One of the most powerful civilizations in Central America, which still influences Mexican traditions, was the Purepecha culture. If you want to know more about this ancient society, there is a lot of information in this article just for you!
The Purepecha culture
The Tarascan civilization, also known as the Purépecha culture, was a society that dominated western Mexico, building a great empire that was in constant conflict with another important civilization of the postclassic period, the Aztecs.
The Tarascan empire occupied more than seventy-five thousand square kilometers, which they controlled from the capital Tzintzuntzan, however, it was still a smaller extension of territory than that governed by the Aztecs.
Studies indicate that the Purépecha culture was much more advanced than that of other Nahuatl tribes, who settled around the Sierra Madre mountains.
During pre-colonial times, the Purépechas ruled their territory in the Michoacán area, without any interference from the Aztecs.
This civilization was not conquered by the Europeans in the same way and at the same time as the Aztecs, who were subdued by foreign forces in the early 1530th century. The Purépechas stayed out of these conflicts until around XNUMX, when they were invaded. for the Spanish. It is presumed that they ignored the requests for help that the Aztecs presented for several decades.
The process of conquest and colonization of the Purépecha territory was very different from that applied to its Aztec neighbors, whom the Europeans subdued and totally dominated. The territory of the Purépecha culture was governed by foreigners as a feudal state that paid taxes.
The roughness between the neighboring tribes were present, the conflicts and the war between the two nations ended in favor of the Purépechas, this mainly due to the fact that the Tarascans made their weapons with metals, especially copper and bronze.
By 1470, the Purépechas had not only won their war with the Aztecs, but also seized some of their land, settling in Tenochtitlán, an Aztec hotspot.
This culture was also advanced and structured, it had a hierarchical political and social organization, like other civilizations in the region. The Purépechas had religious leaders, advisers, warriors, artisans, and a large majority were commoners. The religious used to differentiate themselves because they carried tobacco gourds hanging from their necks.
Artisans were a very important sector for this society that depended heavily on trade. These were recognized for their jewelry made from obsidian, silver, gold, bronze, copper, and turquoise.
Among the fundamental activities of this culture was trade, which allowed keeping the Aztecs under control, after the conflicts of 1470.
They also possessed the ability to fish, considered the Masters of the Fish. In addition to controlling the silver and gold mines in the area, which made them a very important company in trade, especially in the Michoacán area.
The products mostly traded in the markets of the Purépecha culture were ceramic pieces, bronze and copper weapons, jewelry, fish, tobacco, and large assortments of vegetables.
Location
The Purépecha tribe was located in the Michoacán region of Mexico along the Sierra Madre mountains. They were originally known as Tarascos and took a fairly large area for themselves, even though they were very close to the Aztecs, tribes famous for their tendency to conflict and domination.
The Purépechas had a totally different and original culture, language and tradition of the region, for example the Purépecha language, is not related to the neighboring Aztec language, despite the fact that its geographical location was quite close.
Purépecha society became a sophisticated culture with a high degree of political centralization and social stratification in the middle postclassic period, the most important tribe being the Wakúsecha, of the Chichimeca ethnic group, whose chief Tariacuri established the first capital in Pátzcuaro around 1325. after Christ.
The territory controlled by the Tarascans came to double the size of that occupied by previous generations, and the production and trade of maize, obsidian, basalt, and ceramics increased to the same extent.
Rising lake levels in the Pátzcuaro basin also meant that many low-lying sites were abandoned and competition for resources became increasingly fierce. Likewise, in the higher lands of Zacapu, the concentration of the population increased considerably, so that 20.000 people inhabited only 13 sites.
This period was marked by an increase in local state rivalries and general instability among the ruling elite.
Today, there are over a hundred thousand Mexicans who claim ancestry, are Purépecha speakers, and can trace their lineage back to this tribe.
Origins of the Purépecha culture
The history of the Tarascans has been reconstructed from the archaeological record and local traditions, placing their origins in South America, associated with the Incas. In this area they remained until emigration to Central America, where they settled in the same territories as the Aztecs.
Some important data is described in the Relacion de Michoacán, a document that compiles the different customs of the inhabitants of Michoacán, Mexico, prior to the arrival of the Europeans and which was written by the Franciscan friar Jerónimo de Alcalá in the mid-XNUMXth century.
The Purépecha culture had a history of more than two millennia, settled in the center and north of Michoacán, a term that means place of the master fishermen, in the vicinity of the Zacapu, Cuitzeo and Pátzcuaro lake basins.
mythology and religion
The Purépecha religion had some similarities to that of its neighbors in the region, the other Nahuatl tribes that used to center their religion on blood sacrifices. The Purépechas, even when they performed blood sacrifices, focused more on prayer offerings than on blood. They had a pantheon made up of several deities closely related to the powers of nature.
The Tarascan religion claimed the Pátzcuaro Basin as the center of the cosmos and of its power. For them, the universe was divided into three parts: The sky: governed by the most important and main deity, the sun god Kurikaweri, the lord of the sky and war, who according to Purépecha beliefs could be contacted through blood and the burning of firewood.
His wife, the Purépecha goddess Kwerawáperi was the Mother of the Earth, she ruled by his side along with her daughter Xaratanga, a very important goddess who controlled the sea and the moon.
The Tarascan religion was led by a Supreme High Priest who was the head of a priestly class divided into various levels. The priests were easily identified in the Purépecha communities by the tobacco gourd they wore around their necks.
It is presumed that the Tarascans took old local divinities and associated or combined them with new and original Tarascan gods. It can also be seen that many of the deities of the conquered tribes were incorporated into their official pantheon.
They were worshiped and presented with sacrifices and burning offerings, they also built pyramids in honor of the gods, five in Tzintzúntzan and five in Ihuátzio.
A characteristic of the Tarascan religion was the absence of common gods in other Mesoamerican religions, such as Tlaloc the rain god or Quetzalcóatl the feathered serpent god. As you can see, the Purépechas were polytheists, however the current descendants follow the Roman Catholic religion.
The Purépechas or Tarascans did not use the calendar of two hundred and sixty days, but they did organize the solar year, in eighteen months of twenty days each.
Deities of the Tarascan pantheon
As mentioned above, the Purépecha culture was polytheistic, that is, they worshiped different gods, each one with authority over certain and determined aspects. The Tarascan pantheon is made up of different divinities among which we find:
-Curicaveri, the main and oldest deity, associated with fire, is also the one who governs gathering, hunting and wars. -Cuerauáperi (Kuerajperi): she is considered the mother of all deities and wife of the main god, Curicaveri. She is associated with the earth, the moon, the rain and the production of clouds. Among her most mentioned daughters are:
The Mother of the red cloud or the one that covers with a veil of fire, the Mother of the white cloud or the one that covers with a veil, the Mother of the yellow cloud or the one that covers with the yellow veil and the Mother of the black cloud or the one that covers with the black veil.
-Xarátanga: considered the lunar goddess or an invocation of the same, is also known as the new moon and is associated with fertility, agriculture, nature and the birth of plants that provide food, such as corn, beans, etc.
-Tata Jurhiata, considered the Lord or Father Sun, is the deity of the day and of course of this star. He has Pehuame as a partner.
-Pehuame, is associated with labor and later with a certain medicinal plant that receives the same name -Nana Cutzi, an ancient deity that is currently associated with the moon.
Purepecha language
In Mexican soil there are many languages, Purépecha is just one of them and it was the language of the ancient Tarascan civilization. Purépecha is an isolated language that is spoken on Michoacan soil.
Its history dates back to around 150 BC and it is a language with unique characteristics in the area, being recognized along with other dialects as a national language in 2003.
The two main ones are the dialect of the lake, near Lake Pátzcuaro, and the volcanic dialect, near the Paricutín volcano.
Even after the arrival of the Spanish conquerors and their settlements in the Purépecha territory, this culture still retained its cultural independence and preserved its linguistic roots.
Purépecha has some relationship to Quechua, the language spoken by the South American Inca tribe located in what is now Peru, so it is presumed that the Purépecha may have originated in South America among the Incas and later migrated to Central America. to settle in the same area that the Aztecs occupied.
Traditions and artistic expressions
The different parties are celebrations that were held to recognize the Purépecha nation, generally lasting several days, which include religious acts, songs, dances and crafts. Music and dance were very important expressions in the Purépecha culture. Traditional dances such as the Danza de los Viejitos or the dance of the old man, known in the Purépecha language as T'arche Uarakua.
It was made as an offering to the Old God or Tata Jurhiata with the intention of enjoying good harvests and other favors during the year, being interpreted by the petamunis, the wise elders of the Tarascan community. They dance to the rhythm of pirekuas, a musical style of these peoples, which was created with reference to the religious songs of the missionaries who came to the continent to evangelize.
The first day of February in our calendar is the day on which the Purépechas celebrate the beginning of a new year or New Fire, a celebration dedicated to the god curicaueri the great fire, marking the beginning of another new cycle.
A relevant aspect is that despite the arrival of the Spanish conquerors and the passage of time, the Purépecha people have preserved many of the cultural elements that differentiate them from the rest of Mexico.
Purepecha legends and tales
Very similar to other Mesoamerican cultures, the Purepechas had myths, legends and traditional stories, generally related to their deities, however this was not the rule. Let's meet some very interesting:
The meeting at Heaven's Gate
This ancient Purépecha legend recounts the occasion in which the gods of the Tarasco pantheon met at the Gate of Heaven and predicted the end of this empire:
Other men (the Spaniards) have already appeared and are to come to the lands; this is what they wanted Kueravajperi not to allow and they were not heard.
Camécuaro, the lake of tears
There is a Tarascan story that tells the story of a Purépecha princess named Huanita and her love for Tangáxhuan, heir to the Tariácuri monarch, founder of the proud and extensive Purépecha Empire, located in Michoacán and some areas of Jalisco and Guanajuato.
Very great was the love of the two young people, but the beauty of the princess was a temptation for many, the daring Candó, a vile and impious priest, kidnapped her and kept her captive inside a Cutzé yácata. Scared and sad, Huanita cried for many days over this calamity. Her crying formed a large pond, which is now known as the Lake Camecuaro, place of hidden bitterness.
Tangáxhuan was informed of the whereabouts of the princess and without hesitation he went in search of her, bow and arrow in hand, descending the hills, until he spotted Candó in the distance. Showing off his marksmanship, Tangáxhuan took a bow and arrow and shot, piercing the villain, who remained nailed to a tree in Ahuehuete, which he is known as a sabino.
The force of the arrow and the blow of Candó's body split the trunk of the tree, emerging from it a large amount of green water that formed a spring that never dries up.
Such was the sadness of the princess when she cried that her tears have dangerous powers. This legend of the Purépecha culture says that those who swim to the bottom of the lake can see in the waters a beautiful and mysterious lady who takes them by the feet to keep them by her side forever.
Other stories
There are many short and very entertaining stories in the Purépecha culture, which even today are liked by many readers of all ages. In this video you can learn about other nice Tarascan stories:
Gastronomy
Many of the cities and native communities planted various types of corn, pumpkin, beans, chili, etc. Blue, purple and white corn could generally be seen, which in addition to being one of the main foods served as a product to market, either by exchange or sale, to acquire other goods necessary for the communities.
But above all, the sowing of corn and beans represented the food of the Purépecha families with corn and therefore their way of subsistence.
The lower classes worked in the milpa, the entire family, woman, man, along with their children and in many cases their grandchildren, prepared the land, planted and tended the crop, thus ensuring their food. But working the land was not easy, you work all day and eat in the milpa, and then continue working.
That is why the meal outside the working day should be a special moment, as well as varied and nutritious. There were some punctual dishes for special moments and celebrations in the life of this society.
The dough or white atole, a sweet and hot drink made with cooked corn grain and seasoned with aromatic species, for example, is offered during birth to the mother, as the main food and is offered as a present at baptism. 
Atole is also served at weddings, at the naming ceremony of cargueros and at funerals or wakes. Churipo is a traditional dish consisting of beef broth, seasoned with red chili and a type of tamale known as corundas. It is served at weddings, baptisms and celebrations of some patron saint.
Corunda is made with corn and stuffed with jaguacatas, a Purépecha word that designates beans. When it comes to wakes and funerals, it is tradition to serve atapakua to those who decide to make an appearance. This dish is a red mole to which purple or blue ground corn, auyama or chilacayote seeds are added, and it has a dense consistency. There is another very similar dish that also includes meat and is known as xanducata.
Art and architecture
A characteristic of the late Postclassic architecture of the Tarascans are the huge constructions known as Yacata, which combine the stepped pyramids with the shape of a rectangle and a circle.
All the Yacatas they are temple-pyramids, which were initially rectangular, but were later built much larger and in various shapes.
En Tzintzuntzan, there are five buildings that rest on a huge platform four hundred and forty meters long by two hundred and fifty meters wide, where religious ceremonies were performed.
The yácata inside contained layers of stones that were adjusted and held with a type of volcanic stone known as yanamu, which were held together and firm with mud. Excavations at these complex monuments have revealed tombs, with numerous artifacts, everyday objects, and jewelry.
Very close to the Yacata sculptures were placed, to which offerings and sacrifices were usually presented, very similar to other Mesoamerican cultures.
There are various theories that relate these monuments to Tarascan mythology and religiosity, stating that this culture thinks that the Yacata located in high areas of the region they represent the sky, the area populated by its people is the earth and the lake as a possible underworld.
At present, of the five yácatas built on the great stone base in Tzintzuntzan, only ruins remain, largely due to neglect and obviously due to the passage of time, this being the most influential factor in its progressive deterioration.
In Ihuatzio, Coyote Place, was a Purépecha settlement, with great diversity in architectural samples, among which is a court for the Mesoamerican ball game. Tarascan pottery was characterized by its jars in the shape of animals and plants, tripods, miniature and tubular vessels, all highly decorated.
They were highly skilled metal workers, skillfully handling silver and gold. In addition, they were expert craftsmen with materials such as obsidian, with which they made jewelry for the ears and lips, covered with gold sheets and inlaid with turquoise.
The great capital of the Purépecha culture
From the late postclassical era between 1350 and 1520 AD, also known as the Tariacuri phase, the capital of the empire and the largest Tarascan city was known as Tzintzúntzan el hummingbird place. in the northeast area of Lake Pátzcuaro.
The Purépechas from there controlled, through a hierarchical and strictly centralized political system, almost a hundred cities around the lake.
Towards 1522 the population of the basin accumulated about eighty thousand individuals, Tzintzúntzan alone had a population of thirty-five thousand people. This capital city was the administrative, commercial and religious center of the Tarascan empire and home of the king or Kasonsí.
Extensive irrigation and terracing projects were carried out in order to support such a large population with the products of local agriculture, however imports of goods and materials were significant and necessary.
A series of local markets and the tribute payment system made it possible to ensure sufficient basic goods for the local population, however, a good inventory of ceramic pieces, shells and metals was also maintained, especially gold and silver ingots, in addition to workforce, in order to meet the demand of foreigners.
Fruit, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, prepared foods, handicrafts, and raw materials such as obsidian, copper, and bronze alloys were bought and sold in these busy markets.
The ruling class was in charge of controlling everything related to the extraction of valuable metals and metallurgy, in addition to everything that the master craftsmen would elaborate with them, who presumably resided in the Tzintzúntzan palace complex.
There is evidence of independent gold and silver production in the southeastern and western regions, consistent with evidence and samples from secondary and tertiary administrative centers.
The Tarascans commercialized their products in the network of markets to acquire or import resources and materials such as:
- Turquoise
- Rock crystal
- semi-precious stones such as jade
- Cotton
- Cocoa
- Sal Island
- exotic feathers.
They also produced bronze bells made of tin, copper, and copper alloys that were frequently used in rituals and ceremonial dances throughout Mesoamerica, representing a significant income. The state also maintained control and decided on matters related to the administration and assignment of:
- lands and forests
- Copper and obsidian mines
- Fishing industry
- Craft workshops.
However, it is not very clear what was the degree of control over the communities and tribal leaders not so close to the capital and if the instructions followed on access to these resources were real.
These various ethnic groups within the empire, although politically subject to Tzintzúntzan, also maintained their own language and local identities, but in times of war their regular tribute to their Tarascan lords was augmented by the supply of warriors.
According to the Relacion de Michoacán, the Tarascan nobility was divided into three groups: royalty, superior and inferior nobility. Royalty resided in the capital and at the sacred site of Ihuátzio, which had in fact been the previous Tarascan capital.
The funeral of a Tarascan king is described in the Relation, as a great ceremony of the Purépecha culture, where the entire retinue of the deceased ruler was sacrificed, so that they would accompany him in the land of the deceased.
This group that would face the fatal destiny was generally made up of about forty slaves, the seven favorite slaves, the cook, the bath attendant and the doctor, be it for not having prevented his death.
We invite you to consult other links on this blog that may be of interest to you:
- Social organization of the Olmecs
- Social Organization of the Zapotecs
- Political Organization Of The Aztecs