San Juan Achiutla

San Juan Achiutla
Municipality and town
San Juan Achiutla

Location in Mexico

Coordinates: 17°20′N 97°31′W / 17.333°N 97.517°W / 17.333; -97.517
Country  Mexico
State Oaxaca
Area
  Total 49.76 km2 (19.21 sq mi)
Population (2005)
  Total 401
Time zone Central Standard Time (UTC-6)
  Summer (DST) Central Daylight Time (UTC-5)

San Juan Achiutla is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 49.76 km². It’s located in a mountain range, between the hills Negro to the East, Yucuquise to the Northwest, Cuate to the North and Totolote to the South. It’s crossed by the river Los Sabinos and has a dam called Cahuayande. Its weather is temperate. It’s in the High Mixteca (Mixteca Alta), one of the three parties that make up the Mixteca region, and in the Mixteca Alta, is part of what was Achiutla, the significant Prehispanic place.

As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 401.[1]

The Mixteca

In 1906 the French scientist Leon Diguet published in Paris the following about La Mixteca:[2]

The mountainous and hilly region which is the Mixtec Indians' country formed, after the Spaniards' establishment, La Mixteca province, was designated by the Nahuas with the Mixtecapan name, a word derived from the Nahuatl word Mixtlan (cloudy or foggy land), made up term by Mixtli (cloud) and the suffix tlan, locative, place. This name would have been given to the country because the cold weather frequently prevails over the elevated regions of the High Mixteca mountains .
This territory includes, in the current geographical division, an important Oaxaca State part and a fraction of the States of Puebla and Guerrero.
The Mixtec name gave to this country before the conquest is unknown, we only know by Father Antonio de los Reyes, missionary who settled in Teposcolula around 1593 and a Mixtec grammar author, the Mixtecs were named Mixtoquijxi (wild cats) by their neighbors the Zapotecs, designation probably ironic and coming from the roughness of the places that these Indians had chosen to settle.

Achiutla

The Achiutla’s man. Pre-Columbian piece. San Juan Achiutla.

Leon Diguet also made historiography on Achiutla:

Two locations are identified as being the Mixtec country colonization focal point: Apoala and Achiutla. These settlements have grown and flourished as urban centres which, although now reduced to simple towns, before the European conquest were flourishing cities.
Achiutla or Achutla (Achioztlan) is represented today - wrote Diguet 1906- by two towns located a short distance one from another, San Juan Achiutla and San Miguel Achiutla, in that the total population barely reaches 1,800 individuals. The average altitude taken between the two populations is 1,800 metres.[3] The ancient city of Achiutla was north of the town of San Miguel, on the plateau where today stands the Church.[4]
Before the conquest, the population likely reached 14,000 inhabitants, but it found significantly reduced following a "mazahuatl" [5] epidemic.
Established in the High Mixteca center, Achiutla was the chief who ruled the Mixtécapan residence. After the schism that divided the country into three principalities, this city was the spiritual centre or the Taysacca or religious leader residence. The temple was famous, they came from everywhere to worship a deity considered to be a Quetzalcoatl personification. It was represented by a large dimension emerald on which were carved a bird and a snake. This jewel excited the Spaniards admiration by the job perfection. It was destroyed by the missionaries as described below.
Stone Axe, obsidian arrowheads and malacate winch were found in San Juan Achiutla.
On the old city edge opens a cave, the entrance suggest a tunnel that connects with the town of San Juan and for which, in times of war, it could go from one to another.
The Achiutla Nahuatl name seems to come from this cave. Deconstructing it is in effect: achio means frequent, oztli, cave, tlan, locality or place: place of the cave frequented. Another possible etymology is as follows: Atl water, chipimi dripping, otli road, tlan locality or place: site were the roads oozing water.[6]
For the Mixtec name, Sundecu or Sundico Mixtec, nunu village, dico pulverized, made dust. This name would have been given to the city, because the revered Emerald would have been reduced to dust by the missionaries.
Achiutla's geographical location, splendor and religious importance are probably the causes have done so to consider as the Mixtec nation origin place. Although nowadays doesn’t exist information can prove their priority over Apoala.

Jansen and Pérez Jiménez refer to Achiutla in their Paisajes Sagrados: codices y arqueología de Ñuu Dzaui as follows:

In the Codex Añute (Selden), p. 6-III, we see how the 6 Monkey Princess embarks on a journey underground. Apparently starts from an opening in the rock wall over a river, where is venerated the El Corazón del Pueblo de la lluvia jewel (The rain people’s heart, Ñuu Dzaui, the Mixtec people); probably it's the cave Ñuu Ndecu (Achiutla) where the El Corazón del Pueblo packaging (1934 Burgoa, I: 319, 332-333) was preserved. The Princess began with asking for permission to Ñuhu, probably the entrance guardian to the underground hall: named Hueso-Coa, Yeque Yata, can decipher as "bone (yeque) before (yata)".
Dzahui Pre-Columbian rain's deity found in San Juan Achiutla.

For its part Manuel A. Hermann Lejarazu explains in his work on the Codex Yucunama:

Focus on the High Mixteca area, the most mountainous and elevated Ñuu Dzaui part. In the pre-colonial era flourished here the Ñuu Tnoo (Tilantongo), Chiyo Cahnu (Teozacualco), Ñuu Ndaya (Chalcatongo), Ndisi Nuu (Tlaxiaco) and Ñuu Ndecu (Achiutla) kingdoms, among others.
The Sun and Venus gods threw darts from the sky with which drilled the big hill precious the place of sand. One of his darts fertilized the Earth and thus was born the first lineage ancestor. The Primordial Lord's granddaughter, married a prince, who was born from a big tree in the City on Flames, Ñuu Ndecu, the current Achiutla.
Achiutla, as is at the present known Ñuu Ndecu ("Burning City"), was in ancient times the High Mixteca spiritual center, the:
"This nation [Mixtec] Great Temple, where all its resolutions for peace and wars had his consultations Oracle [...];" "they came from other distant provinces to ask favour and ask him in his works, doubts and what must be done". The pre-Hispanic settlement was largest and most important: more than four thousand families lived in their beautiful valleys next to rivers, occupying in the work of the field, "and so they are not neglect, had indicated as criers, official elected for a year, so that every morning at the first light, uploaded on top of the House of his Republic""with great shouts, they rang and excitasen all, saying: come out, come out to work, to work" (Burgoa, 1934b I: chaps. 23-26).
With qualifying Ñuu Ndecu as the Great Temple in Ñuu Dzaui - Mixtec nation-, chroniclers makes an implicit comparison with the Aztecs famous largest temple in their capital, Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Even today stands the old pyramid silhouette, a kind of Acropolis, which tradition referred to as the Sun Temple. All this is, as we said, on a hill with promontory, between rivers(which run north to South). On the Western side, it passes the river Los Sabinos; on the eastern side pass the Yute Uha, "Salt River", and Yute Ita, "Flowers River". At the foot of the convent's promontory, these streams come together and form the Yute Ndaa, "Extended River " or "Blue River".
The oral tradition of the place holds that Ñuu Ndecu valley was formerly a large lagoon, which barely lifted the promontory and the Siki Tinduu. It is the primordial lake concept, which like the darkness, is a metaphor for the area which saw the today's world creation.
Negrito Stone, Mixtec household utensil used from pre-Columbian times to the 20th century first half, to insert into the center firewood and light in the dark to do chores like grinding nixtamal early in the morning. Basalt. Diameter 13 cm, height 8 cm. San Juan Achiutla
The two priests led stones of power - the Rain's God stone and the Lizard stone--to the Yuta Tnoho sanctuary (Apoala), where they received blessings and instructions from the 9 Lizard Lady, who reigned there (Codex Añute, p. 1-III). We note in passing the conceptual overlap between this lizard stone and the lizard relief in a building early Huamelulpan. Ñuu Ndecu (Achiutla), the priests placed these stones next to the primary lagoon, at the great Ceiba foot, made their prayers, spread her blood on paper and offered ground “piciete”. It was then opened the tree and gave birth to the ancestor founder, Lord 2 Grass "Deceased which manifests as a Feathered Serpent". Six brothers, probably six noble Añute families (Jaltepec) ancestors followed him. I.e., this origin story tells about a group of seven men who were born from the Ñuu Ndecu tree, the principal of which was the dynasty ruler (yaa tnuhu iya toniñe) founder.

In this regard, Jansen and Pérez Jiménez, also depict:

By this magic and religious act grew in that place the Origin Great Tree, which lifted and holds the sky. It was the “Tree of the Eye”, Yutnu Nuu, a ceiba or a pochote, surrounded by snakes of fog and darkness, that is to say by mysterious and impressive superhuman powers. They were offered to him - placed in basket and jícara (a vegetal and natural bowl) - jade and gold, wealth in abundance -the eagle and the fire serpent - power to transform and fly into trance, as a ball of fire - as well as the hand with the knife and the rope - civilian authority.
With him were born: the Lord 1 Eagle, Water; the Lord 3 Water, Maguey; the Lord 5 Deer, Turkey; the Lord 5 Movement, Quail; the Lord 5 Lizard, Rain, and the Lord 5 Eagle, Rain. They were the primary founders and owners, which gave life to the region. They were the first Nuuddzahui (Mixtec).
The god Dzahui consecrate a Mixtec ruler by pouring over him with his jug (Nutall Codex, page 5, back).

Hermann Lejarazu continues:

The Ñuu Ndecu important position as the spiritual center of Ñuu Dzaui and kernel of his liturgical and political life in the pre-colonial era is also expressed in the main deity worshipped name here. The main sanctuary was at the highest mountain summit, where the high priest gave worship to the Sacred Wrapper called The People's Heart. Wrapped in precious fabrics was an jade ancient stone in the large chili pepper size, sculpted in a bird and a coiled snake form, in other worlds, a Feathered Serpent picture, the Mesoamerica divine power, known as Quetzalcoatl in Nahuatl.

The People's Heart - say Burgoa - represented the Mixtec people lineage founder:

Making sacrifices and worshiped its first founder said he was the People´s Heart and kept it in a safe place and sacrificed to it valuables things as gold and precious stones. Front of the Heart always burned wood, where they burned copal or incense too.
This People's Heart also appears in the Ñuu Dzaui pictorial manuscripts, specifically in the Codex Añute (Selden), page 6-III, where it's painted as a precious stone with " The People of the Rain Heart" name (Ini Ñuu Dzavui), in other words, "The Mixtec People’s Heart”. It's situated in a large cave on top of a river.
Ñuu Ndecu path to and site, the City in Flames, Achiutla, colonial and pre-Columbian archaeological site

Pérez Ortiz quotes the historian and Dominican Francisco de Burgoa's description made about this piece in 1674, more than one hundred years after its destruction:

:…and between their infamous altars, they had one devoted to an idol, called The People´s Heart, that was great veneration object, and a greatly appreciated matter, because it was an emerald as large as a big chili pepper from this earth, had carved above a little bird, with great gracefulness, and top to bottom coiled a little snake did with the same art, the stone was transparent. It shined from the bottom, where it seemed like a candle burning flame; it was a very ancient jewel, that there was no memory of the commencement of its worship and adoration .:
These historical references--continues Lejarazu - aren't sufficient to identify The People’s Heart worship exact place, nor their accurate relationship with the Achiutla’s Oracle. It's clear the river represents the Ñuu Ndecu deep valley.

It appears in the 15th century, Achiutla was conquered by the Aztecs, who destroyed and burned their main temple, in 1462 the temple and the city suffered the fire, to this fact is due to carry the Mixtec name of Ñuu Nducu in one of their etymologies meaning burned town or city in flames.

Achiutla, Ñuu Ndecu, is waiting for its historical and archaeological recovery, relevant to the Mixtec culture, the State of Oaxaca and Mexico; as well as claim linguistic and ethnic indigenous, of the Mixtec Indian, object sometimes of denial, rejection and self-destruction of the maternal ethnic, language and culture, effects of colonialism and racism, to supplant the dignity and wealth that involve to belong to this ancient culture, even alive.

San Juan Achiutla's Colonial period traces

San Juan Achiutla's Baptismal font. Colonial period

When in the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, took news of Hernán Cortés and his troops arrival to Veracruz - concerns Alfonso Pérez Ortiz citing José Antonio Gay – Moctecuhzoma (Moctezuma) sent an embassy with some gifts for "The People’s Heart" deity and consult the Oracle "to know the fate that was reserved for his people", the Ñuu Ndecu "Pontiff" came to the shrine and "The people that had been left to the party from outside"", they heard between confusing noise of voices" the fateful announcement that "the Moctezuma lordship is over...¨." The Lord 2 Vulture, Snake of Fire-Sun and Mrs. 13 House, Flower of Bat, ruled Ñuu Ndecu when in the Land of the Rain, were known these dire first news concerning the Spaniards.

From 1522 to 1528 Achiutla, what would be San Miguel and San Juan, was subjected unduly by the conquer Martín Vázquez who would be prosecuted for mistreating and threatening death to the people's chiefs by not delivering extraordinary tributes and pretended to be the legitimate encomendero. In 1528 Achiutla became part Francisco Maldonado's encomienda its real owner, Ñuu Ndecu contributed to him 48 gold dust "tejuelos". In 1550 his encomienda and "Achiotla" (Achutla) passed to doña Isabel Roxas (Rojas) his wife.

In 1555 the viceroy don Luis de Velasco ordered to allow entering Santo Domingo religious order to Achiutla, since the encomendero's cleric of the place prevented. The Dominicans settled finally in 1557 in Ñuu Ndecu founded their community, at the time they would build the "doctrine-convent".

Explosion chamber. In a large number were used in San Juan Achiutla from the colony until the early 20th century rather than rockets, it was filled with gunpowder and detonated by the hole in the side. Iron. 10 cm high, 4.5 cm wide at the base.

Among the Dominican religious who came to Achiutla was Fray Benito Hernández who wrote his Christian catechism written in Mixtec,[7] and to whom is attributed the evangelization of the Mixtecs of Ñuu Ndecu; people that continued practicing their ancient religious customs in a hidden form in the caves and hills close to the place making worship to "The People’s Heart" deity . Fray Benito heard about the existence of this image and rose to the summit in question, where destroyed the ceremonial center.

:…an immensity of several figures of idols, which were in niches, on stones stained foolishly of human blood and smoke of incense which sacrificed them. (Burgoa)

And he got done in The People’s Heart” deity.

:…and have a solemn day prevented, and together many towns, pulled the stone and he broke it with great difficulty, through instruments, because its hardness, sent grind it into powder there […] and mixed with ground, he threw and stepped on, in front of the eyes of a huge crowd that attended the event, and then made them a big sermon…(Burgoa)

So the pulverizing of this jewel, would be a little after 1557 (Pérez Ortiz, 2009).

1580 There were few Spaniard settlers in the Mixtec communities in the mountains, because they avoided visit them for fear of its inhabitants.

In 1584 San Juan Achiutla land titles were issued by the colonial government, that in 1748 issued communal titles.

From this last period, the San Juan Evangelista's Church in San Juan Achiutla retains the following historical trail: an oil painting approximately 1.4 for 1.2 m whose lower part said "Don Juan Ortiz and his wife doña María Daniel devotion year 1749". The work has several levels; the top appears the Holy Trinity, in the central part an Archangel, then Saint Dominic and St. Francis of Assisi. At the next level the purgatory image: a man with the papal tiara, another with the bishop tiara, one cleric, a woman and a man, all burn between the flames; below represents a solemn mass attended by men on the right and women on the left. On the deteriorated work lower place we can read: "F. García Ruiz and José Isidro Ruiz, José de la Luz...", and more illegible words in red. It could be inferred that at that time there was sufficient financial capacity of some people as to order to do oil paintings possibly out of the town, probably in the San Miguel convent or Teposcolula, make solemn Eucharistic celebrations, and the existence of sufficient population and economic activity could be inferred to generate at least medium-sized wealth.

The colonial period, the 19th century and the Mexican Revolution at San Juan Achiutla are pending of being researched and counted. At this point we know that in:

Contemporary period

San Juan Achiutla has no municipal archive so it's virtually impossible to do an history based on the documentary source. If we compare with people, we could say that the municipality works verbally; it would seem that municipality is in illiteracy in the absence of documentary collections. In 2010, Mexican Independence bicentennial and Mexican Revolution centennial year, appeared the book Camino por la Mixteca. Un testimonio y documentos para la microhistoria de San Juan Achiutla y la Mixteca Alta en el estado de Oaxaca Raúl Ruiz Bautista memoirs. Partially this book without being or pretending to be a site history, came to partially remedy the documents absence about San Juan Achiutla. For it we can retrieve some people and town events after the Mexican Revolution until 21st century first decade. San Juan history and the road Ixtapa - Tlacotepec construction are inseparable, Raúl Ruiz Bautista released his proclamation for their construction and San Juan Achiutla led the project and this road construction with Rutilio Ruiz Hernández to the head. The following are the relevant facts from the 20th century.

1920

1930

1940

1950

Ixtapa-Tlacotepec road reaches San Juan Ñuu Ndecu, Achiutla

1960

San Juan Achiutla's ancient classrooms (demolished in January 2011)
Same view in January 2011 without the old classrooms. San Juan Achiutla's historical, cultural and architectural heritage destruction

1970

San Juan Achiutla's street

1980

1990

San Juan Evangelista church in San Juan Achiutla

2000

San Juan Achiutla's Francisco I. Madero primary school nowadays

2010

Tortillas and zapotes sellers in San Juan Achiutla

Cultural and historical heritage

There are as goods of cultural and historical heritage of San Juan Achiutla:

San Juan Achiutla's jail

Cultural traditions

The Mixtec culture, to which San Juan Achiutla and the achiutlecos belong, is a living culture, says Ronald Spores on the subject:

After the independence war the language ñu savi (Ñuu Dzaui) speakers retained their ethnic identity, their customs, and managed to adapt to the circumstances of the new country, initially in the Mixteca and eventually beyond: in Puebla, the central valleys, the North and Northwest Mexico; at present, can be found Mixtec everywhere in North America. This group tenacity and adaptability for more than 3,000 years deserves everyone's attention.
San Juan Achiutla's kiosk
The Mixtec culture has developed and maintained for more than three millennia in a vast region which covers a territory of 40 000 km2, which extends from South of Puebla to the Pacific coast and the Valley of Oaxaca to the East of Guerrero. The Mixteca region comprises three ecological zones: the High Mixteca ―escenario of the development of the main towns of this culture―, the Low Mixteca ―o Ñuiñe ("Tierra Caliente") — and the Mixteca de la Costa.
We must remember that the Mixtec culture did not disappear with the conquest, during the colonial period, or in the 19th and 20th centuries radical national transformations. It exists today in the Mixteca, everywhere in Mexico and anywhere in the world where the Mixtecs have reached in its vast adaptation diaspora. Many have left the Mixteca, but their hearts, thoughts and feelings remain on their land and their tradition.
As reflected in La Canción Mixteca (a lyric) among multiple ethnic groups that form the Mexican Republic, perhaps the nation more sentimental, nostalgic and loyal to its roots is the ñu savi, the Mixtec nation.

Following ancient cultural traditions are preserved in San Juan Achiutla:

Bibliography

References

  1. "San Juan Achiutla". Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México. Instituto Nacional para el Federalismo y el Desarrollo Municipal. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  2. Contribution a l'Etude geographique du mexique précolombien. "Le Mixtecapan"
  3. more accurate current measurement: 1992 m
  4. The Church mentioned by Diguet belongs to the San Miguel convent which included a great dimensions walled garden. It’s on the pre-Columbian temple platform, perhaps the main, and in front, used as cemetery which prevents appreciate what actually is, different levels and boards of another pyramid of huge dimensions of the same time, waiting for their study and restoration.
  5. Diguet text says mazahuatl, correct is matlazahualtl: epidemic that could be typhus, plague, hemorrhagic fever or smallpox brought this last by the Spaniards. At that time there wasn’t an accurate diagnosis. Achiutla never recovered its populationthe size that had in ancient times.
  6. There are other Achiutla's meaning versions: a "cave which drips water" which is effectively linked with meanings explained by Diguet. Another "Where achiote (Bixa Orellana) is abundant", but achiote grows in tropical regions, between 100 and 1,500 metres above sea level and this plant does not support the frosts, whereas Achiutla had 1,992and freezes in winter. As condiment is not usually in the High Mixteca; in pre-colonial times was used to get the red color for codex and other pigmentation, but its use to that effect was low; that is why it's completely doubtful the achiote was copious in Achiutla, .
  7. Fray Benito Hernández took the Dominican order habit in the San Esteban convent in Salamanca. Reached Mexico by Fray Vicente de las Casas. So they went to the Mixtec region where he learned the Mixtec language in a short time. He was sent to evangelize Achiutla because the father who was there didn’t know the language and therefore had not achieved good communication with the place inhabitants. Friar hadn’t a good reception and the people abandoned him almost to death by starvation, cause he intended to put end to the idolatry and destroyed the Chalcatongo's graveyard, situated in one La Mixteca highest hills. His Christian doctrine in Mixtec language was an attempt to understand indigenous people and teach them the new faith. Unfortunately, the single original in the world which is incomplete in the Burgoa Library in Oaxaca, lacks front cover and colophon. The work is written in the Teposcolula’s Mixtec variant.
  8. Partido in this case means, according to the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language Dictionary: district or territory of jurisdiction or body that has a main town per head

Coordinates: 17°20′N 97°31′W / 17.333°N 97.517°W / 17.333; -97.517

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