4 A World in Motion: Nahua Ontology 109
In: Aztec Religion and Art of WritingSearch for other papers by Isabel Laack in
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Abstract
Nahua concepts of reality have been commonly interpreted through the lens of European ontological theories. With regard to the “sacred,” Nahua deities have typically been compared with the Greco-Roman pantheon or the idea of philosophical monotheism. Considering the baffling fluidity of Nahua deity personae and the flexibility of forms in which the deities existed, this chapter suggests adopting an alternative interpretation for understanding Nahua deity personae as cosmic force complexes based on the Indigenous notion of teotl, which is best described as a kind of force or essence underlying all being in a myriad of forms. In this context, it is argued that the Nahuas did not envision a fundamental dualism between the material world on one side and some immaterial essence on the other, based on the discussion of the deity Yohualli Ehecatl, the Nahua concept of nahualli, and Indigenous ideas of ultimate reality.