Everything about The Totonac totally explained
The
Totonac people resided in the eastern coastal and mountainous regions of
Mexico at the time of the Spanish arrival in
1519. Today they reside in the
states of
Veracruz,
Puebla, and
Hidalgo. They built the
Pre-Columbian city of
El Tajín, and further maintained quarters in
Teotihuacán (a city which they claim to have built). Until the mid-19th century they were the world's main producers of
vanilla.
Geography and Lifestyle
In the 15th century, the Aztecs labeled the region of the Totonac "Totonacapan"; which then extended roughly from
Papantla in the north to
Cempoala in the south. Totonacapan was largely hot and humid. Along with the normal agricultural crops of
maize,
squash,
beans, and
chilis, the region was noted for its production of liquid
amber and
cotton. Even during the disastrous central Mexican famine of
1450-
1454, the region remained a reliable agricultural center. At this time many
Aztecs were forced to sell themselves or their family members as
slaves to the Totonac in exchange for subsistence maize. Totonac women were expert weavers and embroiderers; they dressed grandly and braided their hair with
feathers. The
Franciscan friar
Bernardino de Sahagún stated that, in all aspects of their appearance, the women were "quite elegant." Likewise, the men dressed well, adorning themselves with multicolored clothing, necklaces, arm bands, and devices made of the prized
quetzal feathers.
History
The region of Totonacapan was subject to Aztec military incursions from the mid-15th century until the Spanish arrival. Despite the establishment of Aztec fortifications throughout the region, rebellion was endemic. Major Totonac centers were
Papantla, with an estimated population of 60,000 in 1519,
Xalapa (around 120,000), and
Cempoala (around 80,000). Cempoala was the first
Indigenous city state visited by
Hernán Cortés in his march to the Aztec capital of
Tenochtitlán. The Totonacs of Cempoala joined forces with Cortés and, along with the
Tlaxcalan Indians, contributed significantly to the Spanish conquest. Totonacapan became incorporated into the Spanish regime with comparatively little violence, but the region was ravaged by epidemic diseases during the 16th century. Today, approximately 90,000
Totonac speakers reside in the region.
Language
The languages known as
Totonac and Tepehua form a language family isolate; that is, they're not known to be related to any other languages or language families. The first grammatical and lexical descriptions of Totonac accessible to Europeans (unfortunately now lost) were by Fray
Andrés de Olmos, who also wrote the first such descriptions of
Nahuatl and
Huastec (Teenek).
Further Information
Get more info on 'Totonac'.
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