Tales From Aztlantis

Aztec Philosophy, Ethics, and the Outward Path with Dr. Sebastian Purcell What if living a good life isn't about chasing happiness, but about building strong relationships and fulfilling your responsibilities to others? In this episode of Tales From Aztlantis , Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl sit down with philosopher Dr. Sebastian Purcell to discuss Aztec (Nahua) philosophy, e...

Family, friends, and listeners: We gather virtually at a momentous historical threshold. The United States is engulfed in the pageantry, corporate sponsorships, and national choreography of its Semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Across the landscape, museum exhibitions are being mounted, monument plaques polished, and civic speeches drafted....

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?...

What does the 2nd Mexican Empire, Confederate soldiers on the run, and the TV show The Office have to do with a white supremacist secret society in St. Louis? Author and historian Devin Thomas O'Shea joins us to talk about his fantastic new book "The Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis." Strap yourselves in, dear listeners, you are in fo...

If you were to walk out onto the street right now and ask the average person to close their eyes and picture an “American Indian,” what images would flash across their mind? For most, those images wouldn’t be of contemporary indigenous lawyers, scientists, artists, or tribal leaders navigating the complex realities of the 21st century. Instead, their minds would automatically drift to a beautifull...

In the blistering heat of New Mexico’s sun-baked earth, under the protective gaze of Okuu Pin–the Turtle Mountain that majestically stands guard over Albuquerque–a strange and persistent legend has taken hold. It’s a story of hidden Jews, of ancient rites disguised as Catholic rituals, and of shadowy ancestors who supposedly hid their true faith during the Inquisition. This is the tale of New Mexi...

Today, we’re talking about how we tell history, and specifically, how the media treats indigenous cultures. We are diving into the recent cultural history of the so-called Aztec Death Whistle. I’ve wanted to look into this topic for a while, but a recent horror movie about the whistle prompted a discussion on the Aztlantis discord, so I felt the time was right to dive into it. The main question at...

Well, dear listeners, here we go again. Like a brainless zombie emerging from the grave, a long-dead statue of Christopher Columbus has lurched back to life in order to reign terror on Washington DC. And as his statue’s reanimated corpse claws its way up from the depths, it pauses momentarily to once again draw breath and utter… “It’s a Me, Christopher Columbus!” If you don’t know what I am referr...

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! listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text! Lignum is a haven for c...

On the morning of April 20, tourists climbed the ancient steps of the Temple of the Moon at Teotiwakan, taking in the grandeur of the once-thriving Mesoamerican metropolis. From personal experience, I can tell you that the air that day was probably thin and dry, and the stones were likely still cool from the night before. Families would have paused briefly to catch their breath as they ascended a...

During a 1990 visit to Mexico, Pope John Paul II confirmed the long-standing liturgical cult in honor of Juan Diego, officially beatifying him. This act set in motion the process of canonizing Juan Diego as the first saint Indigenous to the Americas. The Juan Diego Faithful were, of course, elated at the prospect. They only had to deal with one tiny problem: Juan Diego never existed. In this episo...

When people hear phrases like “human sacrifice” or “cannibalism” their minds don’t immediately jump to the Crusades, Rome, medieval Europe, or the Bible. They jump straight to brown skin, feathered headdresses, and temples drenched in blood. Type in a quick Google search for the phrase and Mesoamericans (the Mexika/Aztec, in particular) become humanity’s favorite villains. “Savage.” “Bloodthirsty....

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 listener comments? Feedback? S...

In this episode we address the loss of those who have loved and inspired us, as well as those who have betrayed our trust. listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text! Lignum is a haven for culture, rest, and resistance. We believe in celebrating community and honoring the land that holds us. At our urban “milpa,” we practice indigenous science that respects the natural cycles of the region, and...

The year is 1966, in Santa Monica, California. Inside a large, dimly lit room, members of a controversial and increasingly violent group known as Synanon gather in a circle. At the center sits a single figure—another “Synanite”—alone on a folding chair, surrounded on all sides. Around the edges of the room, a few silent observers watch, waiting. Then it begins. One by one, the circle turns inward....

Today we join Kurly as he descends into madness doing Archaeological fieldwork in southern New Mexico! listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text! Support the show Order "NEVER WILL IT BE LOST" and get $5 off! Support Lignum: A Cultural Haven in Mérida Your Hosts: Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest...

In this episode, Tlakatekatl investigates the idea that the Nawatl language is somehow related to Turkish. listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text! Support the show Order "NEVER WILL IT BE LOST" and get $5 off! Support Lignum: A Cultural Haven in Mérida Your Hosts: Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American South...

Archaeological fieldwork can be a lonely undertaking. For this special dispatch, we join Kurly as he does fieldwork in Taos, NM. Let's' just say that things get...interesting. listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text! Support the show Order "NEVER WILL IT BE LOST" and get $5 off! Support Lignum: A Cultural Haven in Mérida Your Hosts: Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, eth...

For our Season 5 finale, we reflect on some news items, discuss whether a Chicano can be a trump supporter, and reflect on some of our favorite moments from 2025! listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text! Lignum is a haven for culture, rest, and resistance. We believe in celebrating community and honoring the land that holds us. At our urban “milpa,” we practice indigenous science that respect...

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! listener comments? Feedback? S...

Today, we’re peeling back the layers of a name we use every single day, often without a second thought: America. But we aren’t just looking at a map; we’re looking at a philosophical crisis. It’s a crisis that really came to a head in 1958. That was the year Edmundo O’Gorman—one of Mexico’s most brilliant modern historians—published a book that sent shockwaves through the academic world. listener...

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 Aztla...

The culture that thrived at Teotihuacan in the Classic period has a unique place in Mesoamerican history. Today, it is held as an emblem of the Mexican national past and is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the Americas. Nevertheless, curious visitors are told that the ethnic and linguistic affiliation of the Teotihuacanos remains unknown. Whereas the decipherment of other Mesoameric...

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 Me...

It was March 1968, and East Los Angeles was ready to explode. The city didn’t know it yet—hell, the country didn’t know it—but a brown revolution was about to burst forth out of its high schools. Over the course of a single week, up to 22,000 Chicano students —most of them teenagers, some still clutching textbooks and brown paper lunch bags—stood up, turned their backs on the chalkboards, and walk...