Tales From Aztlantis
We explore Chicano, Mexicano, and Mesoamerican history, archaeology, and culture, and combat the spread of disinformation about these very topics. Your hosts Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl invite you to join them on a fascinating journey through Mesoamerica's past, present, and future!
Goodpods #1 in the Top 100 Chicano Podcasts (3 years running!)
Episodes
196 episodes
THROWBACK: Cesar Chavez & The Cult of Synanon!
The year is 1966, in Santa Monica, California. Inside a large, dimly lit room, members of a controversial and increasingly violent group known as Synanon gather in a circle. At the center sits a single figure—another “Synanite”—alone on a foldi...
109: Hopi Kachina Dolls in Brooklyn!
We are joined by Colleen Lucero to talk about the upcoming exhibit Hopi Kachina Dolls: Blessings for a Balanced World, which opens October 2 at the Brooklyn Museum, and her work with the Hopivewat Learning Center. Colleen is a Hopi community me...
108: Rebirth of an Aztec Codex!
Rebirth of an Aztec CodexThere are some stories from Mesoamerican history that, when you first hear them, sound almost too good to be true. Take for example, the Tonalamatl Aubin. Now, for those not familiar, the story goes like t...
Throwback: Human Sacrifice!
When people hear phrases like “human sacrifice” or “cannibalism” their minds don’t immediately jump to the Crusades, Rome, medieval Europe, or the Bible. They jump straight to brown skin, feathered headdresses, and temples drenched in blood. Ty...
THROWBACK: The Chicano Moratorium!
Given the current climate here in Occupied America, we thought it would be worth taking a look at the Chicano Moratorium march of August 29, 1970. The event serves as a good example of how we organized as a community to speak out against an unj...
Episode 107: Catarino Garza, Chicano Revolutionary!
As the sun slowly rose over the Rio Grande on September 15, 1891, Catarino Erasmo Garza stood on the Texas side of the border holding in his hands two objects that would come to define his life: a Winchester rifle and a revolutionary proclamati...
Episode 106: Channeling Quetzalcoatl!
We Watched a White Woman "Channel" Quetzalcoatl... So You Don't Have ToCan someone really channel Quetzalcoatl? Or is it just another example of New Age spirituality borrowing from Indigenous traditions without understanding them?...
Episode 105: Who Owns Our DNA? W/ Joseph Yracheta! Pt. 2
What happens when Indigenous DNA becomes the next frontier of resource extraction? In part two of this episode of Tales from Aztlantis, Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl are joined once again by Joe Yracheta, an Ame...
Episode 104: Who Owns Our DNA? W/ Joseph Yracheta! Pt. 1
What happens when Indigenous DNA becomes the next frontier of resource extraction?In Part 1 of this thought-provoking episode of Tales from Aztlantis, Kurly Tlapoyawa and Ruben Arellano Tlakatekatl are joined by Joe Yracheta<...
Episode 103: Aztec Virtue Signalling!
Did the Aztecs have a concept of virtue? In this episode, we dive into a lively scholarly debate over the Nawatl phrase kwalli and yektli ("good" and "right") and whether it can properly be translated as "virtue." Examining co...
Episode 102: Aztec Philosophy w/ Sebastian Purcell
Aztec Philosophy, Ethics, and the Outward Path with Dr. Sebastian PurcellWhat if living a good life isn't about chasing happiness, but about building strong relationships and fulfilling your responsibilities to others?In th...
Episode 101: Born on the 4th of The Lie!
Family, friends, and listeners:We gather virtually at a momentous historical threshold. The United States is engulfed in the pageantry, corporate sponsorships, and national choreography of its Semiquincentennial—the 250th anniversary of ...
Throwback: An Aztec False Flag!
Danzantes, Mexicanistas, and other cultural practitioners often display a banner that they claim is the "original" and "true" banner of the Mexika people. Often referred to as the Panketzalli, Bandera de Cuitlahuac, or the Bandera de Victoria, ...
Episode 100: The Veiled Prophet w/ Devin Thomas O'Shea!
What does the 2nd Mexican Empire, Confederate soldiers on the run, and the TV show The Office have to do with a white supremacist secret society in St. Louis? Author and historian Devin Thomas O'Shea joins us to talk about his fantastic new boo...
Episode 99: The Pretend Indians!
If you were to walk out onto the street right now and ask the average person to close their eyes and picture an “American Indian,” what images would flash across their mind? For most, those images wouldn’t be of contemporary indigenous lawyers,...
Throwback: Inventing New Mexico's Crypto Jews!
In the blistering heat of New Mexico’s sun-baked earth, under the protective gaze of Okuu Pin–the Turtle Mountain that majestically stands guard over Albuquerque–a strange and persistent legend has taken hold. It’s a story of hidden Jews, of an...
Episode 98: The Aztec Death Whistle!
Today, we’re talking about how we tell history, and specifically, how the media treats indigenous cultures. We are diving into the recent cultural history of the so-called Aztec Death Whistle. I’ve wanted to look into this topic for a while, bu...
Episode 97: Zombie Columbus Vs. the KKK!
Well, dear listeners, here we go again.Like a brainless zombie emerging from the grave, a long-dead statue of Christopher Columbus has lurched back to life in order to reign terror on Washington DC.And as his statue’s reanimated c...
Throwback: Cinco de Mayo!
What is the actual history of Cinco de Mayo, what importance does it hold for Chicana/Chicano/Chicanx communities, and most importantly why is it celebrated in the United States? Well dear listener, if you have ever asked yourself any of those ...
Episode 96: Tragedy at Teotihuacan
On the morning of April 20, tourists climbed the ancient steps of the Temple of the Moon at Teotiwakan, taking in the grandeur of the once-thriving Mesoamerican metropolis. From personal experience, I can tell you that the air that day was prob...
Throwback: The Juan Diego Code!
During a 1990 visit to Mexico, Pope John Paul II confirmed the long-standing liturgical cult in honor of Juan Diego, officially beatifying him. This act set in motion the process of canonizing Juan Diego as the first saint Indigenous to the Ame...
Episode 95: Human Sacrifice!
When people hear phrases like “human sacrifice” or “cannibalism” their minds don’t immediately jump to the Crusades, Rome, medieval Europe, or the Bible. They jump straight to brown skin, feathered headdresses, and temples drenched in blood. Ty...
Throwback: Chicano Power!
In this episode we explore the origin and meaning of the word Chicano. What does it mean to be a Chicano? Do Mexican Americans who hold right-wing views get to call themselves Chicano? Join your hosts as we dig into these topics!End son...
Episode 94: Death and Loss
In this episode we address the loss of those who have loved and inspired us, as well as those who have betrayed our trust.
Episode 93: Cesar Chavez & The Cult of Synanon!
The year is 1966, in Santa Monica, California. Inside a large, dimly lit room, members of a controversial and increasingly violent group known as Synanon gather in a circle. At the center sits a single figure—another “Synanite”—alone on a foldi...