Gender and ‘Earthly Names’ Gender and ‘Earthly Names’ Among the Rural Nahua at Among the Rural Nahua at

contactcontactNames provide a compendium of Names provide a compendium of

the history of a civilization--Tibon.the history of a civilization--Tibon.Why are the names of ordinary Why are the names of ordinary

Nahuas excluded from history?Nahuas excluded from history?What do gender differences in What do gender differences in

names suggest about relations names suggest about relations between the sexes?between the sexes?

““Ordinary women…we don’t Ordinary women…we don’t even know their names.”even know their names.”

The Nahua Naming CeremonyThe Nahua Naming Ceremony

Naming CeremonyNaming Ceremony (Florentine Codex) (Florentine Codex)

The Midwife Bathes the Newborn BabeThe Midwife Bathes the Newborn Babe““And all during the time that she bathed the And all during the time that she bathed the baby, a pine torch stood burning. It was not baby, a pine torch stood burning. It was not extinguished.”extinguished.”

““And then they there gave him a name, And then they there gave him a name,

they there gave him his earthly name.”they there gave him his earthly name.”

Earthly Names Ceremony Earthly Names Ceremony differs for boys and girlsdiffers for boys and girls

Boys waitingBoys waitingto snatch the to snatch the umbilical cord umbilical cord and eat it.and eat it.

And as she washed it all over, its And as she washed it all over, its

hands, its feet, she gave a talk to all...hands, its feet, she gave a talk to all... Its hands, it was said, she cleaned of Its hands, it was said, she cleaned of thievery. Everywhere on its body, its thievery. Everywhere on its body, its groin, it was said, she cleaned it of groin, it was said, she cleaned it of vice.vice.

The The naming naming

ceremony ceremony began at began at sunrisesunrise… and … and

concluded concluded with a with a

banquetbanquet

Then she raised it as an Then she raised it as an offering in the four directions; offering in the four directions; then she lifted it up, she raised then she lifted it up, she raised it as an offering to the heavens.it as an offering to the heavens.

Debate: Debate: Condition of Nahua WomenCondition of Nahua Women

Leon-Portilla: prominent and of Leon-Portilla: prominent and of great social recognitiongreat social recognition

Rodriguez-Shadow: devalued Rodriguez-Shadow: devalued and dominated and dominated

Kellogg: gender parallelism: Kellogg: gender parallelism: complementary and symmetricalcomplementary and symmetrical

From Classic Texts: From Classic Texts: Few Female NamesFew Female Names

Sahagun’s Sahagun’s General HistoryGeneral History, Persons and , Persons and Deities: 436 Names, 47 occur in Cline’s Deities: 436 Names, 47 occur in Cline’s Libro de TributosLibro de Tributos, but only 2 female , but only 2 female names.names.

Garibay’s Garibay’s Llave del NahuatlLlave del Nahuatl: 12 pages : 12 pages of names but all male.of names but all male.

Schroeder’s genealogies for Chalco: 2 Schroeder’s genealogies for Chalco: 2 dozen female names--3 ordinary ones.dozen female names--3 ordinary ones.

Source: Source: The Book of TributesThe Book of Tributes by S.L. Cline (INAH, v. 549)by S.L. Cline (INAH, v. 549)

Authentic Nahuatl texts written by native scribes, on fig-bark paper, according to prehispanic conventions (transcribed and translated by S.L. Cline).

Museo de Antropología, Mexico City: Museo de Antropología, Mexico City: “Here is the home of one...named…Cuilol”.“Here is the home of one...named…Cuilol”.

Transcribed by Cline Transcribed by Cline ……and translated and translated

A census recorded in glyphsA census recorded in glyphs(Santa Maria Asuncion, Harvey)(Santa Maria Asuncion, Harvey)

Cline on Cline on LibrosLibros and Names and Names

““Although the writings Although the writings themselves are in alphabetic form, themselves are in alphabetic form, the Nahuatl texts indicate very the Nahuatl texts indicate very little impact from the Spanish little impact from the Spanish world…”world…”

Nahua names: “a linguistic Nahua names: “a linguistic thicket”thicket”

4 most common names for each 4 most common names for each sex. What are the differences?sex. What are the differences?

Females• Teyacapan 315

(First one) • Tlaco

182(Middle one)

• Teicuh 182(Second one)

• Necahual 151(Quiet one)

Males• Yaotl 74

(Rival/Enemy)• Matlalihuitl 63

(Rich Feather)• Nochhuetl 52

(Ideal Bean)• Coatl 48

(Serpent)

1201 females 87 unique names

1303 males 574 unique names

Common names Common names 6th-10th most frequent by sex6th-10th most frequent by sex

Females• Xoco 53

(The Last one) • Centehua 42

(One’s Woman)• Xocoyotl 38

(Youngest one)• Tlacoehua 22

(Second daughter)• Cihuaton 15

(Littlest female)• Tepin 15

(Elder Sister)

Males• Tototl 19

(Bird)• Quauhtli 18

(Eagle)• Tochtli 17

(Rabbit)• Zolin 16

(Quail)• Matlal 12

(Indigo Plant)• Xochitl 12

(Flower)

Frequency of Common Female Frequency of Common Female NamesNames

1,013 females share 10 names with 15 or more occurrences55 names occur once; 20, 2-14 times (n=108); unknown (n=25)

nu

mb

er

of o

ccu

rre

nce

s

Fig. 1. Frequency of names for 1,201 females

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Teyacapan Tlaco

Teicuh Necahual

Xoco Centehua

Xocoyotl Tlacoehua

Tepi Cihuaton

n=1n=2-14

unknown

341 males share 10 names with 12 or more occurrences428 names occur once; 143, 2-11 times (n=494); unknown (n=40)

nu

mb

er

of o

ccu

rre

nce

s

Fig. 2. Frequency of names for 1,303 males

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Yaotl Matlalihuitl

Nochhuetl Coatl

Tototl Quauhtli

Tochtli Zolin

MatlaljXochitl

n=1n=2-11

unknown

1,013 females share 10 names with 15 or more occurrences55 names occur once; 20, 2-14 times (n=108); unknown (n=25)

nu

mb

er

of o

ccu

rre

nce

s

Fig. 1. Frequency of names for 1,201 females

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Teyacapan Tlaco

Teicuh Necahual

Xoco Centehua

Xocoyotl Tlacoehua

Tepi Cihuaton

n=1n=2-14

unknown

Common Male NamesCommon Male NamesNote low frequency of most namesNote low frequency of most names

Names in a Tlatoani FamilyNames in a Tlatoani Family

Don Tomas [illegible]…zatzin.Don Tomas [illegible]…zatzin.Females: dona Maria TonallaxochiatlFemales: dona Maria Tonallaxochiatl

Ana Tlaco, Maria Xocoyotl, Ana Tlaco, Maria Xocoyotl, Magdalena Tlaco, Cocoyotl, Maria Tlaco, Magdalena Tlaco, Cocoyotl, Maria Tlaco, Marta Xoco, Teicuh (2), Necahual, Marta Xoco, Teicuh (2), Necahual, Magdalena Teya[ca]pan.Magdalena Teya[ca]pan.

Males: Pedro Tecue[tlaca?], Males: Pedro Tecue[tlaca?], Pedro Omacatl, Cocoliloc Pedro Omacatl, Cocoliloc

Female names by marital statusFemale names by marital status

pe

rce

nt

Fig. 3. 1,176 Female names by marital status

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

single married widowed

other

Teyacapan Tlaco

Teicuh Necahual

Xoco Centehua

Xocoyotl Tlacoehua

Tepi Cihuaton

n=1n=2-14

unknown

Male names by marital conditionMale names by marital condition

pe

rce

nt

Fig. 4. 1,303 Male names by marital status

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

single married widowed

other

Yaotl Matlalihuitl

Nochhuetl Coatl

Tototl Quauhtli

Tochtli Zolin

Matlal Xochitl

n=1n=2-11

unknown

pe

rce

nt

Fig. 3. 1,176 Female names by marital status

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

single married widowed

other

Teyacapan Tlaco

Teicuh Necahual

Xoco Centehua

Xocoyotl Tlacoehua

Tepi Cihuaton

n=1n=2-14

unknown

Conclusions: Earthly Names of Conclusions: Earthly Names of Ordinary PeopleOrdinary People

Rural focus importantRural focus importantMale names: Male names:

individualized, symbolic, diverseindividualized, symbolic, diverseFemale names: Female names:

categorical, birth order, boringcategorical, birth order, boringGender relations:Gender relations:

asymmetrical and trapezoidal asymmetrical and trapezoidal

Nahua Gender Relations: Nahua Gender Relations: assymetry, hierarchy, oppressionassymetry, hierarchy, oppression

Division of LaborDivision of LaborDivision of NamesDivision of NamesAverage age at marriage: Average age at marriage:

girls: 12.7 yearsgirls: 12.7 yearsboys: 19.4 yearsboys: 19.4 years

Widowhood: a female affairWidowhood: a female affairHousehold: only male heads Household: only male heads

End

Demography, percents and averages:

• 4. Ever-married females, aged: 10-14: 50% married or widowed

15-19: 95% id.20-24: 98% id.25+: 100% id.

• 5. Average marriage age (SMAM) = 12.7 years for females (+/-1 year) 19.4 years for males (+/-1 year)

““Just a Little Old Man”Just a Little Old Man”

““Just a Little Old Woman”Just a Little Old Woman”