Purepecha Culture: Characteristics, Origins, Territory, Traditions

The Purepecha culture It was a pre-Columbian culture of Mexico that was established mainly in the region of the state of Michoacán. It was known by the Spanish conquerors as the Tarascan culture. Its origins are very uncertain; the Purepecha culture, unlike the Aztecs, did not leave documentary records.

However, the Spanish missionaries who evangelized the Tarascans considered it to be a superior culture. The best source of historical information found is the Relationship of Michoacán; this was a document probably handwritten by the Spanish Franciscan friar Jerónimo de Alcalá, around 1538.

Purepecha people. Fray Jerónimo de Alcalá (1540)

Agriculture and food collection were the main activity of the Tarascans, and they were also good hunters and fishermen. This last activity was favored by its geographical location close to lakes and islands. In the same way, they were excellent craftsmen in various materials.

They also stood out for their metallurgical skills; experts say they were the most advanced in Mexico. They also showed advanced in ceramics, highlighting both the domestic utilitarian (articles of daily use) and its funerary ceramics of exotic designs.

The Purepecha culture was fundamental for the Spaniards. During the campaign of Hernán Cortés against the Aztecs, the Tarascas allied themselves with the conquistadors. At present the Tarascans experience a slow process of assimilation in the dominant mestizo culture of Mexico, but there are very few monolingual people in the Tarascan language.

Despite being conservative, the traditional Tarascan costume is disappearing. Most men wear denim work clothes and wool jackets. Felt hats are reserved for special occasions.

For their part, many women wear cotton dresses. Over the years, the traditional female dress has undergone modifications, although they maintain the use of rebozo, peasant blouse, skirt and huipil (overcoat or tunic).

Origins and history

Purepecha ornament

Although it is not confirmed, some specialists claim that the Purepecha culture flourished from 1100 to 1530 AD. C. Others claim that it was in the period between 1200 and 1600 AD. C.

In an effort to determine the origin of the Purepecha culture, scholars of the subject have relied on their language and craftsmanship. Thus, linguistic similarities of the Purépecha with the Quechua language of South America have been observed.

They have also found the same coincidences in Tarascan ceramic styles and metalworking techniques. These techniques, according to the experts, were not previously known in Mexico.

Based on this evidence, there are theories that place the origin of the Purepecha culture in South America, among the Incas. Then they would have emigrated to Central America to settle in the same area as the Aztecs.

Aztecs and Tarascos

The Aztecs tried more than once to conquer the Tarascan lands, but never reached their goal; this made them into irreconcilable rivals. Cortés took advantage of this to incorporate the Tarascans as allies in his war against the Aztecs.

Two years after the fall of Tenochtitlan (1520), the Spanish attacked the Tarascans. The last Tarascan king offered little resistance. Once he submitted, all the other Tarascan kingdoms surrendered peacefully.

After being dominated, the Spanish Crown appointed Vasco de Quiroga to govern the Tarascan villages. Quiroga organized them by type of crafts; this organization of artistic specialization persists today.

Characteristics of the purépechas

From several points of view, it is considered that the Purépecha people was an advanced civilization during the time of pre-Hispanic Mexico. They were dedicated to numerous trades such as architecture, painting, goldsmithing and fishing.

Already in the fifteenth century, they dominated the handling of metal, which in the long run meant the opening of several commercial relationships.

Cultural expansion

They managed to expand their culture throughout Mesoamerica until the middle of the year 1500, when the arrival of the Spaniards meant the almost immediate disappearance of the Empire.

Despite having fought many battles with the Aztec Empire (which could never conquer), the Spanish Empire did manage to break them.

Although their culture and population managed to survive, much of their infrastructure was destroyed and their rulers killed.

Customs and traditions

Like most Mexican civilizations, they had numerous customs related to the cult of the natural elements that surrounded it.

Being its favorite food corn, it was considered good luck to plant corn of various colors and accompany them with beans to have a good season of crops and prosperity for the rest of the year.

Religion

Of polytheistic character, they believed that the universe was divided into three major parts: the sky, the earth and the underworld.

Three deities rose above the others:

- Curicaveri , god of war and the sun, to whom human sacrifices were made and whose symbol was the birds of prey.

-His wife Cuerauáper i, goddess of creation, who was credited with rain, life, death and drought.

-The daughter of these, Xaratanga , goddess of the moon and the ocean.

Language

The Purepecha language is extremely atypical, since it has no linguistic relationship with any of the other dialects spoken by other Mexican populations and civilizations of the same period.

Four geographical varieties are recognized that cover several areas of Michoacán, the Sierra, the lacustrine zone, the Cañada and the Ciénaga. It is also known as a language Tarasco In 2015 there were just over 140,000 people who spoke it.

Contribution to Mexican culture

Their different cults to the elements, to the life and the death, have had repercussion in remarkable Mexican traditions that last until the present time.

For funerals of loved ones they used to do an act of ceremonial type where the deceased was incinerated and buried with his clothes, personal belongings and even members of his servitude.

Geographical location and territory

Tzintzuntzan

The heyday of the Purépechas occurred between the 15th and 16th centuries, when the Purépecha Empire encompassed not only Michoacán, but also parts of Jalisco and Guanajuato.

Today they have expanded to other states of the Mexican nation such as Jalisco, Guerrero and Baja California, as well as several smaller towns in the United States and Canada.

Pre-Columbian period

The area in which the Tarascans lived was distinguished by its high volcanic plateaus and lakes. From their capital, Tzintzuntzan, the Tarascans came to control an empire of more than 75,000 km².

The Tarascan capital was the largest population settlement. This was located in the northeast arm of Lake Pátzcuaro. From there, the Tarascans also controlled some 90 other cities around the lake, through a highly centralized and hierarchical political system.

In 1522 (of the current era) the population of the lake basin was around 80,000, while Tzintzuntzan had a population of 35,000. This capital was the administrative, commercial and religious center of the Tarascan Empire, and the seat of the king or cazonci .

Present

Purépechas live mainly in the Mexican state of Michoacán . They are known as michoaca or michoacanos. They also live in the states of Guanajuato and Guerrero.

Nowadays the Purépecha culture is a cultural mosaic of Tarascan-Mexican and Hispanic-Mexican (mestizo) peoples. They settle in an ethnic Tarascan nucleus conformed in three contiguous subareas.

These sub-areas begin with the communities of the island and the coast of Lake Pátzcuaro. Next, we have the forests of the highlands to the west of the lake of Patzcuaro; This area is known as Sierra Purépecha or Tarascan plateau.

The trio closes with the small Douro river valley, north of the Purépecha plateau, called La cañada de los eleven pueblos, translation into Spanish of the form eraxamani , in purhépecha.

At present there are Tarascan groups that have migrated, these have been established in other states of Mexico, such as Jalisco, Guanajuato and Guerrero.

They can also be found in Mexico City, Colima and Baja California, and have even been established in the United States. In the same way, there Michoacan communities in other countries such as Canada and Greenland.

Traditions

Purepecha music

The Purépecha or Tarascan culture has several traditions. Here are some of the most relevant ones:

Day of the Dead

He Day of the Dead celebrated on November 2; however, in some areas celebrations begin on October 31.

During these days the family and friends sleep in the cemeteries where the remains of their relatives rest. The tombstones are adorned with candles, flower arrangements, food plates and typical sweets.

Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe

The Purépecha culture celebrates this day on September 12. The Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron saint of Mexico. In his honor, dances, parades and masses are held, among other activities.

Dance of the Oldies

This is a dance of pre-Hispanic origin made in honor of the gods of the aborigines (the god of fire, time, the sun, among others). It is usually executed by the Purépechas of Pátzcuaro and Michoacán.

The dancers wear masks of corn leaves. These masks are painted with old smiling faces.

It is an aboriginal dance that constitutes a prayer to the gods. The dancers ask to enjoy good health even during old age.

Day of the Epiphany

It is also called Kings Day and is celebrated on January 6. During this day the arrival of the three wise men to Bethlehem is commemorated. Following this tradition, in Michoacán children receive gifts for the epiphany.

Candlemas day

The day of the Candlemas is celebrated on February 2, and the main culinary activity is eating tamales.

Carnival

The carnival is celebrated on Mondays and Tuesdays before Ash Wednesday. In Michoacán there are fairs of attractions, gastronomic fairs, contests, concerts, parades and rodeos, among other events.

Easter

During this week religious rituals are performed to remember the passion of Christ. The celebration of the Via Crucis and the midnight masses are common.

Independence Day

Independence Day is celebrated on September 16. In Michoacán there are parades through the main streets of the state.

Day of the Holy Innocents

It is commemorated on December 28 to remember the mass murder of children that King Herod ordered after the birth of Jesus. On this day it is common to make fun of people.

Religion

Like most of the Mesoamerican cultures , the Tarascan was polytheistic. His main god was Curicaueri (god of fire); This is considered the oldest Tarascan deity.

The supreme high priest, head of a priestly class, was in charge of directing the religion. They believed that the Pátzcuaro basin was the center of the cosmos and that the universe had three parts: the sky, the earth and the underworld.

Among the other deities venerated by the Tarascans, the following stand out:

Cuerauáperi or Kuerajperi (the one that unleashes the wind)

She is the wife of Curicaueri and represents the Moon. It is both mother and father of all gods.

Xaratanga (the one that is everywhere)

It is an invocation of the Moon or Cuerauáperi, lady or mother moon or new moon.

Cuerauáperi or mother

It is the deity of childbirth and wife of the main god.

Tata Jurhiata (Father Sun)

It is the name that the natives give to the sun of Michoacán, not the deity.

Ceremonial centers

Ihuatzio is an archaeological site located on the southern slope of Mount Tariaqueri. The city was founded by the Purepecha culture to be used as an astronomical observatory and ceremonial center. Ihuatzio means"place of coyotes".

It was located on the southern shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, in the municipality of Tzintzuntzan. Ihuatzio has important monuments of the pre-Hispanic era, highlighting the pyramids dedicated to Curicaueri and Xaratanga.

During the archaeological excavations vestiges of two human settlements in different periods have been found. The first one registers between 900 and 1200 (it was current); This first occupation corresponded to groups of speakers of Nahuatl language .

On the other hand, the second occupation occurred between 1200 and 1530 (current era). According to specialists, during this period the maximum development of the Purepecha culture was reached.

Ihuatzio was built on an artificially level plateau, and is considered very important for the prehispanic history of Michoacán. Although it is relatively small, the pyramids found are remarkable for their design.

There was also a sculpture that represents a chac mool (characteristic element of the Toltec culture), as well as a series of roads and walls that surround the site.

Architecture

The most characteristic architectural elements of the Purépecha or Tarascan culture are the following:

Yácatas

They are buildings whose base combines a rectangle with a semicircle. These constructions are characteristic of some Tarascan cities of the XV and XVI centuries. They had a ladder embedded in the center of the rectangular body.

Yácatas walls

The walls of yácatas were constructed with horizontal slabs that covered a core of rock and earth. The exterior cladding consisted of janamus blocks (slabs with engraved motifs).

Walled roads or uatziris

The uatziris they consisted of a structure built on a rock and earth core covered by stone slabs. They surrounded a large part of the settlement, and had the double function of controlling the road and the entrance.

Platforms

The platforms were the rectangular bases on which the yácatas settled. They were built with a core of earth and stone. They were also covered with cementless stone slabs.

The king's causeway

They were walkways of approximately 250 m long by 20 wide, and more than 5 m high. They were built of flat ground and were delimited by curbs.

It is believed that they served cazonci (Tarascan name for ruler ) to move from the ceremonial center to different points of the structure.

lookout

This was a circular base construction in the form of a cylinder; it is supposed to serve as an observatory of the cosmos. There are no other similar structures throughout Michoacán.

Social organization

The Tarascan society was stratified into nobles, commoners and slaves. According to Relationship of Michoacán , the Purepecha nobility was divided into three groups: royalty, superior and inferior nobility.

Priests and military

Priests and military leaders occupied the superior nobility, belonged to the ruling class. The merchants, artisans, farmers and the common and free people formed the dominated class.

Royalty

Royalty resided in the capital and in the sacred city of Ihuatzio. He cazonci or irecha he was the maximum ruler, he was the head of the political organization of the Purepecha culture. Among his attributions was to name his relatives as chiefs of the peoples within his kingdom.

The charge of cazonci It was hereditary. At the death of the ruler in turn he was succeeded by the eldest son. The government of the Purepecha culture was monarchical and theocratic.

Craftsmen

Another important part of the social organization was the artisans. These were known for their jewelry made of silver, gold, bronze, copper and turquoise.

Commerce was fundamental for the Purepecha culture. This allowed them to control the Aztecs and keep them at bay after the continuous conflicts between them.

Articles of interest

Economic activities of the Purépechas .

Housing of the Purepecha .

References

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