A Kingdom Between lakes and Mountains
Felipe Sol?s and ?ngel Gallegos
In the middle of the 14th century, Tari?curi, the cazonci of
Patxcuaro, who had tirelessly fought to consolidate his domain in the central region of Michoac?n, saw his son die and suddenly knew that he too would die one day. Shortly afterwards, he summoned his three nephews, Hirepan, Tangaxoan, and Hiquingaje to meet in a secret ceremony in Thiuapu mountain or ?the place of copal (a resin)?.
Before the startled eyes of the young princes, the cazonci showed them their future kingdoms in the shape of three mounds of earth, on top of which he placed a stone and an arrow. The first element represented the figure of Curicaueri, the supreme god, while the second symbolized the destiny awaiting the princes: war and the conquest of nearby towns.
In his solemn speech, Tari?curi told them to organize expeditions to the four cardinal points of the universe to conquer new lands, and to take hold of their wealth and to impose tributes on the conquered people to ensure the future of the Pur?pecha Indians. That way they would also take revenge for the old quarrels and damages their ancestors had suffered when they first arrived in the lake region of P?tzcuaro.
After the ceremony, Tangaxoan returned to
Tzintzuntzan and began to prepare his expedition. He summoned the bravest warriors and provided them with enough weapons for the upcoming battles. He climbed up the northern slope of Yahuarato hill followed by his nearest relatives and the captain of his guard. From there he observed the beautiful landscape and thanked the gods for the blessing his people had received. He knew that the universe had been generous to them.
Next to his city were Lake P?tzcuaro and several islands including Pacanda, Yunu?n, Jar?cuaro, and Janitzio. Most people there fished the delicious white fish since there was not much suitable land for farming nearby.
The Pur?pechas built their most important cities on the banks of the great lake; Tzintzuntzan was on the eastern bank; further on to the southwest was Ihuatzio, known to the Mexicas as Cuyuacan or ?place of coyotes? (due to many rock carvings shaped like this animal); P?tzcuaro was in the south, while Erongar?cuaro was on the western shore.
On that bright morning, Tangaxoan showed his followers the Nahuatzen mountains, which surround and protect the lake like a natural wall that runs from northeast to southwest joining the Pich?taro mountains in the south. The forest-covered mountains gave them the wood for the beams that held the palace?s roofs, and poor people also used it to build their humble homes.
From the top of the hill the group of warriors looked northeast and saw Lake Cuitzeo and the cities of Huandacareo, Zinap?cuaro, Araro, Chucandiro, Jeruco, Tarimbaro, and Cuitzeo on the shoreline; until then these cities were independent from Tari?curi.
The large space between both basins was basically flat except for Zirate hill, located north of P?tzcuaro. The land was sprinkled with fields of corn, beans, and squash. The captain of Tangaxoan said that last year had been a good one for hunting. The forest animals, especially deer, gave them meat and skins, and their horns were used by obsidian knife makers to make arrowheads and spears.
Ever since the times of Thic?tame (some called him Hireti-Tic?tame), founder of the cazonci dynasty, people considered this region of lakes and mountains as the home of the Pur?pechas, where the people?s sacred bird, the eagle-sun, would always govern.
Michoacan was famous for its abundance of birds of prey and other birds whose feathers were used to make
headdresses and other ornaments for noble men.
In order to prepare his conquest strategy, Tangaxoan met with the council of elders, who knew of the remote areas surrounding the kingdom of mountains and lakes. The elders told him there was a region known as Tierra Caliente (warm land) to the south after crossing the powerful Tepalcatepec River, which then joined the Balsas River. This area had important cities, including Uruapan, Ario, Tac?mbaro, and Apatzing?n, and had many tropical products such as cocoa, tobacco, and cotton, which was used to weave the clothes of nobles and commoners alike.
The Balsas River was the natural limit that separated the Pur?pecha people from the Nahuas, Yopis, and Chontales, who lived on the eastern part of the coastal region. Tangaxoan?s explorers had informed him of an imposing mountain range, the Sierra Madre del Sur, south of Tepalcatepec River, which would slow down advancing armies. Only some brave merchants dared to cross it from time to time to transport valuable products from the sea, such as seashells and sea snails which the artisans of the lake region used to make elegant jewelry (bracelets, necklaces) for their lords.
http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/english/historia/prehispanica/un_reino_entre_lagos_y_mon3.jpg
