
You don’t see this more clearly than in the impressive tome by Fernando de Alva Ixtlixochitl that we are studying in our Kalpulismo-Ancient Socio-Political Systems Course right now named “Horibles Crueldades de los Conquistadores de México y de los Indios que los Auxiliaron para subyugarlo a la corona de Castilla”
It is a heavy, difficult read, both literarily & emotionally as it documents the memories & research of a grandchild of the infamous Ixtlixochitl of Texcoco. A man of
Why and how and to what barbaric lengths he and Cortes went to make this all happen is held within the moving text. But once you learn this truth, the implications are enormous and truly paradigm shifting!
First the Spaniards are not the successful conquerors that the history books make them out to seem. They were just the most vicious and therefore claimed the spoils of war.
But most importantly, the long term psychological damage that being “hijos de la chingada” and children of a traitor has had on the Mexican psyche & identity gets turned on its head. As Octavio Paz did a marvelous job of breaking down, the ripple effects of this narrative of a woman betraying her people has lent towards a disgusting level of machismo and matriphobia and femicide in Mexico. Not to mention the self hate and internalized racism that so many of our people hold within.
To shed light on the truth is part of the path towards healing& something like this has the possibility of healing not just individuals but a nation.
We encourage everyone to read this, though warning, it is brutally honest & viscerally descriptive, so you may need to take pauses for self-care.
If you would like to join us in this course click here to take you to the course page