WHAT WAS THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF THE HUASTECOS? - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

It is believed that the social organization of the Huastecos consisted of two strata: those who ruled who were an elite and the ruled. This form of social organization was very common throughout Mesoamerican cultures, both in the typical chiefdoms of the Preclassic Period and in the states and empires that later developed.

In the case of the Huasteca culture, the archaeological evidence seems to point towards a chiefdom. In this way, it has been suggested that the Huastecos were not ruled by a central government, but divided into multiple small providences ruled by caciques who exercised their power independently.

Teayo Castle

The Huastecos: origins and geographical location

The Huasteco meaning derives from “cuextecatl”, a Nahuatl word that can translate “small snail or caracolillo” and also “guaje” which is a small legume.

Now, the geographical and cultural area located on a coastal plain in the extreme northeast of Mesoamerica is called Huasteca. In the Preclassic Period, the Huastecs occupied only the Panuco River basin up to the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico.

However, some scholars believe that they initially occupied the entire east coast of Mexico. Later, it spread to what are currently the states of Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Veracruz and Hidalgo.

The origins of this culture are uncertain. Some think that the first settlers arrived by sea. However, their language is related to the Mayan language, so its origin could be due to Mayan settlers who came to that region and remained on the periphery of the other Mesoamerican cultures until the Classic Period.

In pre-Hispanic times, the Huasteca peoples controlled a large territory, having the recognition and respect of other Mesoamerican groups.

The Cacicazgo of the Hualtecos in colonial times

The important Hualtec peoples were under the command of an Indian, lord or chief. This governed several towns and estancias. The caciques did not interact with each other, but joined forces when threatened by great danger.

The chiefdom was inherited and there were several alternatives to transfer his authority in the event that he died of natural causes or was assassinated.

His immediate successor was an adult male descendant. If this did not yet reach adulthood, a regent governor was appointed.

When there were no male heirs, a pascole (chief Indian) took his place. In very few occasions, the woman or daughter became chiefs.

On the other hand, the Hualtecos used to live in towns or small estancias in the form of communes. Couples and their children lived in small houses with thatched roofs.

Between the years 1532-1533, each couple had two to four children. There is also evidence that, at least the caciques, practiced polygamy.

According to several historians, the heads of the Hualtec chiefs were wide and elongated, a feature that they achieved artificially. Their hair was long, although it was sometimes tied up, and was dyed in many colors. In addition, they adorned their ears, noses, arms and hair.

Apart from accessories, although some Huastecos wore a kind of loincloth, they preferred to walk naked.

References

1. Blanton, RE; Kowalewski, SA; Feinman, GM and Finten, LM (1993). Ancient Mesoamerica: A Comparison of Change in Three Regions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
2. Jimenez Greco, A. and Elson, CM (s / f). Archeology of the Huasteca: The Ekholm Collection. American museum of Natural History. Recovered from amnh.org.
3. Chipman, DE (2007). Nuño de Guzmán and the province of Pánuco in New Spain. Mexico: CIESAS
4. Huerta Márquez, MO (2010). Antiguo Morelos, Tamaulipas: history of a Huasteco town.
5. Delgado, G. (2006). History of Mexico, Volume 1. Mexico: Pearson Education.
6. Ruvalcaba Mercado, J. (2005). Ehtnohistory of the Huastca. In AR Sandstrom and EH García Valencia (Eds.), Native Peoples of the Gulf Coast of Mexico, pp. 255–282. Arizona: University of Arizona Press.