Aztec Dancers at Mass, in church?

  • Thread starter Thread starter MusherMaggie
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
This is only partially accurate.

The many indigenous peoples had dances honoring gods and goddesses, as well as many other dances for various ceremonies, long before the Spanish arrived. Many of those dances have been adapted to Catholicism.
 
No, because Juan Diego was a Chichimeca. (Meaning his family was from outside the Empire) Since Aztecs were an empire and not a tribe…there’s that, too (not to mention, the empire was only in a certain area in what is now Mexico)
Besides that, at church, maybe, at Mass, no. I actually asked my mother (who has been to Mexico) what Mass was like there. It’s apparently a bit more festive, but, not dancing. I wish I could say more, but all I can give is history and my opinion. I’m just curious why they would need to dance at Mass.
 
Aztec is kind of a misnomer. They are Mexica and speak Nahuatl.

Mass would vary depending on where in Mexico it was and also if it was a holiday/feast day.

The people in Mexico aren’t one set culture, even today.
 
Last edited:
13pollitos said:
The many indigenous peoples had dances
Click to expand...
Well, yeah. Virtually all cultures have dance, including that of a religious nature. Certainly the indigenous peoples of America did.

But the dance of the matachines is a derivative of the Dance of the Moors and Christians, taught by the missionaries, and altered over time. The masks particularly derive from this dance.

It’s pretty well documented.
 
1ke said:
The masks particularly derive from this dance.
Click to expand...
We might be talking about separate things. What masks are you referring to? The dances I was thinking of don’t use masks. My husband and kids are the ones that know the various dances. I don’t participate in them. I do help them get ready and know what they do, but not really what each is called.

They do have some dances with masks, but not very many. They do those at the reception after Mass and at parties or festivals other times. They don’t do them during the processions or anything like that. Most are still pre Hispanic dances, but there are a few that are adopted from the Spanish. One dance is pre Hispanic but was changed somewhat after the Spanish. They dress up like “old men” and supposedly it is used to make fun of the Spanish land owners, but originally was a dance pre Hispanic used to worship as well.
 
How does their dancing affect you? And why should it?

Bokbok
 
Spiritual dancing was allowed w VatIi. Besides that David danced for God. Dancing can be a prayer as they dance for our Lady of Guadalupe.
God receives the love w their intent
 
Last edited:
poche said:
This predates the coming of Christianity to the new world. They had it in some form during the time of the Latin Mass.
Click to expand...
So if it predates the coming of Christianity, how does it express Christianity? Sounds like the message of Christianity was grafted on to it. In that case, what is the original pre-Christian message of the Adtec dancing?
 
What is the original pre Christian meaning of the Christmas tree, All Souls’ Day, wedding rings, or any number of things we as Catholics embrace?
 

“Danzas Aztecas have peaked much interest in the United States. Mexican people have made Aztec dance a way to preserve their culture, and have also made it available to anyone wanting to explore their indigenous cultural history. Today, Aztec dance is about entertainment rather than religious tradition, but why did the Aztecs start this tradition of dance? Was it only a religious custom? Or was it merely entertainment? Today, Danzas keep the ritual alive to honor their ancestral culture and to preserve the history of the Mexican identity.”
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top