OTOMÍES: HISTORY, LOCATION, LANGUAGE, RELIGION, TRADITIONS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The Otomí or Otomí culture are an indigenous people that still inhabit part of central Mexico. The name Otomí, a word of Nahuatl origin, means "who walks with arrows" or arrowhead of birds ". According to historians, the Otomi were the first inhabitants of the Tula Valley.

There is evidence that the Otomi were already settled in Mesoamerica in 5000 BC. The study of their language, which is part of the Ottomangue and Otomí-Pame families, has shown that they were the original people of the highlands of central Mexico.

Presence of the Otomí language in central Mexico - Source:

Its geographical expansion began after managing to dominate agriculture. Over time, this town played a very important role in the demographic development of Teotihuacan. After the fall of this city, the Otomí people moved towards the eastern Sierra Madre and Tlaxcala.

The arrival of the Spanish conquerors was a great change in the way of life of the Otomi. During the conquest, this town allied with Hernán Cortés in his fight against the Aztecs. Later, the Franciscan monks saw to it that the Otomi people converted to Christianity and abandoned their old beliefs.

History

Despite the influence of the Otomí culture in Mesoamerican territory, data on it are scarce. It is known that they were one of the first peoples to inhabit the central plateau, but little about their lifestyle and beliefs.

Origin

The peoples who shared the Ottoman language formed a cultural unit around 5000 BC. C. It is believed that after dominating agriculture, a linguistic diversification and territorial expansion began to take place.

The western branch of these peoples, the Otopames, arrived in the Basin of Mexico in the fourth millennium BC. Starting from the Preclassic, which lasted until the 1st century AD. C., the linguistic variants began to appear. Thus, in the Classic period, Otomí and, for example, Mazahua, were already two different languages.

Teotihuacan

Although there is no consensus among historians, many consider that the Otomi played an important role in the development of Teotihuacan. However, many claim that they did not occupy places of power in the city.

The Classic period in Mesoamerica ended with the fall of Teotihuacan. This produced great changes in the power structure in the area, with the arrival of new towns and with clashes between small states.

The Otomi were forced to leave for the eastern zone displaced by large Nahuatl-speaking groups. Their destination was the eastern Sierra Madre and the Puebla-Tlaxcala valley.

During the following centuries, important states were formed in the territory of the Otomí, with the Nahua peoples as leaders. Already in the 9th century, Tula, in the hands of the Toltecs, became one of the most powerful cities in all of Mesoamerica. Many Otomi from the Mezquital valley settled there.

Conquest

When the Spanish conquerors arrived in Mesoamerica, the Otomí people populated various areas of the region, mainly the Mezquital valley, Querétaro and the current State of Mexico.

The Otomi were attacked by the Spanish, but their participation in the conquest did not stop there. After the Sad Night, when Cortés's army suffered a major defeat, the Otomi of Teocalhueyacan met with the conquerors.

In that encounter, according to the chroniclers, the Spanish received food and the Otomi offered them an alliance and shelter. The conquerors remained in Teocalhueyacan for ten days to recover from the defeat.

The Otomi also advised the Spanish to attack the Nahua of Calacoaya on June 2, 1520. Cortés heeded the advice and achieved an important victory. With the help of the Otomi, the conquerors continued their campaign until they managed to defeat the Aztecs.

Colonial period

Like the rest of the indigenous peoples, the Otomí had to abandon their old beliefs and convert to Christianity. In this case, those responsible for its evangelization were the Franciscan monks.

Likewise, they also had to adopt the organizational structures of the Spanish. The indigenous communities were transformed into mayordomías, among which Ixtenco (Tlaxcala) stood out.

In the 1530s, all the Otomi settlements in the Mezquital Valley and the Barranca de Metztitlán were divided into encomiendas.

Later, with the creation of the so-called Indian republics, it allowed the Otomi to maintain some of their traditional elements, although not the possession of the land.

The Indian republics, however, did not stop the acculturation of the indigenous population, nor its submission to the landowners. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, these circumstances led to some revolts led by the Otomi, such as the one that occurred in Querétaro in 1735.

In 1767 and 1785, the Otomi of Tolimán attacked the haciendas that occupied their former lands. The rebellion was repeated in 1806 and ended with the capture of the indigenous leaders and their entry into prison.

Geographical location of the Otomi

Historically, the Otomi have lived in central Mexico. At present, there are still several communities in that area that claim their ethnic and cultural descent from the ancient Otomí culture.

Pre-colonial era

Before the arrival of the Spanish, the Otomí had conquered territories such as Querétaro, in addition to settling in places such as San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla or Guanajuato. One of its most important centers was Xilotepec, in the current Mexican state of Hidalgo.

The Otomí social structure consisted mainly of dispersed settlements. In them, the population was grouped in extensive family cells.

Present

At present, 80% of the Otomi live in the states of Mexico, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Veracruz and Puebla.

Within these territories, four spaces can be defined in which the descendants of this people are concentrated: the eastern Sierra Madre, the Semi-desert of Querétaro, the north of the state of Mexico and the Mezquital valley. Other small communities live in Zitácuaro, Tierra Blanca and Ixtenco.

Language

According to experts, the Ottoman linguistic family, to which the Otomí belongs, is one of the oldest in all of Mesoamerica. It is a language linked to the Mazahua language, from which it was separated from the 8th century.

Otomi

In reality, Otomí comprises several different types of languages, without any consensus on the actual number. Thus, the Ethnologue of the Summer Institute of Linguistics and the Catalog of Indigenous Leguas of the National Institute of Indigenous Languages ​​affirm that there are nine varieties of Otomí. On the other hand, Charles Wright Carr affirms that there are only four.

According to the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Mexico, 50.6% of current Otomi speak their native language.

Religion

As with all the indigenous peoples of Mexico, the religion most practiced today among the Otomi is Christianity. The conversion began after the arrival of the Franciscan friars to the area after the conquest.

Despite this, the Otomi have introduced some elements of their ancient beliefs into the Christianity they practice. This syncretism is reflected in the relationship that they establish between some Catholic saints and their ancient gods.

Only in some very isolated communities have their ancestral rites been preserved. Thus, his belief in healers, called nahuales, and in the magic that spiritual guides can practice is still valid.

Ancestral religion

The ancestral beliefs of the Otomi were totally related to the forces of nature. This culture worshiped phenomena such as the rain from the mountains and elements such as the Sun.

On the other hand, witchcraft and quackery were other fundamental elements in their religious practice. The latter, for the Otomi, were capable of curing any type of mental illness by sucking the evil out of the affected person's body.

In addition, the nahuales, the name by which these shamans were known, had the power to turn into animals. When they did, according to their beliefs, they fed on blood and could be representatives of both good and evil.

Gods

The Otomi gods were organized in a hierarchy. The most important were the Holy Father and the Holy Mother. Behind them, other figures appeared that influenced the lives of humans, such as the Sun Lord (Maka Hyadi), the Lady of the Waters, the Earth Lord or the Fire Grandfather.

Another lower rung was occupied by lesser lords. Over time, the Otomi included several Catholic saints in this segment.

Current cults

Today, the Otomí culture continues to revere some elements of nature. Of special importance to them is the cult of the hills. The Otomi have built sanctuaries on the tops of the mountains and often visit it on a ritual circuit.

The chapels built by this town are small, almost always familiar. They are used, among other things, to honor the first baptized relative.

One of the characteristics of their religious practice is the syncretism between Catholicism and their ancient beliefs. Thus, they worship several of their ancient gods whom they have named after some Christian saints.

Traditions and customs

Although the current Otomí population is not very large, in recent years they are trying to recover some of their traditions and customs that had almost been lost.

Social organization

Before the Spanish conquest, Otomí society was divided into two distinct classes: the nobility and the peasants. Among the former were rulers, priests, and farmland owners.

Today, the family remains the main nucleus of Otomí society. Their way of life is closely related to the cultivation of the land and each member of the family must assume their task depending on their age.

It is also a fairly patriarchal society. Women's roles are limited to housekeeping, food preparation, and animal care. This, however, does not prevent them from collaborating in the field if necessary.

Barter

It is known that the Otomí people soon began to practice trade through barter. Although over time they began to use currencies, the exchange of goods or services continued to be the most common for much of their history.

Today, although the purchase with coins has been imposed, the Otomi have not abandoned their ancient bartering practices.

Moshte

An ancient custom that has persisted to this day is the moshte. In short, this consists of paying tribute to deceased relatives by offering them their favorite foods and drinks.

The moshte is celebrated during harvest time, a time when families work together in the fields. Likewise, it can be celebrated during any funeral. Not only do members of the deceased's family participate in the ceremony, but the entire community collaborates by providing fruits, tubers and other foods.

Parties

The Otomi celebrate different festivals throughout the year. All members of the community participate in them and are characterized by color, their parades, offerings, and rituals. The most important are those that coincide with Catholic celebrations.

Two of the most interesting parties are those that take place on May 5 and November 20. Dances, music, fireworks and decorations in churches and cemeteries take center stage.

Day of the Dead

Although it is not an exclusively Otomí festival, the festival of the Day of the Dead is widely celebrated by the members of this community.

As in the rest of Mexico, the Otomi offer different offerings to the souls of the deceased. The spirits of children are offered sweets, sweets, milk or bread, while adults are left with tobacco, alcohol or coffee, in addition to food.

Clothing

Before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors, the Otomi made their own garments with agave or maguey thread. Cotton and wild palm fibers were two of the most common materials. The most common colors were brown and white.

After the conquest, the main change occurred in the choice of material. Thus, cotton began to be widely used, especially in colder areas.

Men and women

The most traditional female garment, present to this day, is the white blanket with embroidery, although there are also some colored ones. On the other hand, it is common for them to comb their hair in braids, collected with wool ribbons.

For their part, men wear shirts placed under the serape. Pants or breeches are fastened with a girdle. On the head they usually wear a wide-brimmed hat and conical crown.

Gastronomy

The base of traditional Otomí gastronomy is corn, followed by other products such as chili or chili. With these ingredients and others (vegetables or animals) this culture prepares a great variety of dishes using various cooking techniques.

The carnivorous contribution to the Otomí diet came from hunting. It was also frequent that they used larvae or insect eggs.

Typical dishes

The current Otomí gastronomy stands out for its elaborations such as tortillas, tamales or cooked or roasted cobs. Likewise, they also consume vegetables such as nopales, beans, peas or pumpkins. As in the rest of the country, there is no shortage of different types of chili.

Given the economic conditions of most Otomi communities, meat is only consumed at fiestas.

As for drinks, the Otomi people opt for herbal tea, fruit juice or pulque, a drink obtained from the fermentation of sugar cane and maguey.

References

1. Culture 10. Otomí culture. Retrieved from cultura10.org
2. Wright Carr, David Charles. Language, culture and history of the Otomi. Recovered arqueologiamexicana.mx
3. State Council for the Integral Development of Indigenous Peoples. Customs and habits. Obtained from cedipiem.edomex.gob.mx
4. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Otomi. Retrieved from britannica.com
5. Otomi Nation. Our history. Retrieved from otomi.org
6. Countries and Their Cultures. Otomí of the Valley of Mezquital - History and Cultural Relations. Retrieved from everyculture.com
7. Revolvy. Otomi. Retrieved from revolvy.com