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Huēhuecoyōtl

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Huehuecoyotl
God of the arts, lord of music and ceremonial dance, guide of adulthood and adolescence
Member of the Nauhtzonteteo
Huehuecoyotl as depicted in the Codex Borgia[1]
Other namesUeuecoyotl
AbodeTlalticpac
GenderMale
RegionMesoamerica
Ethnic groupAztec (Nahoa)
Genealogy
ParentsOmecihuatl (Emerged by Tecpatl)
Siblingsthe Nauhtzonteteo (1,600 gods)
ConsortNone
ChildrenNone

In Aztec mythology, Huēhuehcoyōtl ([weːweʔˈkojoːt͡ɬ]) (from huēhueh [ˈweːweʔ] "very old" (literally, "old old") and coyōtl [ˈkojoːt͡ɬ] "coyote" in Nahuatl) is the auspicious Pre-Columbian god of music, dance, mischief, and song. He is the patron of uninhibited sexuality and rules over the day sign in the Aztec calendar named cuetzpallin (lizard) and the fourth trecena Xochitl ("flower" in Nahuatl).[2][3]

History

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Stories derived from the Codex Telleriano-Remensis characterized Huehuecóyotl as a benign prankster, whose tricks were often played on other gods or even humans, but tended to backfire and cause more trouble for himself than for the intended victims. A great party-giver, he also was alleged to create wars among humans to relieve his boredom. He was a part of the Tezcatlipoca (Smoky Mirror) family of the Mexica gods and inherited their shapeshifting powers.

Those who had indications of evil fates from other gods would sometimes appeal to Huehuecóyotl to mitigate or reverse their fates. Huehuecóyotl shares many characteristics with the trickster Coyote of the North American tribes, including storytelling and choral singing.[4] He is also the god of deception.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Bodo Spranz (1975). Fondo de Cultura Económica México (ed.). Los Dioses en los Códices Mexicanos del Grupo Borgia: Una Investigación Iconográfica (in Spanish). María Martínez Peñaloza (translator). México. ISBN 968-16-1029-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ a b "Article". Aztec Calendar.
  3. ^ "Huehuecóyotl, the Erotic God Worshipped by Mexican Antiquities". The Yucatan Times. 12 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  4. ^ "HUEHUECOYOTL". GodChecker.
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