The Aztecs serve as a link to Mesoamerican research since it denotes the connection in both the ancient times and the increasingly globalized present. This culture has been studied from various perspectives, including chronology, artwork, spirituality, sexuality, and literary works. A variety of research analyzes the Aztec civilization to understand it better. In this article, we discuss the various aspects of the Aztec culture, ranging from its history, values, beliefs, and practices to get a wider knowledge of the culture.
Cultural studies consist of an interdisciplinary fiehowunderstand how social, political, and economic forces shape culture shapes and. This field concerns how culture is expressed and represented in various forms, including literature, art, and music. In my study, I have decided to undertake the cultural analysis of the Aztec community, which was based in America, to help me understand how this culture became shaped by the social, political, and economic forces surrounding it.
The Aztec culture, located in the central American region, began to exist from about 1345 to 1521 AD. This community existed as an empire that covered larger parts of northern Mesoamerica. The Aztec people were also known as the Mexica people. This empire began with the construction of Tenochtitlan city, which was afterward named Mexico City, and became the heart of the Aztec Civilization. The alliance of the Texcoco and Tlacopan cities, which were close neighbors to Mexico City, led to the creation of the Aztec empire, where they collectively ruled the valley of Mexico(History.com Editors, 2009).
The Aztec community in the United States of America is a diverse group that includes people of Mexican and Central American descent who identify as having Aztec community ancestry or are interested in the Aztec culture. In the United States, this culture is represented in various ways, which include art, literature, music, and other forms of cultural expression. The Aztec civilization is represented in art through symbols and motifs such as pyramids, temples, and other architectural elements. These are found in paintings, sculptures, and other works of art that draw inspiration from the Aztec culture. In literary works, the Aztec community culture is represented by displaying the Aztec culture’s myths, legends, and histories (History.com Editors, 2009). These displays are found in books, plays, and other written works which explore the Aztec culture and its impact on the world. These literature works that contain this information help Americans to equip themselves with knowledge about this culture. The culture is Furter represented in music through traditional Aztec-instructed melodies. This is seen in the work of the musicians who draw inspiration from the Aztec culture and incorporate its music and traditions into their work. Through all these representations of the Aztec civilization, the Aztec culture is presented to the Americans, where they can celebrate the Aztec culture’s rich traditions and history and hence allow the community to share its cultural heritage with others.
The Aztec culture was a collective culture with a strong emphasis on community well-being and wellness. The people from this community had a complex social and political system centered on the common good and the importance of working together to benefit all. Individuals in this community were expected to contribute to the community through their labor by participating in various social and religious events. They believed that everything in the world was interconnected and that an individual’s actions could impact the community’s well-being. One example of collectivism which was seen in the Aztec culture, is seen in how they organized their society and economy. These people had a system of shared resources in which land and other resources were held in common and managed by the community. This meant that every person had access to the resources needed to survive and was expected to contribute to the community by working and participating in community events. Even though this culture greatly emphasized collectivism, they also valued individual achievement and recognized the contributions of individuals who excelled in various fields. However, these achievements benefited the community as a whole rather than the individual(“Aztec History,” 2008).
The Aztec community had a great emphasis on art. Their art had significant contributions that are still recognized and celebrated today. Among these is the contribution to architecture. Since the Aztecs were highly skilled architects, they built many impressive buildings and structures, including pyramids and temples. They also developed advanced hydraulic engineering systems, which allowed them to construct canals and other water management systems. The Aztecs also were skilled painters who used various materials and techniques to create paintings on cloth and paper. They also had a major contribution to intro dances through the large number of dances that they had for different purposes. Such include the religious dances performed in religious ceremonies and rituals to honor the gods and goddesses (History.com Editors, 2009). The other types of dances this community had were the military dances the soldiers performed as a part of the training and battle preparations. These dances helped build strength and endurance during the fighting.
The Aztec culture had a series of values they strongly believed in and adhered to endurance to improve their society. Among these values is respect for authority and hierarchy values. Since this society was a highly structured community with a clear hierarchy of rulers, nobles, and commoners, it strongly valued respect for authority and adherence to social roles and responsibilities, which were very important values in the Aztec culture. The community also appreciated the loyalty to the community greatly. They believed in the importance of the collective good and strongly emphasized community loyalty. This was evident in their system of governance, where individuals were expected to contribute to the well-being of their community. The community also valued religious devotion. They had a complex system of beliefs and practices centered around a pantheon of gods and goddesses and several important rituals and ceremonies. Religious devotion was an important aspect of the daily life of the Aztecs, and many of their values and behaviors were shaped by their religious beliefs(Pennock, 2008).
The Aztecs believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses in charge of different parts of the natural environment and the human experience. Among these gods and goddesses were the Huitzilopochtli, the sun god, and the Catlike, the earth goddess. This community believed there was a cycle of creation and destruction and lived in the fifth and final world created after the previous four were destroyed(Pennock, 2008).
In Aztec culture, traditional gender roles were strictly defined and closely linked to social status and occupation. In addition, males were supposed to be sexually active, while women were expected to be sexually docile. This was partly due to the importance of the Aztecs on fertility and procreation and the belief that men were responsible for impregnating women and continuing the family line. Men were expected to be warriors and leaders, while women were expected to be homemakers and caretakers. The children from this culture were all taken to school, but there was a difference in the education provided for both genders. They were taught separately, and the boys received more education than the girls(Pennock, 2008).
The Aztec culture can be acculturated to fit into modern society. The best way to do this is through studying and appreciating Aztec art, architecture, literature, and other cultural artifacts. These works can provide insight into the values, beliefs, and daily life of the Aztec people and can enrich our understanding of the world(“The Aztec World [Ushistory.org],” 2019).
Overall, studying the Aztec culture provides insight into the values, beliefs, and daily life of a civilization that played a significant role in the history of the Americas. It is a rich and fascinating culture that can be appreciated and learned from within the modern context through studying and celebrating its art, festivals, and traditions.
References
Aztec History. (2008). Retrieved January 28, 2019, from Aztec-history.com website: http://www.aztec-history.com/
History.com Editors. (2009, October 27). Aztecs. Retrieved from HISTORY.COM website: https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-americas/aztecs
Pennock, C. D. (2008). Bonds of blood: gender, lifecycle, and sacrifice in Aztec culture. Springer.
The Aztec World [ushistory.org]. (2019). Retrieved from Ushistory.org website: https://www.ushistory.org/civ/11d.asp
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