Tales From Aztlantis

• Throwback: The Whiteness of "Latinx"

  listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!Our sponsors: Arkeogato ToursShop AztlantisGO PREMIUM!The Whiteness of “Latinx” ­A couple of years back, Kurly came across a video online about the Chicano Moratorium March of August 29, 1970. In case you’ve never heard of it, the march was a watershed moment in the Chicano Movement, in which the Los Angeles Police met a peaceful Chicana-Chicano-led protest against the Vietnam War with extreme violence. The ensuing police riot claimed three lives, most notably that of Journalist Ruben Salazar. It remains an important chapter in Chicana-Chicano history. Yet the video claims the Chicano Moratorium “sparked a movement in defense of Latinx lives.”Wait... what?In this episode we talk about the Eurocentric roots of "Latinidad," and how "Latinx" identity is a colonialist tool that centers whiteness while erasing those of Indigenous and African descent.Your hosts:Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He is currently a professor of Chicano Studies at the Colegio Chicano del Pueblo, a free online educational institution.@kurlytlapoyawaRuben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showRSVP for the Yazzie/Martinez Community Gathering! Find us: Bluesky Instagram Merch: Shop Aztlantis Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking

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  38:24
• Episode 75: Picking Over Kwawhtemok's Bones!

  listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!Our sponsors: Arkeogato ToursShop AztlantisGO PREMIUM!In the late 19th century, a Mexican rancher named Florentino Juárez set the stage for a nationalistic hoax, the consequences of which continue to echo among Mexicano and Chicano communities. Beneath the altar of the village church in Ixcateopan, Guerrero, Juarez placed half-burnt bones, a handful of artifacts, and a copper plaque crudely engraved with the words “1525–1529. Lord and King Coatemo.” The remains, he claimed, belonged to none other than Kwawtemok, the last sovereign Tlahtoani of the Mexika people. This forgery was driven by Juárez’s ambition to elevate the status of his village and exploit Mexico’s rapidly growing cultural nationalism. The subsequent controversies, investigations, and appropriation of the legend surrounding the alleged “Tomb of Kwawtemok” help us understand the nature of Mexican national identity and the interplay between elite and grassroots manipulation of historical symbols.Your Hosts:Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.@kurlytlapoyawaRuben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus.  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showRSVP for the Yazzie/Martinez Community Gathering! Find us: Bluesky Instagram Merch: Shop Aztlantis Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking

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  58:35
• Throwback: Goodbye Horses!

  listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!Our sponsors: Arkeogato ToursShop AztlantisGO PREMIUM!Indigenous people of the Americas and the Horse  Every once in a while, we see a story posted on social media claiming that horses never went extinct in the Americas and that Indigenous people had the horse long before the arrival of Europeans. If you spend any time on Indigenous social media, you probably know what we are talking about. Supporters of this claim seek to dispel what they view as a Eurocentric myth. A myth that, in their eyes, buries the true history of the horse in the Americas by discounting Indigenous oral traditions and ignoring archaeological evidence that would reshape our understanding of history.But do these claims stand up to scrutiny? Did the horse really go extinct in the Americas? And what does all of this have to do with a religious zealot from the 1800s? Well dear listeners, hold on tight because it’s going to be a bumpy ride as we explore:Your Hosts:Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Harvard University, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He most recently released his documentary short film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom," and is a cultural consultant for Nickelodeon Animation Studios.@kurlytlapoyawaRuben Arellano Tlakatekatl is a scholar, activist, and professor of history. His research explores Chicana/Chicano indigeneity, Mexican indigenist nationalism, and Coahuiltecan identity resurgence. Other areas of research include Aztlan (US Southwest), Anawak (Mesoamerica), and Native North America. He has presented and published widely on these topics and has taught courses at various institutions. He currently teaches history at Dallas College – Mountain View Campus. Cited in this podcast:  Pleistocene Megafauna in Beringia Archaeological Fantasies Pseudoarchaeological Claims of Horses in the Americas New Research RMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showRSVP for the Yazzie/Martinez Community Gathering! Find us: Bluesky Instagram Merch: Shop Aztlantis Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking

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  1:01:04
• Episode 74: Operation Wetback

  listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!Our sponsors: Arkeogato ToursShop AztlantisGO PREMIUM!Well, dear listeners, it happened. Like a super-shitty reboot of a failed TV show that nobody asked for, Donaldo Octavius Frump is back for season two. And like all shitty reboots, this one looks like it’s just going to be more of the same: a rancid clown car of tired, racist, bullshit. Only this time he’s brought along a friend, A similarly focused little troll who many think is pulling the strings. I’m referring to, of course, the world’s richest and dumbest human being, Elon Musk. And the combined power of these pathetic clowns has already had disastrous effects. One of Ronald’s primary campaign promises was the institution of a mass deportation program inspired by the infamous “Operation Wetback” of the 1950s. You know, that bygone era when America was “great.” This comes as no surprise really, as Trompito has publicly praised these Eisenhower-era immigration raids since he first ran for president way back in 2016. And leading up to the recent election, he only escalated his verbal attacks on immigrants, proclaiming to his sycophants and cultists that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.”In fact, at the Republican National Convention this past July, he declared that "The Republican platform promises to launch the largest deportation operation in the history of our country," as his crowd of dipshit supporters held up signs bearing the phrase "mass deportation now!"He even directly referenced Operation Wetback way back in 2015 (he didn’t identify it by its name at the time, but I’m sure we can look forward to the normalization of the word “Wetback” in the coming months.) Ronald stated, "You look back in the 1950s, you look back at the Eisenhower administration, take a look at what they did, and it worked.” But did it work? Historians say the program tore families apart, violated civil rights — and at times, turned deadly. And yeah, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that former President Barack Obama earned the title of “deporter-in-chief” for overseeing the deportation of 3 million plus individuals, 2/3 of which had no criminal record. But he ain’t gonna be President again, and we need to prepare ourselves for the shitshow on the immediate horizon.So with that, dear listeners, we here at the Tales From Aztlantis Podcast thought it would be prudent to take a look at Operation Wetback and its precursor the Bracero Program. Because as they say, everything old is new again.  Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showRSVP for the Yazzie/Martinez Community Gathering! Find us: Bluesky Instagram Merch: Shop Aztlantis Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking

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  1:18:04
• Throwback Thursday: The Mexika Calendar with Ruben Ochoa

  listener comments? Feedback? Shoot us a text!In this throwback episode from Season 2, Kurly talks with Ruben Ochoa about the Mexika calendar system that he deciphered through his own math expertise and analysis of the codices. Your host:Kurly Tlapoyawa is an archaeologist, ethnohistorian, and filmmaker. His research covers Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the historical connections between the two regions. He is the author of numerous books and has presented lectures at the University of New Mexico, Yale University, San Diego State University, and numerous others. He recently released a documentary film "Guardians of the Purple Kingdom" about Indigenous textile production in Oaxaca. Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showRSVP for the Yazzie/Martinez Community Gathering! Find us: Bluesky Instagram Merch: Shop Aztlantis Book: The Four Disagreements: Letting Go of Magical Thinking

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  1:16:00

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