- Historical and geographical origin of the name Michoacán
- Nahuatl origin
- Tarascan or Purépecha origin
- Territorial origin
- Origin from Michámacuan
- References
The meaning of Michoacán must be found in the indigenous languages that were spoken in this area of Mexico before the Spanish conquest.
In the case of Michoacán, the most commonly accepted origin is that it comes from a Nahuatl word, michihuacan. There is also another theory that states that it derives from the Tarascan or Purépecha.
The Purépecha were the dominators of much of the territory of what is now Michoacán, one of the states that make up the United Mexican States and which has its capital in Morelia.
Today there are still 117,221 people who speak this indigenous language, also known as Tarascan.
Historical and geographical origin of the name Michoacán
It was the Purépechas, or Tarascos, who created the first important culture in Michoacán, establishing an important dominion that, in the 14th century, was divided into three different territories.
One of its economic activities was fishing, which was decisive for the name to settle.
The meaning of Michoacán cannot be understood without explaining part of the history and geography of the region.
Although there are several theories about the origin of the name, all agree that it comes from the place where the first important pre-Hispanic populations settled, around the lakes of the region: Pátzcuaro, Zacapu, Cuitzeo and Zirahuen.
The possible origins and meanings of Michoacán are four: from Nahuatl, from Tarasco, from the name of one of the provinces and from the capital of Michámacuan
Nahuatl origin
This is the theory most accepted by all scholars of the subject. According to it, it would come from the Nahuatl word that the Mexica used to name the territory near the lakes inhabited by the Purépecha.
It would be made up of three different words: “Michin”, which means fish, “hua”, a possessive of place and “can”, which means place. By joining it, it would mean "place of fishermen" "or" place where fish abound. "
Tarascan or Purépecha origin
In reality, the Tarascan word for this State has a very similar meaning to Nahuatl.
In this way, the Tarascan word “Michmacuán” would be translated as “place by the water” and it would be how the inhabitants of the area would call the lands they inhabited. This shows the importance that the lakes had in the Purépecha settlements.
Territorial origin
A third explanation about the meaning of Michoacán is found in the name of one of the provinces of the Purépecha kingdom. These were Huetamo, Zacapu, Pátzcuaro and, finally, Michámacuan.
The latter had Tzintzuntzan as its center and some scholars point out that it may have been the one that, by extension, ended up giving its name to the entire territory.
Origin from Michámacuan
This last theory returns to the relationship of its inhabitants with the water of the lakes. According to her, Michoacán would come from the name that the main population center of those lands had, Mechoacán, which means "place of fishermen."
Its inhabitants were called Michoaques and they inhabited a province near Lake Pátzcuaro called Michámacuan, with a center in Tzintzuntzan.
This last word is also related to the lake, since it would come to mean "next to the water".
References
- Cardenas, Blanca. The Gentilicio. Recovered from dieumsnh.qfb.umich.mx
- Hernandez, Angel. Michoacán de Ocampo. Retrieved from michoacan-de-ocampo.tumblr.com
- New Mexico State University. The Meaning of Michoacan. (November 20, 2011). Retrieved from fnsnews.nmsu.edu
- History Channel. Michoacan. Retrieved from history.com
- Cartwright, Mark. Tarascan Civilization. Retrieved from ancient.eu