One of the main features in Mictlan: An Ancient Mythical Tale, will be the possibility for the player to interact with several creatures, deities and supernatural beings, but also with the people living in the Mexica society during the 16th century.
Today we want to talk about a very special group of women in Aztec culture: the Ahuianime.
The Ahuianime were embodiments of the goddess of beauty, fertility and carnal love, Xochiquetzal.
The sacred link between them and their patron goddess meant that they had a significant role in religious festivals and rituals, especially those involving human sacrifice.
As a matter of fact, the Ahuianime were the attendants of deity impersonators destined for sacrifice. They were chosen to comfort, amuse and encourage those men, and were afterward rewarded by receiving all the precious belongings of the impersonators after their death. The Ahuianime were present in many festivities such as Izcalli, with the duty to care for the impersonator’s every need through their presence but also their arts such as music, dance and cooking.
Ahuianime would wear their long hair down and adorn their bodies with pieces of jewelry, perfuming themselves with fragrant herbs and flowers. They pleased the hearts of the gods with complex dances, fascinating all the successful warriors and noblemen watching them wearing their colorful dresses with intricate embroidery, flowers, feathers and other ornaments.
In the Aztecs'warfare-centered culture and society, the Ahuianime would also travel with the armies as camp servants, to encourage and motivate soldiers to go into battle and, occasionally, in desperate times, may even have served as warriors in their own right.
Even if their lifestyle in many ways contradicted the Tlacoqualli in monequi (“The moderation is proper/The middle good is necessary") - which established Nahua's desired behavior - there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the figure of the Ahuianime and how their behavior was perceived. But whether they were openly accepted or frowned upon, the sacredness and the importance of this group of Aztec women, who were trained and educated to entertain others and spread joy in all forms, is undeniable.
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