Aztlan Affirmed, Part V: Commentary

In previous articles in this series, I’ve shared what indigenous sources say about the legendary land of Aztlan, from which the Mexica claimed to have emerged. Now I’m going to do a sort of quick exegesis or commentary on what we’ve seen.

First, a synthesis of the story:

To the northwest of Tenōchtitlan, the kingdom of Aztlān sat on an island. Many clans of people lived there. When the king died, his sons ruled jointly, but the older wanted all power. The younger took his people on a supposed pilgrimage.

They crossed the water to the mountain of Colhuahcān, which contained the seven cave complex of Chicomoztoc, where many groups of Chīchīmēcah still lived. Centuries before, the Tōltēcah had left that mountain, heading south.

After a while, the god Huitzilopochtli spoke. He told the escaped Aztēcah to call themselves Mexihtin (to honor the prince who had freed them). They led the remaining Chīchīmēcah out of Chicomoztoc.

Centuries later, the Mexihtin reached Anahuac and finally settled on another island, becoming Mēxihcah, people of Mexico.

Okay.

Now, from the non-Mexica sources, it seems clear that the Chicomoztoc story was one the former Aztecs heard *after* they reached Anahuac (the Valley of Mexico). It was the origin story of the Toltecs first, so groups wanting some Toltec glory would appropriate it.