Tales From Aztlantis

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 au...

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...

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 resear...

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 conse...

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?...

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 incorp...

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 al...

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. Au...

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 Univers...

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...

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...

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 ca...

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 cred...

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 i...

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 St...

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 ca...

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, Tex...

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 hist...

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 ca...

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, w...

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 hist...

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 maintai...

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 ca...

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...

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 chec...