For context, pre-Hispanic cultures flourished for thousands of years from the present-day Southwest United States to the Panama Canal and powerful rulers such as the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya, Zapotecan, Mixtecan, Nahuatl, the Aztecs ruled these lands until the Spanish arrival in the sixteenth century. Taxco de Alarcon, located in the Mexican state of Guerrero is a magical town nestled amidst the mountains of Mexico and is well known for the blend of ancient traditions with modern appeal. It is a short, scenic drive from Cuernavaca and is fairly easy to get to with a local driver adept at mountain driving. As a resource-rich area, it has witnessed the convergence of diverse cultures, akin to other regions in present-day Mesoamerica. My visits to Taxco have convinced me about the mystical interplay of indigenous rituals and healing, as well as the profound spiritual significance it holds. As an academic, the decolonizing initiatives and academic work highlighting the pre-colonial aspects of native cultures from Latin America serve as an inspiration to advance Indicism – the native lens and paradigm relevant to the Indian subcontinent.
Colonization and the Clash of Religions
According to Martinez (2022), in 1521, the arrival of the Spaniards marked a pivotal moment in history as they established the capital of New Spain on the site of the former Aztec capital, solidifying their dominance in central Mexico. This encounter set the stage for complex interactions between the colonizer and the colonized in social, economic, and religious spheres. On one hand, the European colonizers brought with them a strong Christian ethos, shaping their perception of the native population. On the other hand, the Indigenous people adhered to a magical-religious tradition of spiritual and mystical beliefs aligned with Mother Nature and cosmology.
The clash between these contrasting religious paradigms gave rise to the elements of fusion of Christianity with existing indigenous beliefs, often giving birth to “new” religious practices and rituals that have endured through the centuries. While this fusing may be viewed as a positive contribution to present-day Mexican culture by many, it also marked the eventual dominance of the church over indigenous beliefs. Native culture was gradually coopted and even some elements seem to be erased. Some elements of native culture, along with valuable resources like gold, silver, copper, and gemstones, found their way back to Spain (Gilbert, 2012). Taxco’s mines are especially well-known and the mined and crafted silver is world-famous. It’s impossible to think about the historical context of this region and about the resistance put up by the natives as one browses through delicately crafted silver jewelry.
The Sacred Connection with Mother Nature
Taxco, early morning looks like heaven. As yoga practitioners and spiritual enthusiasts find their comfort spots on rooftops overlooking the beautiful town, a wave of reverence goes through the body. There are many activities to do throughout the day, depending on one’s interest – caves, art galleries, markets, churches, and town squares, are a delight to explore on foot, though the steep streets pose a challenge for those who are not used to such hikes. There are waterfalls and pools which are perfect excursions for those who wish for a bit more adventure.
The Cacahuamilpa caves are an exciting visit, especially if explored with someone who has worked on decoding the structure and art; knowing fluent Spanish is not a requirement as many of these places frequently get English visitors and are equipped for English tours and translations. The ancient cave representations on rocky walls and in caves hold immense significance for the indigenous inhabitants of Taxco. Situated at the elevated height of the river, these sacred sites allowed the natives to forge a deep connection with the environment and the surrounding landscape (Martinez, 2022). The natural surroundings took on profound geographical symbolism, becoming an extension of their sacred, ritual, and cosmogonic beliefs, enriching their understanding of life itself. Intriguingly, these indigenous spiritual elements coexisted despite Christianity and evangelization, thereby creating a unique and sacred space where spirituality continued to exist.
A profound experience for me was when the first time I stepped foot in the church of Parroquia de Santa Prisca y San Sebastian in the town Zocalo, and saw the beautiful ashen skinned statue of the Indigenous Madonna. The image of the Madonna has now evolved into the worship of Virgin of the Guadalupe, who is considered to represent an ideal woman, and a loving mother. Black Madonna worship however was widely popular before the appearance of Virgin of the Guadalupe in these regions. Conquistadors used to carry small statues of the prehistoric Madonna when searching for resources and gold and both sides – the colonizers and the natives seem to have this Divine Feminine as a common worship deity. This is my perception of course but the black divinity instantly reminded me of Ma Kali when I first set eyes on her and my group witnessed all the emotions that followed.
The Complexity of Colonization and Cultural Amalgamation
Understanding the interaction of different knowledge systems in cultural confrontations doesn’t occur in a vacuum and therefore requires acknowledgment of the political conditions influencing cultural blending and the perspectives of the social actors involved. Church-led initiatives in Mexico, like the current campaign of Indigenous Theology, aimed to blend indigenous and Roman Catholic religious systems (Norget, 2009). However, the outcomes were more complex than anticipated, involving creative agency and major power imbalances between clergy and indigenous people. This historical process shaped the unique nature of Mexican spirituality and cultural identity as the Catholic religion adapted in some ways to incorporate non-Western natives while the indigenous folks viewed Christianity via their native paradigm (2009). This is where I believe that Latin scholars have made tremendous progress in utilizing the native lens (what I have called Indicism within the Indian context) to examine native culture.
Taxco has a rich tradition of shamanism, where ancient healing practices endure with respect and reverence – what most people see as witches and native doctors are healers who incorporate elements of Mother Nature in helping others. Engaging with local shamans as spiritual guides and healers offers transformative experiences through ceremonies involving traditional plants, herbs, music, and dance, as well as philosophical discourses on how things used to be vs how they are now. These rituals allow seekers to connect with the native and spirit world and seek holistic healing for the body, mind, and spirit, offering deeper insights into one’s spirituality.
Medicine and Spirituality
According to Trevino & Viesca (2018), in the pre-Hispanic worldview of Mesoamerica, religious and cosmogonic concepts intertwined with the plant and human worlds. In the Mayan tradition, a giant tree known as ceiba serves as the axis of the world which supports the underworld and the heaven. Trees hold particular significance, serving as world axes or cornerstones of the earth, symbolizing the essential connection between humans and Mother Earth. Maize played a crucial role in Mayan and Aztec belief systems, and mural paintings at Teotihuacan show a sacred, magical garden where medicinal plants grow and these plants were believed to offer beneficial properties to the inhabitants (2018).
The interplay between the plant and human worlds extended to medicinal practices as plants are believed to be living beings, inhabited by spirits or gods which play a vital role in human existence. Physicians, midwives, and nowadays specialized priests utilized medicinal plants as medicaments, recognizing their properties and efficacy for mitigating various health conditions and diseases. These practices viewed nature-based healing as a highly spiritual activity and ritual, and the relationship between physicians and plant spiritual owners involved rituals and prayers to specific pre-Hispanic gods – Tlaloc, Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, Chac, Kukulkan, Cocijo, ensuring respect for the plant’s spiritual essence and help toward humanity (Trevino & Viesca, 2018). Scientists are currently working on projects involving pharmacological research based on traditional Mexican plants in order to fill the gap between the ancient and the modern from a scientific lens.
Taxco has a vibrant scene of yoga practitioners as every spot with a view seems like a perfect place to lay down the mat and sit with the spine erect, palms open and eyes closed. There is a profound interplay of indigenous rituals and healing embedded, reserved through centuries of cultural fusion with a thriving essence of the real. The native resilience coupled with the adaptation of colonial ways, art, culture, food, and worldview lead seekers to understand nuances of painful history and embrace its underlying hope-filled spiritual essence. From the sacred cave representations to the treasures of Mesoamerica and the transformative rituals with shamans and healers, the town beckons seekers to embrace its mystical essence. Taxco offers an enriching experience of decolonized spirituality and a profound exploration of the interconnection between nature and the human spirit evident throughout the sacred Mesoamerican geography. Decolonization and embracing of native culture go beyond books and academia and those keeping the indigenous practices alive generation after generation are the ones whom we truly need to be grateful to. Please do visit when you get a chance – I always look forward to being on Taxco’s spiritual soil and experience the interconnectedness of Life.
References:
Gilbert, F. I. (2012). Religious Ritual in the Mixtec Culture: A Holistic Evaluation.
Medina Martínez, L. (2022). ROCK PAINTING FROM THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY IN ATZALA GUERRERO, MEXICO. Academia Letters.
Norget, K. (2009). Decolonization and the politics of syncretism: The Catholic church, indigenous theology, and cultural autonomy in Oaxaca, Mexico. In Education, Decolonization and Development (pp. 75-93). Brill.
Treviño, C. V., & de Viesca, M. R. (2018). Mexican Medicinal Plants a Therapeutic Resource of Physicians and Traditional Healers. Medicina nei secoli: Journal of history of medicine and medical humanities, 30(2), 687-734.