Tales From Aztlantis

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” Mi...

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 le...

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 con...

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, mispronunciati...

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...

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...

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 bel...

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 sa...

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 Ne...

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...

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...

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...

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 Tlapoya...

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, mo...

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 ancest...

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 part...

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 Sou...

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, t...

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 historic...

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, thei...

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 a...

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,...

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 occ...