#caxcan

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Did you know that El Cerro del Teúl, located in Teúl de González Ortega, Zacatecas, is an important archaeological area of western Mexico, occupied from about 200 BC until the arrival of the Spanish in 1531. It was a ceremonial and urban center inhabited by various Mesoamerican cultures, mainly the Caxcans, who used it for both cult and strategic purposes.

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WHO WERE THE CAXCANES? 

“In reality, Cazcan and Aztec are nothing more than two different forms of evolution of Nahuatl through time and space. On the other hand, the fact that Cazcan had preserved until the colonial era the simplicity of its primitive syntax and some of its archaic forms is not a sign of corruption, but of conservation. No one would think of saying, for example, that Galician is an adulterated Castilian or a corrupted Romance. The word "tocho" does not identify the language in question, since "tocho" is nothing more than a nickname that says as much as it does rustic and that applies the same to the Cazcans as to other Chimalhuacan peoples who spoke a Nahuatl inferior in elegance, propriety and purity to that of the Aztec Empire. Let us call it, then, with the Cazcan word that is the proper one, the traditional one, the one that individualizes the language in question and reminds us of the bronze race that heroically defended the homeland against the Spanish invasion, made the Mixtón hill famous and immortalized its brave leader, Tenamaztli.

-J. IGNACIO DAVILA GARIBI, 224

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Cazcan & Classical Nahuatl are related languages, Caxcan is perceived as an older variant in the Caxcan Community. “The persistence in all these forms, I repeat, does not reveal corruption, but antiquity, and on the other hand, analogy with the other sister languages, which in a more or less distant past separated from the mother tongue.”

As languages change over time to reflect the land, words are expanded/reduced over time. 

Olo - Yololitli - Corazon - Heart

Necti - Necutliz - Miel - Honey 

Mizaczi - Mizatzi - Gritar - to Yell

 Zetali - Tzintlalin - Estrellas - Stars

Zecuizti - Zetl - Yelo - Ice

Zozocat - Coatl - Mellino/Serpiente - Twin/Serpent

Zahuat - Temallo - Llago - Lake

Ezat - Pipiyolin/Mimiahuatl/Tlaletzatl/Mimiahuatl - Abeja - Bee

By the 17th century, Most words in Cazcano were pluralized with -in or -me ending while Classical only pluralized people & non-breathing items when given human characteristics.

Chicahuaque - ? - Casas Fuertes - Strong Houses   

Caltin - ? - Casas - Houses

Tepechichin - Pequeños - Little Boys

Altepeme - ? - Pueblos - Villages

Tepeme -  ? - Cerros - Hills

Totlteme - ? - Huevos - Eggs

Amame -  ? -Papeles - Papers

Amoztime - ? - Libros - Books 

Tepantime - ? - Padres - Parents

Tepozme - ? - Fierros - Irons

Huetime -  ? -Offrendas - Offerings

Xayome - ? - Lágrimas - Tears

Tetaczoltame -  ? -Prendas Amadas - Loved Clothes

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Caxcan begin with a z- sound compared to the tz- sound in Classical. 

Zacat - Tzacatl - ? 

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Guttural - sounds made in the back of the throat from the middle of a word

Caxcan sometimes has guttural sounds like -ct in place of the -tl Classical

Mactacti - Matlactli - Diez - Ten

Mactacpa - Matlacpa - Diez Veces - Ten Times

Caxcan Nahual has a gutteral -c in place of an airy -h sound of Classical

Ayohtli - Ayocti - Calabaza - Squash

Ohtli - Octli - Camino - Path

Pahtli - Pacti - Medicina - Medicine

Tlahtolli - Tactoli - Trato - Deal

Tlahtoani - Tactoani - Señor - Man.

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Caxcan has the -i ending that corresponds to the -in in Classical Nahuatl.

Tecoli - Tecolin - Carbón - Coal

Tecpi - Tecpin - Pulga - Flea

Tuli - Tolin - Tule - ?

Zoyoli - Zayolin - Mosca - Fly

Zuli - Zulin - Codorniz - Quail

Tómi - Tómin - Dinero - Money

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Caxcan Nahual has a short -li sound that corresponds to the -lli of Classical.

Cali - Calli - Casa - House

Acali - Acalli - Barca - Boat

Icpali - Icpalli - sillón con respaldo - specifically a certain type of seat for persons of authority

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Honorifics in Caxcan end with -zi or -chi while it is -tzin in Classical. 

Ilamazi - ? - Ancianita - Elderly Woman

Tepechi - ? - Pequeñito - Little Boy

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 Caxcan does not have a [tl] sound cluster.

Tali - ? - Tierra - Earth

Tenextet -  ? -Piedra de Cal - Limestone

Tetazoctani -  ? -Amador - Lover

Tazocta -  ? -Amar - to Love

Tazotatactoli -  ? - palabra Afectuosa - Affectionate words

 In some placename endings, Caxcan -tan & -ta correspond with the Classical -tlan & -tla ending in places like Mezquitán, Ocotán, Xocótan, Zapotán. 

Quacta - Cuauhtla - Montana - Mountain

Nouns in Caxcan have a -ti or -i sounds that corresponds to Classical -tli sound 

Amoxti - Amoxtli - Libro - Book 

Apazti - Apaztli - Lebrillo - Basin

Mezti - Metztli - Luna - Moon

Tenexti - Tenextli - Luz -Light 

Zenti - Zentli - Mazorca de Maiz - Ear of Corn

Zipacti - Zipactli - Pez Espada - Swordfish

Tochi - Tochtli - Conejo - Rabbit

Similarly, Nouns in Caxcan have -t ending that corresponds to Classical has a -tl 

Acat - Acatl - Carrizo - Reed

Et - Etl - Frijol - Bean

Exot - Exotl - Habichuela - Green Bean

Huilot - Huilotl - Paloma - Dove

Met - Metl - Maguey 

Tet - Tetl - Piedra - Stone

Algunas Observaciones Acera de Estas Tribus y su Idioma by J. Ignacio Davila Garibi 

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Connections of Caxcan with Tlachialoyantepec and Chemehuevi with Mamapukaib by Daisy Ocampo

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The Mexican Government federally recognized Caxcan as Indigenous People as of August 2024, twenty-two years after the initial Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) excavations of Tlachiayolantepec. Our place of creation was stolen to investigate our contribution to the Turquoise Trail, yet those anthropologists are dismissive of our ancestral ties to the land, placing restrictions on places of ceremony, harvest, and places of deep spiritual importance. The INHA Museum decided that the Caxcan were no longer part of the historical record after first contact in 1531. The heavily documented Mixton War (1541–1542) is our initial rebellion. After our defeat, we proceeded to rally neighboring allies and enslaved brethren against the Spanish during the Chichimeca War (1550–1590). The INAH Museum and Archeological Department is manipulative in their retelling of Caxcan history to lay claim over the archeological site. Their confirmation bias does not permit them to acknowledge the well documented history of Caxcan lives and oral traditions.