@1tm122n22m, Atma Unum
Discover the majesty of the Cihuateteo, representations of the Divine Mother in Totonac culture. They accompanied the Sun on its journey and symbolize the struggle for balance between life and death. #Art #Culture #Mexico https://wp.me/p3JLEZ-8Jt
This text is authored by Rosa María López Martínez. It was the result of the Creative Consciousness workshop taught by Master Ra’al Ki Victorieux at Realia, Xalapa Veracruz, Mexico.
Da click aquí para leer la versión en español: Madres Chihuateteo en Guerra por la Vida
The Cihuateteo are images originating from Totonac culture. The ceramic piece presented is located in the Anthropology Museum of Xalapa, Veracruz. The creation of these pieces made of terracotta represented great mastery in technique, especially due to the large size of the pieces. The polychromy that they presumably had makes them more attractive. The volume and proportion accentuate the representation of the Divine Mother. It is believed that the large terracotta pieces required great knowledge and skill in low-temperature ceramics. While it is not certain, it is thought that the producers of these works specialized in their craft and that these were made on commission by those in power.
The pieces are a feminine representation, with hands open in the form of feline claws, naked torso, and a skirt that covers from the waist to the feet. Their greatness and strength lie in the erect posture of their body and the hands equipped with claws. Their monumentality imposes an aesthetic presence of strength. They represent women who died in childbirth, considered divine and on the same level as warriors who died in battle. The Cihuateteo accompanied the Sun in its transit to illuminate the earth.
I relate the Cihuateteo with the Sphinx of the Tarot, the world, as it represents the quest for balance. Those who give life hold a special place, especially if they lose their life in the process, as they are granted to travel alongside the sun, symbolizing the continuity of life. The balance is also given by the sense of divinizing them and recognizing that the moment of giving birth is a great battle to generate life. The Cihuateteo are endowed with feline claws, as this element connects them and places them on the same plane as the warriors; both face a battle to achieve balance. It is also notable that the sphinx is also endowed with feline claws. By accompanying the sun on its journey, in death they do not go to the underworld but continue giving birth and living every dawn.
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