The teponaztli is a percussion instrument, similar to the xylophone. It was very popular in the Mesoamerican region, which included Mexico, parts of Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador. Although it was in the Mexican civilizations where it had a greater impact, specifically in the Aztec culture.
It was one of the most important musical instruments before the Spanish colonization occurred in those areas of the American continent. Physically many may mistake a teponaztli for a drum, but it is more similar to the xylophone, both being percussion elements.
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Many peoples of Mesoamerica considered the teponaztli as a sacred object in their cultures. Even today very few are preserved, having a very high importance at a cultural and even economic level.
It consists or is built with a single piece of wood, the most important thing being that it was solid. It was an instrument that was used in ceremonies or religious rites, but also in war to emit some kind of signal.
Origin
It has not been determined exactly how the teponaztli arose. It has been determined that it is an instrument originating in Mesoamerican times and that it managed to survive the Spanish colonization. Some historians affirmed that the teponaztli was created like a variant to some typical drums of the northwestern zone of South America.
Undoubtedly, the importance of teponaztli in the Aztec culture suggests that it had great importance in Mexico. In 1990, some of these instruments were even found in the archaeological zone of the Templo Mayor, located in Mexico City.
It bears a great resemblance to other percussion instruments of that period, especially the huéhuetl. When the Spanish arrived in America, the teponaztli was already an instrument used in many communities.
In Mesoamerican times, offerings to the different gods were very important. Music, songs and dances became an ally of the communities when it came to worshiping their figures or deities. That is why the teponaztli had great importance.
Meaning
Since the 5th century one of the languages that exist in Mexico is Nahuatl. It is said that the term teponaztli originates from there and deals with the duality of things. In more recent years some Mesoamerican instruments have been associated with certain sexual attributes. For example, the teponaztli represented rather the feminine ones.
Although it depends on the place, it can have several names. For example, in Mexico it is named in different ways, from teponaztli, to tunkul or tinco.
Over the years, scholars have given much more meaning to teponaztli. Nahuatl experts assured that it means hollowed out since it is an adaptation of the word tepontie. Other scholars claim that it owes its name to a tree whose name was Teponazoa.
'To touch the back with the hands' and 'to fill a thing with air' are some of the other meanings that have been given to teponaztli.
Features and Uses
The teponaztli was characterized by having two reeds that formed an H. The percussion of the teponaztli was achieved thanks to the use of two sticks called olmaitl. Between the two reeds, the teponaztli is capable of emitting eight types of sounds. Each sound depends a lot on the length and thickness of those reeds.
The sound of the teponaztli depends on the vibration of the instrument itself, since it does not have any type of string or membrane. It is closely associated with the Aztec culture in Mexico.
It was made using a single piece of wood. They were carved vertically and their interior was hollow. The teponaztlis that were used in war situations were small, since they had to be transported easily.
Today, the National Museum of Archeology is where many types of teponaztli can be found. It is very difficult to find these instruments in any other place since they are considered heritage in Mexico and their sale is prohibited.
It was used for different reasons, but the most relevant and common were religious reasons. Music was always an element present in ancient rituals, especially in Mesoamerican cultures. The Aztecs were accompanied by a teponaztli in their rituals.
In the war it was also a great ally, since it was used to issue orders or help emotionally the supporters of the same group of warriors.
Currently, it continues to be an instrument of great importance for the Nahua communities of Mexico. In celebrations it is usually accompanied by other types of instruments. Every June 24 the teponaztli is the protagonist, since at noon it is played in Xochipila to accompany the priest to the ceremonial center of the city.
materials
Wood is the main material in the construction of a teponaztli. Its creation is made thanks to the use of a single piece and it is very important to take into account the acoustic characteristics that it must meet.
The piece of wood is hollow in the center as this area is what allows the instrument to perform the percussion function. The piece of wood used to be large. Usually a tree trunk was used, although in some cases the branches could serve as well. The normal thing was that it was not more than a meter long.
The use of wood allowed different figures to be carved on the outside of the instrument. Representations of imaginary animals used to be carved that could be represented throughout the entire teponaztli.
Different types of wood could be used. The most important thing is that they were solid. Walnut, ash and oak trees were some of the most common when choosing the raw material for the musical instrument.
Importance
It is an instrument of great importance, especially for Mexicans. Its role in history has been reflected in different documents of antiquity, both prior to the Spanish conquest, and later.
In the Florentine Codex, in the Ramírez Codex and in some writings of Fray Diego Durán, the teponaztli has been described and how it was used by the communities of the time. The teponaztli was usually supported on a wooden base.
Its importance is also reflected in the fact that not just anyone can touch it. Normally, only members of the traditional governments of indigenous communities can do so. Anyone else, especially women, couldn't be around, much less play the instrument.
It had certain mythical connotations. Indigenous beliefs speak of the teponaztli as a living being, it is even assured that it is the spirits who teach how it should be touched.
References
- Alejandro Ramírez. et al. The Sun-God and Christ: The Christianization of the Indians of Mexico seen from the Sierra de Puebla. Fondo De Cultura Economica / Mexico, 2013.
- Blades, James. Percussion Instruments And Their History. Faber, 1975.
- Noguera, Eduardo. Prehispanic Wood Carvings. Editorial Guarania, 1958.
- Olmedo Vera, Bertina. The Red Temples Of The Sacred Precinct Of Tenochtitlán. National Institute of Anthropology and History, 2002.
- Wright, Jay. Dimensions Of History., 1976.