Nahua, Aztec, Mexica

As I’ve delved into “Aztec” culture I’ve learned of the many nuances of how the world refers to these people from the Valley of Mexico. Understanding who the Aztecs were takes an understanding of the politics of the Valley. Most Americans think of the Aztecs as Montezuma’s native people that were conquered by Cortes. That concept fits in as a hyper-simplistic footnote to the overall genocide of Indigenous people across North America, a “here’s how THEY did it” anecdote of complicity.

Lost in that simplified narrative is the cultural nuance of Aztec identity and the survival of a “mestizo” culture. Let’s delve in. A familiar European comparison might be the early British Empire, at least for identity structure. Ireland, Scotland and England share the English language. Politically, they are the United Kingdom, three kingdoms united. But if you call an Irishman English he would be quite offended. The people grouped together as Aztecs were also culturally distinct.