joined by Chicano author Scott Russell Duncan to talk about his new book "Old California Strikes Back" and the state of Chicano publishing!
"Old California Strikes Back is a modern Ramona Diary, the record tourists kept of the sites of Old California and the book Ramona and Hollywood movies that renamed and transformed them. A mix of fantasy and memoir, the author SRD's tour turns surreal as he enters the myths of the Californios with the talking head of the Chicano folk hero Joaquin Murrieta. They race a self-styled Zorro to get the spurious Jewels of Ramona while the media is convinced SRD and Joaquin are the serial killer dubbed Two-Heads. Ultimately, SRD records his truth and recreates a reality where he may exist."
Purchase here: https://amzn.to/483B3LA
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Christopher Columbus & The Indians of God!
It has often been claimed that Christopher Columbus did not refer to the Indigenous people of the Americas as "Indians" because he thought he landed in India, but because he thought that they were "gente in Dios," or "people in God." But is this actually true? and what is the source of this controversial claim?
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
“I Am Not a Leader”: Russell Means’ 1980 Mother Jones Cover Story
Christopher Columbus, The Journal of Christopher Columbus (during His First Voyage, 1492-93) and Documents Relating the Voyages of John Cabot and Gaspar Corte Real, trans. Clements R. Markham, Cambridge Library Collection (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010).
David Wilton, Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008).
George Carlin, Brain Droppings (New York: Hyperion, 1997).
Peter Matthiessen, “Native Earth,” Parabola: Myth & Quest for Meaning, Vol. 6, no. 1 (Spring 1981).
Peter Matthiessen, Indian Country (New York: Viking Press, 1984).
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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In this interview from Kurly's first attempt at podcasting, we are joined by author and researcher Ben Radford of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine as we take a look at the Nazca Lines of Peru, the European Occultist origins of some allegedly "traditional" Maya knowledge, and the Chupacabra!
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Hispanic Heritage Month
For this throwback episode, we shed some light on the so-called Hispanic Heritage Month which is celebrated from September 15 through October 15 in the United States. If you know nothing about how it got started and its evolution, then this episode is for you. Your host Tlakatekatl will guide you through its origins and provides much needed critical perspective on the consequences stemming from the creation of this month-long commemoration. So put on your sombreros and zarapes and enjoy the show.
Your host:
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
Arthur D. Soto-Vásquez, “The Rhetorical Construction of U.S. Latinos by American Presidents,” Howard Journal of Communications 29, no. 4 (December 22, 2017): 353–67, https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2017.1407718.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Danzantes, Mexicanistas, and other cultural practitioners often display a banner that they claim is the "original" and "true" banner of the Mexika people. Often referred to as the Panketzalli, Bandera de Cuitlahuac, or the Bandera de Victoria, this symbol can be found emblazoned on t-shirts, flags, dance regalia, murals and tattoos. But where does this image actually come from? And who created it?
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is also a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. His recent projects include the documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and "The Casagrandes Movie" on Netflix.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this dispatch, Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl takes us to the De La Torre Brothers exhibit "Upward Mobility" at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas, and another art exhibit he attended on Lowriders!
"The brothers use motifs from Aztec mythology, Catholic iconography, popular culture, and art history to build symbolically loaded imagery. Their mixed media works playfully incorporate humor and satire into critiques of consumption and indulgence. de la Torre Brothers: Upward Mobility embraces contradiction and multiplicity, inviting the viewer to form their own opinions and responses."
Your host:
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Proponents of the nepohualtzintzin hail it as a marvel of ancient Mesoamerica. Elevated as a symbol of mathematical sophistication, the device has captured the imagination of scholars and enthusiasts since the 1970s. However, a close examination of the available evidence raises questions about the nature and origin of the nepohualtzintzin. In this episode we dive into the bizarre history of the alleged "Aztec computer."
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is also a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. His recent projects include the documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and "The Casagrandes Movie" on Netflix.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
We are joined By Dr. Magnus Pharao Hansen to discuss his new book "Nahuatl Nations: Language Revitalization and Semiotic Sovereignty in Indigenous Mexico."
Nahuatl Nations is a linguistic ethnography that explores the political relations between those Indigenous communities of Mexico that speak the Nahuatl language and the Mexican Nation that claims it as an important national symbol. Author Magnus Pharao Hansen studies how this relation has been shaped by history and how it plays out today in Indigenous Nahua towns, regions, and educational institutions, and in the Mexican diaspora.
You can buy the book here: https://amzn.to/3Azr6ca
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is also a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios. His recent projects include the documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and "The Casagrandes Movie" on Netflix.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this episode we discuss the mytho-historic concept of Aztlan, and what it means to Chicano / Chicana / Chicanx identity!
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
On November 26, 1988, a person by the name of Ramón Tirado delivered the “Consigna del sexto sol: Segunda consigna de Anáhuac” –or the “Mandate of the Sixth Sun: Second Mandate of Anahuac”– at the Convención de Anáhuac – or the “Anahuac Convention” – which was held in Mexico City.
In this Episode, we take a look at the speech and discuss it's message and significance in light of the fact that the original mandate was a recent invention.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this episode we take a look at recent news concerning the Chicano community, and take a little trip down to Belize with Kurly!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan revitalization. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Mexicolore, and several academic journals. He frequently presents at historical conferences and has taught courses at numerous colleges & universities. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
My name is Kurly Tlapoyawa, and I LOVE movies. I spent a good chunk of my childhood being snuck into the drive-in by my parents, where I took in double and triple features of cinematic greatness. And when movies became available on home video in the 1980s, all bets were off. It’s no exaggeration to say that my life was shaped by movies. In 2004 I opened Burning Paradise Video, where I offered a carefully curated selection of independent, foreign, underground, and cult films to the public. Welcome to Burning Paradise, my love letter to a bygone era.
In this episode, we take a look at the overlooked classic, The Wanderers
"The Wanderers are an Italian-American gang vying for respect on the streets of the Bronx in 1963. Between rumbles with rivals such as the Ducky Boys and the Fordham Baldies, the group of toughs learn some difficult lessons about life -- and love. Leader Richie Gennaro (Ken Wahl) finds himself entangled with Despie Galasso (Toni Kalem), the daughter of a mobster, while the artistically inclined Joey (John Friedrich) falls hard for Nina (Karen Allen). "
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is a professional archaeologist, podcaster, author, filmmaker, and former stuntman. His IMDB can be viewed here.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Welcome to another Throwback Thursday! In this episode we take a look back at one of Kurly's favorites.
Acequias - A Forgotten History!
The Acequia is a communal irrigation ditch, and its continued use is a testament to the cultural resiliency of the New Mexican people. But where does this tradition come from? Sadly, most New Mexicans have a distorted understanding of Acequia history and credit its creation solely to Moors and Spaniards. In this episode we dig a little deeper, and explore the Mesoamerican contributions to the Acequias of Mexico and New Mexico!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this episode:
Cover Art: Artist’s impression of part of the canal network linking chinampas around Tenochtitlan by Alberto Beltrán, found at Mexicolore.co.uk.
Uppsala Map can be found at the World Digital Library https://www.wdl.org/en/item/503/
"Tlalok San Ysidro" Available for download here: raquelzrivera.hearnow.com
Used with permission by the artists:
Raquel Z. Rivera
Arnaldo Acosta
Fidel González
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this special episode, Tlakatekatl shares an interview he conducted with Carlos Aceves Yolohuitzcalotl back in 2019. Carlos has devoted his life to advancing Chicano/Mexicano Indigeneity in the U.S./Mexico Borderlands and developing the “Xinachtli Project” which incorporates indigenous pedagogy in childhood education. They also talk about his path to “la tradicion” known as Mexikayotl, and his involvement in founding the first Chicana/o/x indigenous centric groups in Texas known as kalpullis. Enjoy!
Xinachtli Community Schools Project
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this dispatch, we take a look at Skepticamp New Mexico, and get an Olmec Update from Kurly!
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
My name is Kurly Tlapoyawa, and I LOVE movies. I spent a good chunk of my childhood being snuck into the drive-in by my parents, where I took in double and triple features of cinematic greatness. And when movies became available on home video in the 1980s, all bets were off. It’s no exaggeration to say that my life was shaped by movies. In 2004 I opened Burning Paradise Video, where I offered a carefully curated selection of independent, foreign, underground, and cult films to the public. Welcome to Burning Paradise, my love letter to a bygone era.
In this episode, we take a look into the future with Class of 1984
"Andrew Norris (Perry King, Lipstick, Mandingo), an idealistic and naive music teacher, has moved into a new community with his pregnant wife, Diane (Merrie Lynn Ross, General Hospital), only to find his new job is an academic abyss. Appalled by the crime-infested school, Norris soon crosses paths with its teenage kingpin, the shrewd and sadistic Peter Stegman (Timothy Van Patten, Catacombs, Zone Troopers). With Norris setting his sights on reforming Stegman and the young punk declaring war on his teacher, the duo is on a collision course for a fateful showdown."
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is a professional archaeologist, podcaster, author, filmmaker, and former stuntman. His IMDB can be viewed here.
Purchase the Stink of Flesh on Blue Ray
Purchase the book "Direct Your Own Damn Movie"
Watch "Guardians of The Purple Kingdom"
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
For this edition of Throwback Thursday, we step back in time to revisit a great interview with Juan Tejeda, an icon of the Chicano Movement, and Publisher of Aztlan Libre Press.
Aztlan Libre Press with Juan Tejeda
In this episode we are joined by Juan Tejeda, co-owner and publisher of Aztlan Libre Press. Aztlan Libre Press is an independent publishing company based out of Yanawana/San Antonio, Texas that is dedicated to the publication, promotion and free expression of XicanX literature and art. Established in 2009 by Juan Tejeda and Anisa Onofre, Aztlan Libre Press has published a dozen books and a line of XicanX Art Notecards.
Purchase their books at https://squareup.com/store/aztlanlibrepress/.
Juan Tejeda retired in 2016 as a professor of Mexican American Studies and Music from Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas. A musician, writer, arts administrator and Xicano activist, from 1976 to 1985 he was the jefe segundo of Xinachtli, the first traditional Mexica-Azteca Conchero dance group in Texas; and from 1980 to 1998 he was the Xicano Music Program Director at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio. He is the button accordionist and vocalist with the Conjunto Aztlan, and along with his wife, Anisa Onofre, is the co-owner and publisher of Aztlan Libre Press.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Dr. Herrán Ávila is a historian of the Cold War in Latin America, with an emphasis on conservative, anticommunist, and extreme right movements. After researching the comparative history of anticommunism in Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia, his current book project seeks to unveil the national and Latin American dimensions of right wing activism in Cold War Mexico. The book project examines the history and Cold War transformations of right wing dissidence to the Mexican postrevolutionary state, and situates Mexico as a crucial hub for transnational anticommunist activism, shedding light on the various ways in which Mexican anticommunists forged links with Latin American, European, and East Asian fellow travelers. Dr. Herrán Ávila’s publications in both English and Spanish reflect a range of related research interests, such as right wing youth; neofascism in Latin America; the history of political crime in the Americas; and the intersections between banditry and insurgency. He has also been a recipient of various scholarships and grants from Fulbright, Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology, the New School for Social Research, and the Hoover Institution, and a contributor to the Mexican dailies Reforma and El Norte.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
My name is Kurly Tlapoyawa, and I LOVE movies. I spent a good chunk of my childhood being snuck into the drive-in by my parents, where I took in double and triple features of cinematic greatness. And when movies became available on home video in the 1980s, all bets were off. It’s no exaggeration to say that my life was shaped by movies. In 2004 I opened Burning Paradise Video, where I offered a carefully curated selection of independent, foreign, underground, and cult films to the public. Welcome to Burning Paradise, my love letter to a bygone era.
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is a professional archaeologist, podcaster, author, filmmaker, and former stuntman. His IMDB can be viewed here.
Purchase the Stink of Flesh on Blue Ray
Purchase the book "Direct Your Own Damn Movie"
Watch "Guardians of The Purple Kingdom"
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The peopling of the Americas is a touchy subject among many Indigenous people. In this episode of Throwback Thursday, we revisit our discussion with Dr. Jennifer Raff, author of the fantastic book "“Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas" from episode 25.
Peopling the Americas with Dr. Jennifer Raff!
Today we are joined by geneticist Dr. Jennifer Raff to talk about genetic research, what it can tell us about the peopling of the Americas, and how it can be misused by pseudohistorians and psudoarchaeologists to promote dangerous misinterpretations of the past!
About our guest:
Jennifer Raff is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Affiliate Faculty member of the Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Kansas. She has a PhD in Anthropology and Biology (double major) from Indiana University, and has been studying the genomes of ancient and contemporary Indigenous peoples from North America since 2001. Her book “Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas” is a New York Times Best seller.
You can order her book here: Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Dr. Herrán Ávila is a historian of the Cold War in Latin America, with an emphasis on conservative, anticommunist, and extreme right movements. After researching the comparative history of anticommunism in Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia, his current book project seeks to unveil the national and Latin American dimensions of right wing activism in Cold War Mexico. The book project examines the history and Cold War transformations of right wing dissidence to the Mexican postrevolutionary state, and situates Mexico as a crucial hub for transnational anticommunist activism, shedding light on the various ways in which Mexican anticommunists forged links with Latin American, European, and East Asian fellow travelers. Dr. Herrán Ávila’s publications in both English and Spanish reflect a range of related research interests, such as right wing youth; neofascism in Latin America; the history of political crime in the Americas; and the intersections between banditry and insurgency. He has also been a recipient of various scholarships and grants from Fulbright, Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology, the New School for Social Research, and the Hoover Institution, and a contributor to the Mexican dailies Reforma and El Norte.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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In this Dispatch, Tlakatekatl reads and discusses a recent Washington Post article on the troubled legacy of the Texas Rangers along the border communities of South Texas. The article explores the story of ethnic Mexican men on their way down to a to wedding on the Mexican side of the river. State agents allege that they were smugglers who shot at them first, but their families have always maintained that they were targeted for being ethnic Mexicans. In the aftermath, 3 of the traveling men died, including the groom who was the one to be married.
Tlakatekatl then reads the introductory essay for the main panel of the “Life and Death on the Border” exhibit that he helped bring to North Texas through The Mexican American Museum of Texas, a non-profit organization dedicated to highlighting the long and unique history of that community in the state. The exhibit highlights the troubling history of the early 1900s during the decade of 1910-1920, particularly several horrific atrocities committed against ethnic Mexicans by state agents, including the Texas Rangers. Tlakatekatl is a founding member of the museum.
Links and Sources:
After a borderland shootout, a 100-year-old battle for the truth
The Mexican American Museum of Texas
Your host:
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
My name is Kurly Tlapoyawa, and I LOVE movies. I spent a good chunk of my childhood being snuck into the drive-in by my parents, where I took in double and triple features of cinematic greatness. And when movies became available on home video in the 1980s, all bets were off. It’s no exaggeration to say that my life was shaped by movies. In 2004 I opened Burning Paradise Video, where I offered a carefully curated selection of independent, foreign, underground, and cult films to the public. Welcome to Burning Paradise, my love letter to a bygone era.
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is a professional archaeologist, podcaster, author, filmmaker, and former stuntman. His IMDB can be viewed here.
Purchase the Stink of Flesh on Blue Ray
Purchase the book "Direct Your Own Damn Movie"
Watch "Guardians of The Purple Kingdom"
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Ever hear about the Mexican reporter who smuggled a codex back into Mexico? In this edition of Throwback Thursday, we revisit this story from way back in Episode 14!
Rescuing the Tonalamatl Aubin
A couple of years back, I visited the British National Museum in London, England, with my wife. As we stood in front of the many Mesoamerican artifacts on display, objects that the hands of our ancestors had meticulously crafted, I was reminded of a scene from the Marvel film "Black Panther." If you have seen the movie, I'm sure you remember which scene I am referring to. In it, the character Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, played by Michael B Jordan, stands in front of African artifacts at the fictional "Museum of Great Britain."
This scene caused an interesting discussion in the archaeological community and among museum professionals when the movie first came out. In an essay titled "Why museum professionals need to talk about Black Panther" Casey Haughin of John Hopkins wrote that Black Panther "presented the museum as an illegal mechanism of colonialism, and along with that, a space which does not even welcome those whose culture it displays."
Now, I'm not gonna lie, part of me wished that I had my own team of highly skilled Nawa operatives with me at the museum in London. And that we were there to pull off a carefully orchestrated heist, liberating the objects of our Mesoamerican cultural inheritance and returning them to the land of their birth. Unfortunately, such acts of daring cultural restitution are the stuff of pure fantasy. More at home in the Marvel Cinematic Universe than in the real world. Or are they?
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
We here at Tales From Aztlantis would like to issue the following public service announcement: PLEASE DO NOT rely on social media posts as your sole source of historical and archaeological information. This should not be a controversial statement. Yet every day, social media feeds are inundated with well-meaning individuals uncritically sharing and reposting pseudohistory without bothering to check the sources or seek outside information.
Tik Tok, in particular is easily the worst offender when it comes to the spread of pseudohistory, pseudoarcheology, and general conspiracism. The speed with which a short video containing absolute nonsense can be created and shared on Tik Tok is truly impressive. And thanks to its algorithm, those who consume such disinformation are repeatedly inundated with more and more nonsense, creating a never-ending loop of paranoid conspiracism and pseudo historical group-think.
One such outlandish claim that frequently pops up on pseudohistory-promoting social media sites is our topic for this episode: the battle of Cagayan. For those unfamiliar with the general narrative, it usually goes like this:
“In 1582, a small, battle-hardened group consisting of 40 Tlaxkaltekah and Spanish soldiers defeated a thousand Japanese Samurai at the Battle of Cagayan in the Phillipines.”
At face value this story sounds super badass. But is this actually what happened? Did a small band of spunky Tlaxkaltekah and Spanish soldiers really vanquish a THOUSAND Japanese Samurai in a Thermopylae-style beat down in the Phillipines?
Let's find out!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
What is the actual history of Cinco de Mayo, what importance does it hold for Chicana/Chicano/Chicanx communities, and most importantly why is it celebrated in the United States? Well dear listener, if you have ever asked yourself any of those questions, you're in luck. Today's episode explores why we celebrate. Enjoy!
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Kurly recently attended the 89th Annual Meeting of the SAA (Society for American Archaeology) in New Orleans. While there, he gave some talks, saw old friends, and drank...a lot. For this special bonus mini-episode, Kurly is joined by Dr. Marijke Stoll to talk about her recent cameo appearance on the Joe Rogan Podcast where our friend and colleague Dr. Flint Dibble appeared as a guest and laid an ass-whoopin on pseudoarchaeology!
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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This Throwback Thursday we revisit Episode 16 of the podcast, where we talk about the various attacks on Chicano Indigeneity, and ways we can counter them!
Chicano Indigeneity
Sadly, the latest online trend within the “woke” and “Latinx” crowd is to relentlessly attack Chicanas and Chicanos who identify as Indigenous. Given the fact that being Indigenous is a cornerstone of Chicana-Chicano identity (and is manifested in our culture, language, traditions, ancestry, systems of kinship, and our connections to the land), I find such attacks…curious to say the least.
The basic argument goes something like this: Chicanas, Chicanos, and Chicanx folks did not grow up in traditional Indigenous communities, and therefore can only call themselves “Indigenous descendants” and not actual “Indigenous people.” Apparently, there is only one “authentic” Indigenous lived experience, regardless of how history has played out for the Mesoamerican diaspora. This bizarre bit of wordplay ignores the entirety of Chicana-Chicano history and reeks of identity policing at its worst. Interestingly, this assault on Chicana-Chicano Indigenous identity is practically identical to right-wing talking points that seek to deny Chicana-Chicanos our Indigenous cultural inheritance.
It is certainly unfortunate that a handful of “latinxers” and Indigenous gatekeepers have taken it upon themselves to police Indigenous identity as it relates to the Chicano communityt. In doing so, they are sowing deep divisions among people who should be working together. And quite frankly, I think their argument just isn’t very well thought out.
In this episode we defend Chicano Indigeneity from such attacks.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
With the passing of the Spring Equinox, we once again bring another year to a close. “In Xiwitl itlamiliz” The year has ended. This means it is once again time for the annual online arguments over whose calendar system follows the correct correlation.
We here at the Tales from Aztlantis world headquarters thought it would be helpful to lay out four things you should remember about the ancestral Mexika calendar that might help you discern which calendars are based on solid evidence, and which ones are…lacking to say the least. Now, we are not here to tell you which correlation to follow. Rather, we want to equip you with some basic concepts about the calendar system so that you might have an informed opinion to help guide your further research. But also, you should probably just go ahead and buy the calendar that Kurly just published along with Ruben Ochoa. Its available on talesfromaztlantis.com and Amazon.
And now, with that shameless plug out of the way, we present to you
Four Things to know about the Mexika calendar
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
This Throwback Thursday we return to episode 6 from our first season to talk about the racial pseudohistory of the "Black Olmec" myth, and how it serves to erase, trivialize, and destroy the cultural legacies of Indigenous and African people!
Hijacking History (The Problem With The "Black Olmec" Myth)
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Links:
Reality Dysfunction Podcast #83 featuring Kurly and Tlakatekatl!
Further reading:
Robbing Native American Cultures: Van Sertima's Afrocentricity and the Olmecs
Journal retracts paper claiming that group of Indigenous Americans were Black Africans
Analysis of Ivan Van Sertima's Afrocentric claims on Mesoamerica
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Pseudoarchaeology sucks. Plain and simple. And with the advent of the internet and social media, things are only getting worse. Online conspiracists, pseudohistorians, and pseudoarchaeologists can quickly dissemninate false, often harmful distortions of history with a click of a button.
On 4th November 1999, BBC TWO broadcast Horizon: Atlantis Reborn, a documentary that looked at the pseudohistorical narratives promoted by Graham Hancock. The film does an outstanding job of debunking Hancock's various claims, and illustrates why we need sound scientific research and expertise to push back on pseudoarchaeology.
In this episode, your hosts watch the episode of Horizon, and provide a running commentary on the evidence presented by both sides.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
In this episode we dive into the meaning of eclipses among certain Indigenous communities, and take a look at the various modern eclipse conspiracies being pushed on social media.
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently consulted on and performed in the Casagrandes Movie for Nickelodeon, which is now streaming on Netflix.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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With the exciting news of three colonial-era Mexika manuscripts being sold to the Mexican Government on everyone's mind, Kurly takes a moment to cast a critical eye on the fake "Maya" Codex Porrua and how its sexual themes might be weaponized by fraudulent leaders and "elders."
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently consulted on and performed in the Casagrandes Movie for Nickelodeon, which is now streaming on Netflix.
@kurlytlapoyawa
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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In this episode, Kurly talks talks about “Fortress," a flick which explores the blurry line that exists between victim and attacker and the tension it incites. Enjoy!
My name is Kurly Tlapoyawa, and I LOVE movies. I spent a good chunk of my childhood being snuck into the drive-in by my parents, where I took in double and triple features of cinematic greatness. And when movies became available on home video in the 1980s, all bets were off. It’s no exaggeration to say that my life was shaped by movies. In 2004 I opened Burning Paradise Video, where I offered a carefully curated selection of independent, foreign, underground, and cult films to the public. Welcome to Burning Paradise, my love letter to a bygone era.
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is a professional archaeologist, podcaster, author, filmmaker, and former stuntman. His IMDB can be viewed here.
Purchase the Stink of Flesh on Blue Ray
Purchase the book "Direct Your Own Damn Movie"
Watch "Guardians of The Purple Kingdom"
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
This Throwback Thursday we revisit one of our more controversial episodes!
Hunab Ku, Ometeotl, and the Vocabulary of Conquest
In 1524, twelve Franciscan missionaries were sent to Mexico from Spain to convert the previously unknown Indigenous people to Catholicism. To help facilitate this, the Spaniards constructed the Colegio de Santa Cruz in Tlatelolco in 1536, where young Indigenous nobles were trained in Catholic doctrine and taught to read and write using the Latin alphabet. These nobles held valuable insight into Mesoamerican cosmovision and helped determine how to manipulate it to serve the missionizing process.
These Indigenous aides would often use Mesoamerican vocabulary and concepts when attempting to translate Catholicism into Indigenous terms. Pre-existing names such as Ipalnemoani “He by Whom One Lives,” Tloke Nawakeh “Possessor of the Near, Possessor of the Surrounding,” Teyokoyani “creator of people,” and others were repurposed to represent the concepts of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and other aspects of Christian belief. When there were no pre-existing Indigenous names to properly convey a desired Catholic principle, Indigenous aides created new terms and expressions in their language that could adequately carry the necessary meaning . As a result, an entirely new vocabulary to convert Mesoamericans to Catholicism was born. I refer to this appropriation and invention of Indigenous terms in the service of religious conversion as the Vocabulary of Conquest.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He has authored numerous books and presented lectures at various universities.
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. He has presented and published widely and currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this episode:
Destronando a Ometeotl - Katarzyna Mikulska
The Vocabulary of Conquest - Kurly Tlapoyawa
Translation in Historiography: The Garibay/Leon-Portilla Complex and the Making of a Pre-Hispanic Past - Payas Gertrudis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Welcome to season FOUR cabrones!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Hispanic Heritage Month
In this episode, we shed some light on the so-called Hispanic Heritage Month which is celebrated from September 15 through October 15 in the United States. If you know nothing about how it got started and its evolution, then this episode is for you. Your host Tlakatekatl will guide you through its origins and provides much needed critical perspective on the consequences stemming from the creation of this month-long commemoration. So put on your sombreros and zarapes and enjoy the show.
Your host:
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
Arthur D. Soto-Vásquez, “The Rhetorical Construction of U.S. Latinos by American Presidents,” Howard Journal of Communications 29, no. 4 (December 22, 2017): 353–67, https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2017.1407718.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Christopher Columbus & The Indians of God!
It has often been claimed that Christopher Columbus did not refer to the Indigenous people of the Americas as "Indians" because he thought he landed in India, but because he thought that they were "gente in Dios." or "people in God." But is this actually true? and what is the source of this controversial claim?
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
“I Am Not a Leader”: Russell Means’ 1980 Mother Jones Cover Story
Christopher Columbus, The Journal of Christopher Columbus (during His First Voyage, 1492-93) and Documents Relating the Voyages of John Cabot and Gaspar Corte Real, trans. Clements R. Markham, Cambridge Library Collection (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010).
David Wilton, Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008).
George Carlin, Brain Droppings (New York: Hyperion, 1997).
Peter Matthiessen, “Native Earth,” Parabola: Myth & Quest for Meaning, Vol. 6, no. 1 (Spring 1981).
Peter Matthiessen, Indian Country (New York: Viking Press, 1984).
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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American Homeboy with Brandon Loran Maxwell
We are joined by filmmaker Brandon Loran Maxwell (the Daily Chela), to talk about his new documentary film "American Homeboy." American Homeboy is a documentary film directed by Brandon Loran Maxwell that explores the complex origins of pachuco and cholo culture which sprouted from American soil more than 100 years ago in response to wartime sentiment, social alienation, and government discrimination only to become a pop culture phenomenon.
The film draws from rare interviews shot on 5k with leading Mexican American historians, academics, artists, activists, cholos, and former law enforcement officers against a backdrop of 50 hours of restored archival footage.
Our Guest:
Brandon Loran Maxwell is a Mexican American writer, speaker, prize winning essayist, film director, and entrepreneur. His writings and commentary have appeared at The Hill, Salon, Townhall, The Washington Examiner, The Oregonian, The Foundation For Economic Education, and Latino Rebels Radio, among others. In 2022, his writings were cited at the U.S. Supreme Court (United States Of America vs. Helaman Hansen).
In addition, Brandon regularly speaks on a variety of social topics, and has been cited or profiled by outlets such as The Los Angeles Times, Vox, The Washington Post, The Blaze, and The Oregonian. His personal essay “Notes From An American Prisoner” was awarded a Writer’s Digest prize in 2014, and his one-act play “Petal By Petal” about drug and alcohol addiction was performed at The Little Theater in 2009. He holds a B.S. in political science and resides on the West Coast.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Remembering Dr. Cintli with Juan Tejeda!
We are joined by Juan Tejeda of Aztlan Libre Press to discuss the legacy and impact of Roberto "Dr. Cintli" Rodriguez, who recently passed away in Mexico. In tribute, we have a group reading of Roberto's groundbreaking essay "Who declared war on the word Chicano?"
Our Guest:
Juan Tejeda retired in 2016 as a professor of Mexican American Studies and Music from Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas. A musician, writer, arts administrator and Xicano activist, from 1976 to 1985 he was the jefe segundo of Xinachtli, the first traditional Mexica-Azteca Conchero dance group in Texas; and from 1980 to 1998 he was the Xicano Music Program Director at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio. He is the button accordionist and vocalist with the Conjunto Aztlan, and along with his wife, Anisa Onofre, is the co-owner and publisher of Aztlan Libre Press.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Acambaro Figurines w/ Dr. David Anderson!
In July 1944, in the Mexican city of Acambaro, Guanajuato, a German businessman named Waldemar Julsrud came across a series of bizarre ceramic figurines said to resemble dinosaurs. These figurines have been promoted by young-Earth creationists as evidence for the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans! But what are these figurines, really? Today we are joined by Dr. David Anderson to talk about the infamous Acambaro figurines!
Our Guest:
Dr. David Anderson is an Instructor with Radford University, and holds his degrees from Tulane University (Ph.D.) and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His research interests include public archaeology and the conceptions of heritage, the Formative Period of Maya and Mesoamerican culture, the origins and development of sociopolitical complexity, and academic engagement with pseudoscience and pseudoarchaeology. Dr. Anderson’s current publication projects include Weirding Archaeology: Unearthing the Strange Influences on the Popular Perception of Archaeology(forthcoming, Routledge), and “The Preclassic Settlement of Northwest Yucatán: Recharting the Pathway to Complexity”co-authored with F. Robles C. and A.P. Andrews, in Pathways to Complexity in the Maya Lowlands: The Preclassic Development, (K.M. Brown and G. J. Bey III, eds., University of Florida Press, 2018).
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Book of the Sun
In this episode, Tlakatekatl reads the short book entitled, The Book of the Sun (1992), by Cecilio Orozco, which was influential among Mexikas, danzantes, and the Mexikayotl movement. Kurly offers his personal perspective and provides context on the book's wider cultural impact. Enjoy!
Your host:
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Strange story of Dr. Atl!
In this episode, we explore the bizarre, fascinating, and contradictory life of one of Mexico's most influential painters: Dr. Atl.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Black Olmec Myth
Racism and pseudohistory / pseudoarchaeology go hand-in-hand. One of the more prominent examples of this is the long-discredited notion that the Olmec civilization was either seeded by Black explorers from Africa, or that the Olmec themselves were a Black civilization. In this episode we take a look at the origins of these claims, and analyze the "evidence" used to advance them.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this episode:
OLMEC COLOSSAL HEADS ARE OF MESOAMERICAN AND NON-AFRICAN ORIGIN
Yale Rep stages a 'King Lear' for the ages
Afrocentrism in ‘Lear’ overlooks native people
Journal retracts paper claiming that group of Indigenous Americans were Black Africans
They Were NOT Here Before Columbus: Afrocentric Hyperdiffusionism in the 1990s
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Last of The Aztecs!
Online racial conspiracists often share historical photos of a man and woman dubbed "The Last of the Aztecs." But who are the individuals in the photo? What is their actual story? And what do they have to do with a showman and circus tycoon from Connecticut? Lets find out as we delve into the tragic story of...The Last of The Aztecs!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He recently released a documentary film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom" about Indigenous textile production in Oaxaca.
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in the Podcast:
Freak Show: Presenting Human Oddities for Amusement and Profit
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Talking Pseudoarchaeology with Dr. David S. Anderson
In this premium Episode, we journey with Kurly to the SAA (Society for American Archaeology) national Conference in Portland Oregon, where he sits down with Dr. David S Anderson to talk about the forum on pseudoarchaeology that they both participated in!
Your guest:
Dr. David Anderson is an Instructor with Radford University, and holds his degrees from Tulane University (Ph.D.) and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His research interests include public archaeology and the conceptions of heritage, the Formative Period of Maya and Mesoamerican culture, the origins and development of sociopolitical complexity, and academic engagement with pseudoscience and pseudoarchaeology. Dr. Anderson’s current publication projects include Weirding Archaeology: Unearthing the Strange Influences on the Popular Perception of Archaeology(forthcoming, Routledge), and “The Preclassic Settlement of Northwest Yucatán: Recharting the Pathway to Complexity”co-authored with F. Robles C. and A.P. Andrews, in Pathways to Complexity in the Maya Lowlands: The Preclassic Development, (K.M. Brown and G. J. Bey III, eds., University of Florida Press, 2018).
Your Host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Cinco De Mayo: Why We Celebrate
It's that time of year again! In what has become an annual Cinco de Mayo tradition, we are revisiting one of our earlier episodes from the first season. Every year we see the return of hateful, anti-Mexican comments made in response to Cinco de Mayo, so we thought that it would be a topic worth coming back to. Enjoy!
On a dark, rainy Monday afternoon on May 5th, 1862, Mexican soldiers led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, and bolstered by Indigenous fighters from Xochiapulco, sierra de Tetela, and other Nawa communities, defeated the French army of Napolean III at the Battle of Puebla. Today, Cinco de Mayo, the day of this battle, is generally viewed as a “drinking Holiday” by its American participants. Something that is welcome with open arms by brewing companies who capitalize on the day by encouraging white people to don sombreros, serapes, and tacky fake mustaches as they revel in their drunken debauchery. By the way, if this Is you – knock it off. Your embarrassing yourself.
But, what is the actual history of Cinco de Mayo, what importance does it hold for Chicana/Chicano/Chicanx communities, and most importantly why is it celebrated in the United States?
Well dear listener, If you have ever asked yourself any of those questions, you're in luck. Because on today's episode we explore:
Cinco De Mayo: Why We Celebrate
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Indigenous people of the Americas and the Horse
Every once in a while, we see a story posted on social media claiming that horses never went extinct in the Americas and that Indigenous people had the horse long before the arrival of Europeans. If you spend any time on Indigenous social media, you probably know what we are talking about. Supporters of this claim seek to dispel what they view as a Eurocentric myth. A myth that, in their eyes, buries the true history of the horse in the Americas by discounting Indigenous oral traditions and ignoring archaeological evidence that would reshape our understanding of history.
But do these claims stand up to scrutiny? Did the horse really go extinct in the Americas? And what does all of this have to do with a religious zealot from the 1800s? Well dear listeners, hold on tight because it’s going to be a bumpy ride as we explore:
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
Pleistocene Megafauna in Beringia
Archaeological Fantasies
Pseudoarchaeological Claims of Horses in the Americas
New Research Rewrites the History of American Horses
Early dispersal of domestic horses into the Great Plains and northern Rockies
Pratt Cave
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Indigenous Pop Culture Expo!
Recently, Kurly was invited to be a guest at the Indigenous Pop Culture Expo in Oklahoma City. In this premium episode, he sits down with founder Dr. Lee Francis, and artists Maria "Wolf" Lopez and Jim Terry to talk about the significance of this event!
Our guests:
Dr. Lee Francis: Albuquerque-based activist, educator, and comic creator Dr. Lee Francis IV is the Executive Director of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers, owner and CEO of Native Realities Publishing, and founder of the Indigenous Comic Con and Red Planet Books and Comics.
Twitter: @leefrancisIV
Maria “Wolf” Lopez: Maria “Wolf” Lopez is a Chicago based comic book artist and illustrator who has taken the world by storm with her intensely powerful inks and unrelenting detail. Her covers for Marvel and DC are some of the most highly sought after in the industry today. Prior to the WOLF cover renaissance, her work graced the pages of several short stories and anthologies like “Deer Women” and “The Lost Pages” and she’s illustrated work for the Smithsonian Museum - Native Knowledge 360.
As one of the most dynamic and unique artists in comics today, Maria continues to illustrate otherworldly levels of detail and is unapologetic in her approach to art, delivering some of the most memorable and downright KILLER art you’ll ever find in a comic book.
Twitter: @thewolfmaria
Instagram: @thewolfmaria
Jim Terry: JIM TERRY is a Native American comic book artist who's memoir “Come Home, Indio” was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and the Ignatz, as well as the artist on such titles as THE CROW, HACK/SLASH, HEAVY METAL and more. He is currently working on WEST OF SUNDOWN from Vault Comics.
Instagram: @jimterryart
"The first of its kind event, the Indigenous Pop Culture Expo looks to showcase Native American and Indigenous creatives and communities in a way that dispels the mythologies that Natives are a people of the past. Rather we seek to show Native identity in all its past, present, and future glory.
From comics to games to film and tv, IndigiPopX is an exciting way to learn more, experience and enjoy all that Native American popular culture has to offer."
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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This Fool with Chris Estrada!
We are joined by comedian Chris Estrada! Estrada, one of the most exciting up-and-coming voices in comedy, is the co-creator, star, writer and executive producer of the hit Hulu series "This Fool" which is based on his standup comedy act and upbringing in South Los Angeles.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Assassination of Kwawtemok!
On February 28, of the year 1525, Kwawtemok – the last sovereign tlatoani (ruler or speaker) of the Mexikah nation and the Anawak Confederacy, was assassinated by Hernán Cortés. But who was Kwawtemok, and why is he an important figure in the collective memory of Mexicans?
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Atlantis & Graham Hancock
Netflix has recently decided to provide an outlet for pseudohistory, pseudoarchaeology, and outright bullshit with their new series "ancient apocalypse." In this Premium Throwback, we revisit our very first Premium Episode, in which we cast a critical lens on the many outlandish claims made by Graham Hancock. Enjoy!
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Dia de los Muertos: The Chicano Connection!
Chicanos directly influenced the popularity of modern Dia de los Muertos celebrations in both the United States and Mexico. Let's find out how!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
Regina Marchi, “Chicano Art as Alternative Media: Its Influence on US Popular Culture (and Beyond),” The International Journal of the Arts in Society 4, no. 5 (2010): 447–64, https://doi.org/10.7282/T3X63K9R.
Regina Marchi, “Hybridity and Authenticity in US Day of the Dead Celebrations,” Journal of American Folklore 126, no. 501 (January 1, 2013): 272–301, https://doi.org/10.5406/jamerfolk.126.501.0272.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Fight for Chicano Studies with Dr. Ernesto Mireles!
Kurly is joined by Dr. Ernesto Mireles to discuss his latest Documentary Film "War of the Flea: The Fight for Xicano Studies."
War of the Flea: The Fight for Xicano Studies is a real-life David v. Goliath story of Xicano students at Michigan State. Through their involvement with Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan (MEXA), agitation, and grassroots community organizing they forced a major university to establish a Xicano/Latino Studies program. Beginning in 1991, with the police murder of twenty-one-year-old Lansing local Cipriano Torres, Jr., these students and their small and increasingly marginalized community were barraged by attack after attack. This documentary chronicles the main events that changed the trajectory of their lives.
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Nury Martinez and the Racism of Latinidad
Kurly talks about the recent Nury Martinez controversy, and explains how her comments fall perfectly in-line with the inherent racism of latinidad and the "latino/a/e/x" identity.
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Remembering the Maya Apocalypse with Dr. John Hoopes!
About our guest:
Dr. John Hoopes is an anthropologist with broad training in the archaeology of pre-Hispanic indigenous cultures, with a focus on indigenous populations of southern Central America between Mesoamerica and the Central Andes. He has built a solid base of empirical, scientific evidence and robust theories to help define these as a significant unit of study. Dr. Hoopes has undertaken extended critiques of both scientific and popular models, the latter including significant prejudices and misconceptions about indigenous cultures. His research is motivated by a strong sense of ethics, justice, and a desire to help people understand the world in detail by expanding knowledge as guided by informed insight.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Sal Castro & The Chicano Blowouts!
In this episode, we watch a short film about Sal Castro and the Chicano Blowouts! The East Los Angeles Walkouts or Chicano Blowouts were a series of 1968 protests by Chicano students against unequal conditions in Los Angeles Unified School District high schools. The first walkout occurred on March 5, 1968. The students who organized and carried out the protests were primarily concerned with the quality of their education. This movement, which involved thousands of students in the Los Angeles area, was identified as "the first major mass protest against racism undertaken by Mexican-Americans in the history of the United States."
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Archaeological Frauds & Myths with Ken Feder!
We are joined by Dr. Ken Feder, to discuss his work in analyzing and exposing pseudoarchaeology and anti-scientific conspiracies!
Dr. Kenneth L. "Kenny" Feder is a professor Emeritus of archaeology at Central Connecticut State University and the author of several books on archaeology and criticism of pseudoarchaeology such as Frauds, Myths, and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology. His book Encyclopedia of Dubious Archaeology: From Atlantis to the Walam Olum was published in 2010. His book Ancient America: Fifty Archaeological Sites to See for Yourself was published in 2017. He is the founder and director of the Farmington River Archaeological Project.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Chicano Heritage Month!
Chicano Heritage Month? You heard us correctly! In this episode, we take a look at House resolution 1291 which was recently introduced by Congressman Lou Correa to commemorate August as Chicano Heritage Month. The resolution states its purpose as "Recognizing the significance of “Chicano Heritage Month” in August as an important time to celebrate the significant contributions of Mexican Americans to the history of the United States."
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Song: Soy Chicano by Rumel Fuentes, 1975
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Listener Feedback
In this episode, we take a look at some listener feedback and celebrate as the Podcast hits a very cool milestone!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Chicano humor with Lalo Alcaraz!
We are joined by POCHO Magazine creator and Chicano editorial cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz to talk about Chicano humor, cultural representation, and censorship!
Lalo Alcaraz is an award-winning visual/media artist and television/film writer. A Los Angeles resident, he has been chronicling the ascendancy of Chicanos in the U.S. for over a quarter-century.
The busy Chicano artist is the creator of the syndicated daily comic strip La Cucaracha seen in the L.A. Times and other newspapers nationwide.
Alcaraz is founder and Jefe-in-Chief of POCHO, which started out as a Xeroxed zine in the last century and now ranks a leading Chicano satire website.
A prolific political cartoonist, Lalo is the winner of six Los Angeles Press Club awards for Best Editorial Cartoon.
He was an editorial cartoonist for the L.A. Weekly from 1992-2010 and now creates editorial cartoons in English and Spanish for Andrews McMeel Syndication, Daily Kos, and various newspapers, including Philadelphia’s Al Dia News.
His work has appeared on 60 Minutes, CBS News, NBC, Univision, and in hundreds of publications.
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Chicano Moratorium (sample)
In the sample from Premium Episode 9, we talk about the historical and cultural significance of the Chicano Moratorium March of August 29, 1970, and later watch a short film by Tom Myrdahl.
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Day of the Dead is Subversive Spirituality!
Long before the arrival of Europeans, some of the Indigenous Mesoamerican traditions of honoring the dead were celebrated with two specific feasts: Mikailwitl (feast of the dead), and Wey Mikailwitl (great feast of the dead). These feasts were celebrated in early August through mid-September. In fact, we are currently in the “month” of Mikailwitl right now, as it began on August 8th or the day Chikome Kozkakwawtli in the ancestral Mexika calendar. These celebrations were dedicated to honoring the dead through dance, song, and offerings of food and drink. Altars and burials were adorned with marigolds, a sacred flower thought to attract the spirits so that they might enjoy the offerings left in their memory.
Today, these celebrations have been blended with Catholic traditions, and take place on All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Many think that Mikailwitl and Wey Mikailwitl were absorbed into the Allhallowtide (All Saints Day and All Souls Day) under the direction of the Catholic Church, as these Christian holidays also involve honoring the dead. Unfortunately, this popular claim is often repeated without any evidence to back it up. For example, a column about Dia de Muertos published on the website weareyourvoicemag states “in an attempt to convert the natives to Catholicism, the Spanish colonizers moved the celebration to November 1 and 2 (All Saints Day), which is when we celebrate it currently.”
But is this how it really happened? Listen and find out as we explore the different ways that our ancestors negotiated and navigated the colonial process by masking their rituals and ceremonies behind a catholic facade!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cover art: 1680 Pueblo Revolt at Hopi, Fred Nakayoma Kabotie, 1976. Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Laboratory of Anthropology, Santa Fe.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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How old is the word Chicana?
The origin and antiquity of the words “Chicana” and “Chicano” has been debated from the halls of academia to the streets of the barrio. The advent of social media has certainly added fuel to the fire, but nobody seems to have a clear answer. Some claim that the word comes from “chicanery,” and is reflective of the untrustworthy nature of the people it describes. Others claim that it means “children of the earth” in the Nawatl language. However, neither of these claims is supported by evidence. So... just how old is the word “Chicana?”
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
Tlakatekatl. “Ilan Stavans has a Chicano problem.” Mexika.Org (blog), 8/11/2015. https://mexika.org/2014/05/20/ilan-stavans-has-a-chicano-problem/
Tlapoyawa. “How old is the word Chicana?” Mexika.Org (blog), 10/17/2017
https://mexika.org/2017/10/17/how-old-is-the-word-chicana/
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Moors Rising? (sample)
In this episode, we take a look at a recent segment by Vice News that examines the "Moorish Aboriginal" movement, and talk about the continued assault on Indigenous Sovereignty that it represents.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Representation matters! In this episode we are joined by Chicano animator Miguel Puga to talk about Chicanos in animation, and the importance of telling our own stories.
Miguel Puga is a storyboard supervisor, director, and creative producer on The Casagrandes. He previously served as a storyboard supervisor on The Loud House, and was also a storyboard artist on Breadwinners, Shimmer and Shine, and the last two seasons of The Fairly OddParents. Outside of Nickelodeon, other cartoons he has worked on include Pink Panther and Pals, Futurama, The Looney Tunes Show, Gravity Falls, and Clarence.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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In this episode, we check out a Tedx given in 2021 by Archaeologist Sarah Kurnick in which she talks about the dangers of pseudoarchaeology.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
@Tlakatekatl
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Aztecs at the Powwow!
In this episode, we explore Danza Azteca at Powwow events, where such performances are usually relegated to the intermission. Our hosts discuss the efforts of the Sacred Springs Powwow in San Marcos, Texas, which has included Danza Azteca in the competitive dance categories, and what this inclusion means for inter-Indigenous relations.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, cultural consultant, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at Harvard University, The University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this podcast:
Bartelt, Guillermo. “‘Ah, You’re One Those’ Ethnic Boundaries in Urban Powwows.” European Journal of Social Sciences Studies 7, no. 3 (February 25, 2022). https://doi.org/10.46827/ejsss.v7i3.1226.
Gutierrez Masini, Jessica. “Native American Indigeneity Through Danza in University of California Powwows: A Decolonized Approach.” Master’s thesis, University of California, Riverside, 2018.
Tlakatekatl. “Aztecs at the Pow Wow.” Mexika.Org (blog), October 27, 2017. https://mexika.org/2017/10/27/aztecs-at-the-pow-wow/.
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Here Comes the Rain Again!
In this brief dispatch, Kurly talks about the common mistranslation of the word "Tlalok."
More information on Tlalok (as well as the image of Tlalok on his mountain top throne) can be found here: https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/gods/god-of-the-month-tlaloc-1
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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(Re)imagining Indigenous Psychology with Dr. Azucena Verdin!
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Azucena Verdín to discuss her work in Educational Psychology and the ways it intersects with Indigenous Chicano ways of knowing. We talk about her experience as a Chicana working in a field dominated by white academics and share a few thoughts on the recent tragedy in Uvalde, Texas.
About our guest:
She received a Master’s in the Arts in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2013 and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of North Texas in 2019. Her dissertation on Mexican-origin borderland mothers' experiences of epistemic injustice received the 2020 John L. and Harriette P. McAdoo Dissertation Award for excellence in research on ethnic-racial minority families from the National Council on Family Relations. She is an assistant professor in the department of Human Development, Family Studies, and Counseling at Texas Woman's University. Her research centers on identity processes among Mexican-origin families, including how racism, colorism, and anti-Indigeneity is internalized within Chicano families.
You can reach Dr. Verdín through her email: [email protected]
Cited in this podcast:
Armando Navarro, “The Post Mortem Politics of the Chicano Movement: 1975-1996,” Perspectives in Mexican American Studies, “Mexican Americans in the 1990s: Politics, Policies, and Perceptions” 6 (1997): 52–79.
Azucena Verdín, “Mothering While Brown: Latina Borderland Mothers’ Experiences of Epistemic Injustice” (Denton, University of North Texas, 2019).
Azucena Verdín, “E(Race)Ing Mexican Americans: Why Denying Racial Indigeneity Constitutes White Supremacy in Family Science,” National Council on Family Relations, 2021, https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-report/fall-2021/eraceing-mexican-americans-why-denying-racial-indigeneity-constitutes-white-supremacy-family.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Azteca or Mexica?
For this episode, I will be drawing heavily from the article “the word Azteca was not created by Von Humboldt” written by Ruben Ochoa, which originally appeared on the website Mexika.org.
Whenever some well-meaning individual posts a link to an article about any aspect of Aztec history to social media, they are inevitably met with a barrage of comments that usually sound something like this:
“actually, they never called themselves Aztecs. They called themselves Mexica.”
That refrain, or something very similar to it, has been repeated time and time again by countless Chicanos, Mexicanos, cultural practitioners, historians, etc., for who knows how long. Hell, even I used to say it about twenty to twenty-five years ago.
Back then, the argument started innocently enough, I suppose.
“We didn’t call ourselves Aztec. That’s what an anthropologist called us ‘cause they didn’t know what we called ourselves.” And that in turn turned into an anthropologist coming up with that name as an umbrella term to lump all the people of the Valley of Mexico together. That further changed to a white anthropologist decided to call us that, and then that white anthropologist became more specifically European. At some point we even managed to identify the culprit who dared sully us with a name not our own, and that perpetrator has been identified as none other than Alexander Von Humboldt. People have become so confident that the above is true that the new chorus, with all the certitude in the world, is that Alexander Von Humboldt is to blame for the very existence of the word “Aztec,” a word that was presumably never uttered by our people.
But Is this really true? Is the word Aztec or Azteca solely an invention of 18th century scholars? Well, not exactly.
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Cited in this podcast:
Ruben Ochoa, “The Word ‘Azteca’ Was NOT Created by Von Humboldt!,” Mexika.org (blog), May 31, 2014, https://mexika.org/2014/05/31/the-word-azteca-was-not-created-by-von-humboldt/.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Moorish Nationals and Indigenous Erasure! (sample)
In this episode, we explore the "Moor" identity movement, it's history, and how it is actively weaponizing pseudohistory in order to erase the accomplishments of Indigenous and African people. Also, Kurly learns about ad blockers.
So strap yourselves in, because its a bumpy ride!
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STOP erasing Chicanos and Mexican Americans!
In this brief Dispatch from Aztlantis, your host Kurly Tlapoyawa talks about how "latino" is used in mainstream media to actively ERASE our people!
Cited in this episode:
https://www.minoritynewsnetwork.com/2022/04/28/where-are-the-chicano-intellectuals/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/political-cartoonist-lalo-alcaraz-becomes-first-latino-win-prestigious-rcna18551
https://www.yahoo.com/video/ago-were-picking-fruit-dad-173018274.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/mexican-american-first-latina-president-harvard-law-review-rcna14358
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Cinco de Mayo!
For today's episode, we wanted to revisit one of our earlier episodes from the first season. Every year we see the return of hateful, anti-Mexican comments made in response to Cinco de Mayo, so we thought that it would be a topic worth coming back to. Enjoy!
On a dark, rainy Monday afternoon on May 5th, 1862, Mexican soldiers led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, and bolstered by Indigenous fighters from Xochiapulco, sierra de Tetela, and other Nawa communities, defeated the French army of Napolean III at the Battle of Puebla. Today, Cinco de Mayo, the day of this battle, is generally viewed as a “drinking Holiday” by its American participants. Something that is welcome with open arms by brewing companies who capitalize on the day by encouraging white people to don sombreros, serapes, and tacky fake mustaches as they revel in their drunken debauchery. By the way, if this Is you – knock it off. Your embarrassing yourself.
But, what is the actual history of Cinco de Mayo, what importance does it hold for Chicana/Chicano/Chicanx communities, and most importantly why is it celebrated in the United States?
Well dear listener, If you have ever asked yourself any of those questions, you're in luck. Because on today's episode we explore:
Cinco De Mayo: Why We Celebrate
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Acequias - A Forgotten History!
The Acequia is a communal irrigation ditch, and its continued use is a testament to the cultural resiliency of the New Mexican people. But where does this tradition come from? Sadly, most New Mexicans have a distorted understanding of Acequia history and credit its creation solely to Moors and Spaniards. In this episode we dig a little deeper, and explore the Mesoamerican contributions to the Acequias of Mexico and New Mexico!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this episode:
Cover Art: Artist’s impression of part of the canal network linking chinampas around Tenochtitlan by Alberto Beltrán, found at Mexicolore.co.uk.
Uppsala Map can be found at the World Digital Library https://www.wdl.org/en/item/503/
"Tlalok San Ysidro" Available for download here: raquelzrivera.hearnow.com
Used with permission by the artists:
Raquel Z. Rivera
Arnaldo Acosta
Fidel González
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Premium Episode 5 (sample)
This is a short sample from Premium Episode 5, where we talk about our recent trip to Texas and play a little "Meme Roulette." Become a patreon supporter today to get access to our entire library of full-length premium episodes, plus bonus video content!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Aztlan Libre Press with Juan Tejeda
In this episode we are joined by Juan Tejeda, co-owner and publisher of Aztlan Libre Press. Aztlan Libre Press is an independent publishing company based out of Yanawana/San Antonio, Texas that is dedicated to the publication, promotion and free expression of XicanX literature and art. Established in 2009 by Juan Tejeda and Anisa Onofre, Aztlan Libre Press has published a dozen books and a line of XicanX Art Notecards.
Purchase their books at https://squareup.com/store/aztlanlibrepress/.
Juan Tejeda retired in 2016 as a professor of Mexican American Studies and Music from Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas. A musician, writer, arts administrator and Xicano activist, from 1976 to 1985 he was the jefe segundo of Xinachtli, the first traditional Mexica-Azteca Conchero dance group in Texas; and from 1980 to 1998 he was the Xicano Music Program Director at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio. He is the button accordionist and vocalist with the Conjunto Aztlan, and along with his wife, Anisa Onofre, is the co-owner and publisher of Aztlan Libre Press.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Defending the Ancestors with Dr. Mario Garza!
A week ago, your hosts embarked on a trip to Central Texas to assist in the important work of repatriating ancestors and to conduct several interviews. In this special FREE Premium Episode, we are joined by Coahuiltecan elder Dr. Mario Garza to discuss Indigenous identity, Coahuiltecan history, and the vital importance of repatriation work.
Dr. Mario Garza currently serves as board of elder’s chair and is the principal founder of the Indigenous Cultures Institute. He is also the Cultural Preservation Officer of the Miakan-Garza Band. He earned a multi-disciplinary Ph.D. from Michigan State University in Social Science, with areas of concentration in Sociology, Political Science and Social Work. He has been active in graves protection and repatriation since 1991 participating in reburial ceremonies at the Comanche Cemetery in Fort Hood, Texas including two Coahuiltecan reburials. Dr. Garza served two tours of duty in Vietnam with the 1/616th Medical Clearing Company, 44th Medical Brigade, U. S. Army. He currently lives in San Marcos, Texas near the sacred springs that archeologists believe to be the oldest, continuously inhabited site in North America.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Immaculate Deception Part 2!
On part two of our "Immaculate Deception" series, we delve into the invention of Guadalupe as a Mexican tradition, and discuss the various ways in which the image has been conflated with Mesoamerican mother teteoh.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Immaculate Deception Part 1
When Spanish forces under the command of Hernando Cortes first set foot on the eastern coast of Mexico on April 22, 1519, they christened the site of their landing Veracruz, “the true cross.”. Within five years of Cortes’ arrival, a group of Franciscan missionaries arrived in Mexico, tasked with converting the previously unknown indigenous people to Christianity. These missionaries brought with them a worldview forged in the apocalyptic and millenarian ideas that had become characteristic of Spanish Franciscanism. Driving this project of missionization was what J. L. Phelan described as “the millennial kingdom of the Franciscans in the New World.”
In this episode, we explore the millennialist roots of these early Franciscan missionaries and argue that their apocalyptic beliefs not only influenced the emergent Mexican identity but directly resulted in what is easily Mexico’s most recognizable national symbol: the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Peopling the Americas with Dr. Jennifer Raff!
Today we are joined by geneticist Dr. Jennifer Raff to talk about genetic research, what it can tell us about the peopling of the Americas, and how it can be misused by pseudohistorians and psudoarchaeologists to promote dangerous misinterpretations of the past!
About our guest:
Jennifer Raff is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Affiliate Faculty member of the Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Kansas. She has a PhD in Anthropology and Biology (double major) from Indiana University, and has been studying the genomes of ancient and contemporary Indigenous peoples from North America since 2001. Her book “Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas” is a New York Times Best seller.
You can order her book here: Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Mexika Calendar with Ruben Ochoa (Full Episode!)
Premium Episodes are normally reserved for our amazing Patreon supporters, but this episode is too important to keep from the masses! In this episode, Kurly is joined by Ruben Ochoa to talk about the Mexika calendar system and the upcoming year 10 Tochtli.
Order your calendar here
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Forging Aztecness, Danza Azteca history with Kristina Nielsen
In this episode we are joined by Dr. Kristina Nielsen to discuss the history of the Danza Azteca and Mexikayotl traditions!
About our guest:
Kristina Nielsen received her Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2017. Her research focuses on how music and dance in Aztec revitalization movements shape community histories and identities. Nielsen’s research is highly interdisciplinary and draws on ethnographic research methods, anthropology and area studies, particularly Indigenous and Latin American studies. Her current project examines Indigenous agency in the Mexican Folkloric Ballet’s staging of the Indigenous past. She is also in the process of writing a book that explores how Aztec dancers in Los Angeles navigate tradition, histories, and identities through music and dance.
You can follow Dr. Nielsen's and other music scholars' work here: @music_textbook
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at various universities.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this episode:
Kristina F. Nielsen, “Forging Aztecness: Twentieth-Century Mexican Musical Nationalism in Twenty-First Century Los Angeles,” Yearbook for Traditional Music 52 (2020): 127–46, https://doi.org/10.1017/ytm.2020.18.
Kristina F. Nielsen, “Composing Histories: The Transmission and Creation of Historicity, Music and Dance in the Los Angeles Danza Community” (PhD Diss., University of California, Los Angeles, 2017).
Kristina F. Nielsen, “The Role of Interpretation in Determining Continuity in Danza Azteca History,” Ethnomusicology Review, May 17, 2014, https://ethnomusicologyreview.ucla.edu/content/role-interpretation-determining-continuity-danza-azteca-history.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Cesar Chavez & the Cult of Synanon (sample)
Synanon was a drug rehabilitation program that morphed into a violent cult (and tax exempt church!) in the 1970s. Much of the violence by Synanon had been carried out by a group within Synanon called the "Imperial Marines". Over 80 violent acts were committed, including mass beatings that hospitalized teenagers and ranchers who were beaten in front of their families. So, what does the Synanon cult have to do with noted union organizer Cesar Chavez? Find out in this week's premium episode!
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Learning Nawatl with Yan Garcia
In this episode, Kurly is joined by Nawatl (Nahuatl) language educator Yan Garcia. Yan is the author of the book "Learn Nahuatl: Language of the Aztecs and Modern Nahuas" and a founding member of the organization Tlahtoltapazolli. Yan discusses how he got into Nawatl language education, the need for language preservation and revitalization, and how the Chicano community can learn Indigenous languages.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Atlantis and Graham Hancock (sample)
It's movie night at the Tales From Aztlantis world headquarters! In our very first premium episode, your hosts sit down to watch the BBC documentary "Aztlantis Reborn" featuring crackpot writer and pseudo-historian extraordinaire Graham Hancock. What will our intrepid heroes make of his bizarre claims? Listen and find out!
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Four Disagreements
And we are BACK, cabrones! Welcome to Season 2 of the Tales From Aztlantis podcast. In this episode, we explore the need for critical thinking and scientific literacy within the Danza/Mexikayotl community, and offer a simple checklist to help you weed out pseudo history and misinformation!
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Believe Native Women!
On today's episode, we welcome our guest Ketzalitzli, along with special guest host Michelle Melendez, to talk about the need to believe and support women who come forward with claims of abuse. The discussion was sparked by the recent conviction of Danza leader Arturo "Pastel" Mireles.
"For years, former pupils of indigenous dance leader Arturo “Pastel” Mireles accused him of having taken advantage of his position with the California-based Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc organization to sexually abuse them as children in the late 1980s and early 1990s. But after watching Mireles escape justice for years, the victims finally saw the tide turn in their favor when prosecutors in Los Angeles charged Mireles in 2019 with seven counts of lewd acts upon a child and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 11. He was arrested in Nogales on Oct. 18, 2019 and later extradited back to California to face the charges. Then on Wednesday, Mireles pleaded guilty to three felony offenses. He was immediately sentenced to a total of 20 years in California state prison and ordered to register as a sex offender, according to Ricardo Santiago, spokesman for Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.”
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The lost Episode of Aztlan!
In this episode we discuss the mytho-historic concept of Aztlan, and what it means to Chicano / Chicana / Chicanx identity!
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Hispanic Population Myth!
In this episode, we revisit a piece that Kurly wrote 21 years ago regarding the Eurocentric and tone-deaf event we call "hispanic heritage month!" Hispanics, Latinos, Hispanos, and Latinxers be warned!
Your Host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Nawatl Language Mistranslations!
Lots of well-intentioned folks are sharing information about the Nawatl language online. Unfortunately, this information is sometimes inacurate or even worse, completely made up! Today we are joined by Nawatl language educators Yan Garcia (author of Learn Nawatl), and Dr. Magnus Hansen (Nawatl Linguist), as we explore Nawatl language mistranslations, mispronunciations, and pseudohistorical misrepresentations!!
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Fascist Right Wing Movements in Mexico!
When one thinks of hotbeds of right-wing extremism and fascist movements, Mexico is probably the last place that comes to mind. Yet Mexico has long been home to many far right movements, often characterized by an affinity for Nazi symbolism and catholic dogma, and sometimes even blending in Mesoamerican identity. Where did these movements come from, what are their goals, and how have these movements influenced Mexican society?
Today we are joined by Dr. Luis Herrán Ávila. Luis is a historian of the Cold War in Latin America, with an emphasis on conservative, anticommunist, and extreme right movements. After researching the comparative history of anticommunism in Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia, his current book project seeks to unveil the national and Latin American dimensions of right wing activism in Cold War Mexico. The book project examines the history and Cold War transformations of right wing dissidence to the Mexican postrevolutionary state, and situates Mexico as a crucial hub for transnational anticommunist activism, shedding light on the various ways in which Mexican anticommunists forged links with Latin American, European, and East Asian fellow travelers. Dr. Herrán Ávila’s publications in both English and Spanish reflect a range of related research interests, such as right wing youth; neofascism in Latin America; the history of political crime in the Americas; and the intersections between banditry and insurgency.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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The Eagle and Condor Prophecy!
Today, we’re going to take a closer look at the so-called “prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor” – a prophecy which supposedly foretold the eventual pan-Indian unity of the indigenous people of the western hemisphere. Whether you believe the prophecy or not, the fact remains that it helped spark various activities among indigenous activists who promoted the creation of a unified bloc against eurocentrism, colonization, imperialism, predatory capitalism, and the further erosion of indigenous cultural patrimony.
Perhaps one of the most popular manifestations of this has been the recurring “Peace and Dignity Journeys” that happen every four years. This event got its start in 1992 during the counter-quincentennial period. It’s a community organized event that prides itself with not having any corporate sponsorship. The journeys begin at two points from opposite ends of North and South America and meet somewhere in the middle-usually in Mexico. While these points might change from one event to the next, in the past they have started from Alaska in the north and Tierra del Fuego in the South.
The idea behind the journeys and the prophecy have motivated countless people over the last 30 years. We don’t take issue with the journeys themselves nor their overall purpose. However, we do question the source of the so-called prophecy, especially its supposed antiquity. Is it really an ancient prophecy dating to the early years of the European invasion of the Americas, and if so, what is the evidence in support of this claim?
Our research has revealed some interesting facts about the prophecy and the movement that inspired it, none of which provide any solid proof that the prophecy – as it’s promoted today– existed before the anti-Columbus activism of the late 20th century. It is a product of that rich trans-national indigenist coalition which has not yet been fully explored.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at various universities.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Indigenizing Archaeology!
A new generation of Indigenous scholars are challenging the colonial frameworks that continue to deeply influence institutions of knowledge and power. The burgeoning field of Indigenous Archaeology offers broad critiques of Western and colonial archaeological thought and practice, while fostering archaeologies that are respectful of Indigenous people’s experiences and beliefs. Join us as archaeologists demonstrate how, through their unique lived experiences as Indigenous people, the field of Indigenous archaeology operates as a broad spectrum of approaches that promotes and prioritizes Indigenous cultures and values.
Participants:
-Wade Campbell (Diné), Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard University
-Tim Wilcox (Diné), Ph.D. Candidate, Stanford University
-Nick Laluk (White Mountain Apache), Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Northern Arizona University
-Kurly Tlapyoyawa, (Chicano/Nawa/Mazewalli), Founder, Chimalli Institute of Mesoamerican Arts
Program organized and moderated by Dr. Joseph (Woody) Aguilar (San Ildefonso Pueblo).
This series would not be possible without the support of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Chicano Indigeneity
Sadly, the latest online trend within the “woke” and “Latinx” crowd is to relentlessly attack Chicanas and Chicanos who identify as Indigenous. Given the fact that being Indigenous is a cornerstone of Chicana-Chicano identity (and is manifested in our culture, language, traditions, ancestry, systems of kinship, and our connections to the land), I find such attacks…curious to say the least.
The basic argument goes something like this: Chicanas, Chicanos, and Chicanx folks did not grow up in traditional Indigenous communities, and therefore can only call themselves “Indigenous descendants” and not actual “Indigenous people.” Apparently, there is only one “authentic” Indigenous lived experience, regardless of how history has played out for the Mesoamerican diaspora. This bizarre bit of wordplay ignores the entirety of Chicana-Chicano history and reeks of identity policing at its worst. Interestingly, this assault on Chicana-Chicano Indigenous identity is practically identical to right-wing talking points that seek to deny Chicana-Chicanos our Indigenous cultural inheritance.
It is certainly unfortunate that a handful of “latinxers” and Indigenous gatekeepers have taken it upon themselves to police Indigenous identity as it relates to the Chicano communityt. In doing so, they are sowing deep divisions among people who should be working together. And quite frankly, I think their argument just isn’t very well thought out.
In this episode we defend Chicano Indigeneity from such attacks.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Crystal Skull of San Luis Valley!
From phony "Maya Elders" to so-called "psychics," crystal skulls are a hallmark of pseudohistory and new age misrepresentations of Mesoamerican history.
In this episode, we are joined by author and researcher Ben Radford of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine as we take a look at an alleged crystal skull from Southern Colorado / Northern New Mexico!
Your host:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Rescuing the Tonalamatl Aubin
A couple of years back, I visited the British National Museum in London, England, with my wife. As we stood in front of the many Mesoamerican artifacts on display, objects that the hands of our ancestors had meticulously crafted, I was reminded of a scene from the Marvel film "Black Panther." If you have seen the movie, I'm sure you remember which scene I am referring to. In it, the character Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, played by Michael B Jordan, stands in front of African artifacts at the fictional "Museum of Great Britain."
This scene caused an interesting discussion in the archaeological community and among museum professionals when the movie first came out. In an essay titled "Why museum professionals need to talk about Black Panther" Casey Haughin of John Hopkins wrote that Black Panther "presented the museum as an illegal mechanism of colonialism, and along with that, a space which does not even welcome those whose culture it displays."
Now, I'm not gonna lie, part of me wished that I had my own team of highly skilled Nawa operatives with me at the museum in London. And that we were there to pull off a carefully orchestrated heist, liberating the objects of our Mesoamerican cultural inheritance and returning them to the land of their birth. Unfortunately, such acts of daring cultural restitution are the stuff of pure fantasy. More at home in the Marvel Cinematic Universe than in the real world. Or are they?
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Myth of New Mexican Spanish
This week we are joined by the official New Mexico State historian Rob Martinez! Rob joins us as we dissect the many myths surrounding the way Spanish is spoken in New Mexico. In this episode, we ask the question: is New Mexican Spanish actually an archaic and “pure” form of ancient Spanish?
Spoiler alert: Hell no, it isn’t!!
Our guest:
State Historian Rob Martinez is a native New Mexican born and raised in Albuquerque. A graduate of the University of New Mexico, Rob has presented papers and lectures on his research at the University of New Mexico as well as history conferences throughout the southwestern United States. He has also spoken to historical groups in New Mexico such as the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico, the Albuquerque Historical Society, and the Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies about research methodology, unique findings, New Mexico Hispanic culture, and general History of New Mexico. Mr. Martinez is also a folk musician, performing and promoting New Mexican Hispanic musical traditions for the past twenty years with his brother Lorenzo and their father Roberto Martinez in the group Los Reyes de Albuquerque. With his musical family, he has performed in all parts of New Mexico, and on multiple occasions has presented music and New Mexican culture at the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in Washington, D.C., the NEA’s National Heritage Fellowship Awards, and also at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Your Hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Western Origins of Mexika Woo!
Greetings dear listeners and welcome to Tales From Aztlantis: the Mexika Woo episode! In this episode, we will delve into the western origins of many of the alleged “Traditional ancestral teachings” that are bandied about by prominent pseudohistorians and new age practitioners within the modern Mexikayotl movement. So, strap yourselves in, and prepare yourselves for…
“The Western Origins of Mexika Woo”
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Reality Dysfunction Crossover!
World's collide in our very first crossover episode! In this episode, we team up with our homie Ernesto Mireles over at the Reality Dysfunction podcast for a discussion about pseudohistory, tradition, and what we hope to accomplish with this podcast series!
Subscribe to the Reality Dysfunction here: https://waroftheflea.podbean.com/
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Whiteness of “Latinx”
A couple of years back, Kurly came across a video online about the Chicano Moratorium March of August 29, 1970. In case you’ve never heard of it, the march was a watershed moment in the Chicano Movement, in which the Los Angeles Police met a peaceful Chicana-Chicano-led protest against the Vietnam War with extreme violence. The ensuing police riot claimed three lives, most notably that of Journalist Ruben Salazar. It remains an important chapter in Chicana-Chicano history. Yet the video claims the Chicano Moratorium “sparked a movement in defense of Latinx lives.”
Wait... what?
In this episode we talk about the Eurocentric roots of "Latinidad," and how "Latinx" identity is a colonialist tool that centers whiteness while erasing those of Indigenous and African descent.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Who Was The Father of Mexikayotl?
Whether or not you ever heard of Juan Luna Cardenas before today, his influence on early neo-Aztekah nationalism is undeniable. He was, in essence, the father of the modern Mexikayotl movement, having influenced the likes of Rodolfo Nieva Lopez and his MCRCA, along with countless others through his so-called “teachings.” I say so-called because his alleged ancestral teachings are more a blend of pseudohistory, conspiracy thinking, and unfounded linguistic claims than anything rooted in factual information. These teachings were adopted, repeated without question, and later distributed among participants of the early Chicano movement, especially those who were involved in danza Azteca traditions, but his influence was certainly not limited to danzantes alone. Juan Luna even presented at a 1979 NACCS conference in Colorado.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
On a dark, rainy Monday afternoon on May 5th, 1862, Mexican soldiers led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, and bolstered by Indigenous fighters from Xochiapulco, sierra de Tetela, and other Nawa communities, defeated the French army of Napolean III at the Battle of Puebla. Today, Cinco de Mayo, the day of this battle, is generally viewed as a “drinking Holiday” by its American participants. Something that is welcome with open arms by brewing companies who capitalize on the day by encouraging white people to don sombreros, serapes, and tacky fake mustaches as they revel in their drunken debauchery. By the way, if this Is you – knock it off. Your embarrassing yourself.
But, what is the actual history of Cinco de Mayo, what importance does it hold for Chicana/Chicano/Chicanx communities, and most importantly why is it celebrated in the United States?
Well dear listener, If you have ever asked yourself any of those questions, you're in luck. Because on today's episode we explore:
Cinco De Mayo: Why We Celebrate
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Hijacking History (The Problem With The "Black Olmec" Myth)
In this episode, we talk about the racial pseudohistory of the "Black Olmec" myth, and how it serves to erase, trivialize, and destroy the cultural legacies of Indigenous and African people!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Links:
Reality Dysfunction Podcast #83 featuring Kurly and Tlakatekatl!
Further reading:
Robbing Native American Cultures: Van Sertima's Afrocentricity and the Olmecs
Journal retracts paper claiming that group of Indigenous Americans were Black Africans
Analysis of Ivan Van Sertima's Afrocentric claims on Mesoamerica
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Juan Tejeda and Danza Azteca
In this episode, we talk to Juan Tejeda about the history of Danza Azteca, Mesoamerican pseudohistory, and Juan Luna Cardenas!
Juan Tejeda retired in 2016 as a professor of Mexican American Studies and Music from Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas. A musician, writer, arts administrator and Xicano activist, from 1976 to 1985 he was the jefe segundo of Xinachtli, the first traditional Mexica-Azteca Conchero dance group in Texas; and from 1980 to 1998 he was the Xicano Music Program Director at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio. He is the button accordionist and vocalist with the Conjunto Aztlan, and along with his wife, Anisa Onofre, is the co-owner and publisher of Aztlan Libre Press.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@kurlytlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
The Declaration of Kuauhtemok
It is said that on Aug 12, 1521 Kuauhtemok delivered a message of resistance to the people. Those words have inspired Mexikas as a call to action. Join us in exploring this foundational document of modern Mexikayotl.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Works cited in this episode:
Invented Words: The Declaration of Kuauhtemok (2017) by @KurlyTlapoyawa & @MagnusPharao
Cronica Mexicayotl (late 1500s) by Fernando Alvarado Tezozomoc
"Mexikayotl:" esencia del mexicano; filosofía náuatl (1969) María del Carmen Nieva López
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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New Mexico Has a Hispano White Nationalism Problem
When you hear the phrase “white nationalist” the sad image of an angry young skinhead toting a nazi flag and snapping out the fascist salute may come to mind. But here in New Mexico, we have a brand of white nationalism rooted in “Hispano” identity. And while the people promoting this ideology may look quite different from the angry skinhead, their objectives are no less dangerous.
So, what is a "Hispano" white nationalist you might ask?
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Works Mentioned in this Episode:
New Mexico has a Hispano White Nationalist Problem - Kurly Tlapoyawa
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Hunab Ku, Ometeotl, and the Vocabulary of Conquest
In 1524, twelve Franciscan missionaries were sent to Mexico from Spain to convert the previously unknown Indigenous people to Catholicism. To help facilitate this, the Spaniards constructed the Colegio de Santa Cruz in Tlatelolco in 1536, where young Indigenous nobles were trained in Catholic doctrine and taught to read and write using the Latin alphabet. These nobles held valuable insight into Mesoamerican cosmovision and helped determine how to manipulate it to serve the missionizing process.
These Indigenous aides would often use Mesoamerican vocabulary and concepts when attempting to translate Catholicism into Indigenous terms. Pre-existing names such as Ipalnemoani “He by Whom One Lives,” Tloke Nawakeh “Possessor of the Near, Possessor of the Surrounding,” Teyokoyani “creator of people,” and others were repurposed to represent the concepts of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and other aspects of Christian belief. When there were no pre-existing Indigenous names to properly convey a desired Catholic principle, Indigenous aides created new terms and expressions in their language that could adequately carry the necessary meaning . As a result, an entirely new vocabulary to convert Mesoamericans to Catholicism was born. I refer to this appropriation and invention of Indigenous terms in the service of religious conversion as the Vocabulary of Conquest.
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He has authored numerous books and presented lectures at various universities.
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. He has presented and published widely and currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Cited in this episode:
Destronando a Ometeotl - Katarzyna Mikulska
The Vocabulary of Conquest - Kurly Tlapoyawa
Translation in Historiography: The Garibay/Leon-Portilla Complex and the Making of a Pre-Hispanic Past - Payas Gertrudis
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Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
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Rise of The Mexikayotl!
In this episode, we cast a critical eye on the organization known as the Movimiento Confederado de la Cultura de Anahuac, or MCRCA, and its founder Rodolfo Nieva Lopez. Now, if you have never heard of Nieva Lopez or the MCRCA before today, you are probably not alone. However, if you are actively involved in Mesoamerican cultural reclamation, Nahuatl language revitalization, Danza Azteca, or Curanderismo, odds are some aspect of what you are practicing has been directly influenced by Lopez and the MCRCA.
Founded in the late 1940’s by Rodolfo Nieva Lopez, the MCRCA sought to glorify Mexico’s indigenous past but relied almost exclusively on pseudohistorical misrepresentations of Mesoamerican history and culture. The MCRCA adopted the concept of Mexicayotl as the defining characteristic of their movement and released a book in 1969 titled Mexikayotl, which outlined their overall philosophy. In Spanish, the MCRCA began to refer to their version of Mexicayotl as “La Mexicanidad.”Much like Afrocentric pseudo scholars who shamelessly over exaggerate African contributions to the world, the MCRCA had a strong tendency to falsify and embellish the cultural achievements of Pre-Kuauhtemok civilizations.
For this episode, my co-host and good friend Dr. Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl will take us on a guided tour of Nieva Lopez’s life, and I will provide a brief examination of his book “Mexikayotl.” So strap yourselves in, and prepare yourself for:
Rise of the Mexikayotl!
Your hosts:
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
@KurlyTlapoyawa
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!
Thank you for listening, and welcome to Tales From Aztlantis! Join us each week as we explore Mesoamerican pseudohistory, new-age nonsense, archaeological misconceptions, and more!
In this series, you will learn about Maya gods that never existed, whether the Aztecs taught the Egyptians how to build pyramids, how neo-Aztec nationalist movements helped inform Chicano identity, what 19th-century occultists have to do with early Maya archaeology, and MORE! Please subscribe to the show! Our first full episode will debut on March 21st, to coincide with the Mexikah New Year. New episodes will be released every week.
Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.
Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.
Find us: https://www.facebook.com/TalesFromAztlantis
Merch: https://chimalli.storenvy.com/
Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking (Amazon)
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.