[ Versión en Español ]

		Ahuizotl [/ah-wee-zoe-tl/] Water thorn creature, -a: alt, water; -hui: -huiztli, thorn; -olt: property or attribute [Garibay, 1965, p.53]

Florentino Codex: Ahuizotl attacks a fishing boat

There are a lot of legends about us, in fact there are too many that people think that we are just some fantasy creatures from a superstitious indian people. Until now, nobody could find bones or corpses of us, so the zoologists can't classify us or maybe we were mistaken with other animals (like tlacuaches). If we are taken as mythological creatures, then we will give you another headache, because the Spanish conquerors from that age wrote in their books that we are a unique species from "the New World". So the theory who says that we're imaginary creatures just has a dead-end here. Our habitat generally is in any great amount of water like rivers and lakes, from the mexican state of Durango to the state of Yucatán. Of course we lived in the old Tenochtitlan city, capitol of the aztec empire and nowadays Mexico City. Because our territory was so wide, several pre-Columbian cultures talked about us in their codex, traditions, legends and oral history.

The Florentino Codex is an encyclopedic work about the prehispanic cultures of the Nueva España, compiled by Fray Bernanrdino de Sahagún after the Spanish conquest. In this work, Sahagún wrote about us a little with some justice: "An Ahuizotl is approximately the size of a dog with pointy ears, monkey or raccoon hands like, covered of a slippery deep dark grey or black fur. They seem made of oilcloth" I need to make clear that our skin looks like made of oilcloth, because we're semi-water animals like the otters. When we're in the water our skin absorbs some water for swim better. When we're dry, our fur looks like dog or wolf fur, except that it looks being made of fine thorns instead of hair.

Ahuizotl (From Dungeons and Dragons - Fiend Folio, Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro, 2002)

Our hunting style is the common of any other aquatic predator, we catch our preys and bite them very hard for avoid any possible escape. Any aquatic animal can be a tasty tidbit for our belly, even if the menu includes some clueless human swimmer for the non-delicatessen Ahutzotls. However, we're smaller for hunt bigger preys and even we could be the prey and not the predator. Humans could hunt us easily like any other aquatic animals. So, why anybody do not dare to mess with Ahuizotls?

Scientific theories say that animals evolve to adapt into their natural environment. But, when zoologists saw how we did evolved, they do not believe that it can be possible, hrmm. Our tail did evolve in a different way than wolves, dogs, otters and any other animal like us. Unlike to be something to express feelings like wolves or dogs, or to catch stuff like in monkeys, our tail evolved to be a complete flexible arm with an extra hand. With this "little" extra help, we can swim faster than most animals, make deadly whirlpools and made an underwater chaos where nobody can escape. So anybody knows the risk of try to hunt an Ahuizotl.

Ahuizotl (Picture of Verreaux © 2005-2006)

Sahagún continues his story talking about the whirlpools that we can made, they are so big and strong that we can throw away of water frogs, fishes and any other small aquatic creature. Even he try to describe our famous "cry" sounds, who inflict fear to everybody who hears them. But derogatory Sahagún compares them with the cry of a new-born human baby, maybe because it was the most familiar sound that he could find to compare. And of course there is an aztec legend, who says that we "cry" because we are sad for not find a human prey to devour.

Of course, since humans were part of the menu of many Ahuzolts, Sahagún focus his story in give a better detail of the ugly happening: "[..] In the middle of the waves [of the lake], the victim did sink in the water and the Ahuizotl carried him to an underwater cave, where [the creature] did wrest his eyes, teeth and fingernails. Subsequently, the corpse was thrown away to the surface [of the lake]. The only people allowed to grab the corpse were the priests of Tlaloc, they could bury the victim only in one of the four temples dedicated to that god. [..]"

Ahuizotl (Picture of Verreaux © 2005-2006)

A common saying among the aztecs says: "Somebody who dead in this way is because for one of those reasons: That people was very good and due his/her virtue the tlaloque gods wanted that people in their paradise or that people had jade jewel (precious stone related to the water element) and the Tlaloque gods decided to punish that thief." So, the aztecs though that our everyday food hunting was in the reality a punishment of the Tlaoque gods against humans. However, humans used to dread us and never dare to hunt us to fear a divine punishment. With that "divine task" in our black furry shoulders, virtually we had no foes and we could do whatever we wanted.

Many zoologists had tried to classify us, trying to compare us with the nearest silly animal they think is close to us. Like the Yapok (Chironectes Minimus) a fearsome amphibious carnivorous tlachuache, but he's just is a brainless hobo without any grace. The Otter is bigger than us, but is vegetarian and very shy, tsk tsk. I can't believe that they dare to compare to us with them!. Zoologists says that one of the main evidences about we could be one of those animals, comes from the descriptions of Francisco Javier Clavijero about us, 200 years after the Codex Sahagún:"[..] [A] four legged amphibious animal, the body is a foot of length, the muzzle is big, sharper and the tail is big". So at least people have seen us even in the XIX Century.

Eighth Tlatoani: Ahuizotl or "Water Dog" (1486-1502)

Possible look of the Tlatoani Ahuizotl based from aztec codex

We wouldn't have a big headache if our troubles were only with the Zoologists. But now I must talk about the Eighth Tlatoani (Aztec King) called Ahuizotl. The use of this word in the name of a king, demonstrate that is a common word in the Nahualt language. But the codex of the Ahuizotl Tlatoani is the codes of a dog with water in his back and a coiled tail, so for this mistake, people believed that we are dogs and did translated wrong the name Ahuizotl as "water dog".

Let's talk a little about his history: Since Ahuizotl was proclaimed Tlatoani when Tizoc died, his personal mark was the fierce and fearsome behavior. Also he was very cruel too, before the coronation day, he did a campaign against two nearly tribes -mazahua and otomi- to get prisoners to sacrifice in the celebration. Ahuizotl was a very devoted king and he ordered to make a new Main Temple, in the consecrate day, the history tells that at least twenty thousands of prisoners were sacrificed to made the Temple able to the gods. The tribute to the conquered tribes was specially slaves for sacrifice for the daily ceremonies in the Main Temple. For this, the aztec empire were considered evil by the conquered tribes, something that in the future will help to some white men who will come from the west ocean.

Beside slaves for sacrifice, the defeated needed to pay high tributes to the aztec empire: Food, clothes, animals, furs, jewels, medicine plants, obsidian, etc. As well, they saw impotent how the aztec army destroyed their villages to impose the laws and lifestyle of the conqueror.

In Ahuizotl's reign, the aztec empire expanded at the more fast rate of its history, from Central Mexico to Guatemala. This expansion was made in two fronts, the military at charge of Ahuizotl and the logistic at charge of Tlacaelel, a minister who served to several Tlatoanis and was a strategist genius. Sadly for the aztec empire, Tlacaelel died in Ahuizotl's reign, so the expansion wars had some changes. Vicente Riva Palacio describe about him: "[..] Izcoatl's strong arm, Moctezuma Ilhuicamina's strategist mind and soul of the tree brothers Axayácatl, Tizoc and Azhuizotl.[..]"

Codex with a glyph of the Tlatoani Ahuizotl

Ironicaly, all those hungry of blood and power turned over Ahuizotl and his people. Against the advice of other leaders and ministers, Ahuizotl ordered the building of a new aqueduct from the kingdom of Coyoacan (Place of coyotes) that will supply of fresh water to the capitol city. The new aqueduct was not really necessary, it was planned just for irrigate the new imperial gardens and terraces, and even with plans to create more gardens, leaving the common people without water. Tzutzuma, lord of Coyoacan, was the only leader who opposed to the wish of the Tlatoani, because his kingdom would become a desert for just a mere caprice. And because the river of Coyoacan was of variable pressure, so it may flood the capitol city.

That small and logic complain about the aqueduct plans, were enough for Ahuizotl to call Tzutzuma a traitor of the aztec empire. Ahuizotl put a price for the head of Tzutzuma and sent some Tequihua warrior troops to Coyoacan. The legend says that Tzuzuma was a Nahual (Shapeshifter shaman) and he used his power three times against the troops, shapeshifting in Eagle, Jaguar and Snake. With this he could defeat the troops who came back to Tenochtitlan. When the Tlatoani founded himself humiliated, he did order that all the aztec troops will destroy all the kingdom of Coyoacan if Tzutzuma did not surrender. For his people, Tzutzuma went to Tenochtitlan and died in front of Ahuizotl, before to die he cursed Ahuizotl and his empire, talking that the river will avenge his death.

The aqueduct was finished around 1499. In honor of the gods, the aztecs offered human and animal sacrifices for please the gods and destroy the curse. They made a big celebration when the water finally started to fill the springs in the center of Tenochtitlán. But when the people forgot the cruse, the spring gradually started to fill the Texcoco Lake (who surrounded the city since Tenochtitlán was an artificial island) and around 1500, the water lever suddenly flooded the city destroying it. Trying of escape from the flood, Ahuizotl found himself trapped in his imperial palace, in this point the history is not clear. Some historical codex says that Ahuizotl died when part of the roof felt over him, other historical texts says that he got hurt badly in the head. On this case, I'll assume that Alfredo Chavero was right and Ahuizotl could survive. Chavero tells that he broken Tlatoani never healed and got sick until he rest in bare bones. The common people did gossip about the cruse for years but other said that he was poisoned by his enemies and the cruse fake was. Anyway, Ahuizotl died on 1502 (10-Tochtli) being a shadow of the warrior he was sometime.

Ahuizotl got the proper burial for a king; his ashes were left in an urn. The successor to the throne Moctezuma Ilhuicamina won't see better times either. Since 1492, white men from the East Ocean start to explore the islands that one day will be know as Cuba and the Caribbean. Soon they will seek for gold in the continent and the last days of the aztec empire will start.

Tobmstone urn from the Tlatoani Ahuizotl

We've been of inspiration to many people in Mexico. For example, Vicente Riva Palacio was a reporter who was against the dictator Porfirio Diaz and his bad government. Riva Palacio published a fanzine new called "El Ahuizote" (1874-1876) with the slogan of "A fearsome politic weekly magazine but with good instincts". The success of this magazine did begin a small rule, from 1880 to 1920 to call "Ahuizote" to the underground magazines against the governments from Porfirio Diaz to the end of the Mexican Revolution. Those magazines had the name of "Son of El Ahuizote", "Grandson of the Ahuizote" and so on. So, despite of our small popularity, we're still hidden in the history. We can be real or we can be just a legend. But we'll always hungry to find a place for us in the world history.

ADITIONAL ART:
An especial greeting to Verreaux for give me permission for add in this page his very deailed pictures about us.

RESOURCES:
Clavijero, Francisco Javier. Historia Antigua de México, "Sepan cuantos..." num.29, Editorial Porrúa, México, 1982.
Escalante, Yuri. El Ahuizotl. Arqueología Mexicana, Vol. VI Num.35, p.56. Editorial Raíces - Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia de México, México, January-February 1999.
Riva Palacio, Vicente. México a través de los siglos, Tomo III (From original 1880 edition), p.223-227 Editorial Cumbre, México, 1987.
Sahagún, Fray Bernardino de. Historia General de las cosas de Nueva España, "Sepan cuantos..." num.300, Editorial Porrúa, México, 1975.

3-Ahuizotl/Ahuizotl-3 character © 2000-2006 Gerardo "Lobocursor" Rubio. All Rights Reserved.

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