Cuauhtémoc Strenght: Pre-Hispanic music as an important element in warfare
- elisamtz
- Oct 17
- 4 min read
Reflection on the occasion of October 15, 1521
In my search for historical events that occurred during the month of October, I came across a date that, rather than being remembered with sadness, should be celebrated as a symbol of resistance and courage: October 15, 1521, the day that Cuauhtémoc, the last Mexica tlatoani, was tortured by Hernán Cortés in an attempt to force him to reveal the location of the supposed treasure of Tenochtitlán.
Little is said about this event in classrooms or civic ceremonies. However, its significance is profound: Cuauhtémoc, a symbol of the dignity of the Mexica people, endured the torment without yielding, and after more than three years of captivity, he was finally executed on February 28, 1525.
This invites us to reflect: What was the great tlatoani thinking about during his suffering? Where did he find the strength to endure the pain? Although we cannot answer with certainty, we can imagine that the sacred sounds of the Aztec war resonated in his mind, the same sounds that accompanied his people in times of greatest adversity.
Symbolism of sounds
We know that the siege of Tenochtitlán began on May 26 and concluded on August 13, 1521, with the capture of Cuauhtémoc. During those months, the Mexica fought with an energy that transcended the physical: music and sound were spiritual weapons that instilled courage, unity, and identity.
Among the most representative elements were the yaocuícatl, warrior songs that narrated heroic deeds and fueled the fighting spirit; the collective din of instruments, which symbolized the creative chaos of combat; and the sound of the conch shell, associated with Quetzalcoatl and the underworld, invoked as a call to cosmic forces to protect the Mexica army.
War rituals and spiritual strength
For the Mexica, war was a sacred act, a rite honoring the gods. Before going into battle, warriors participated in dances, chants, and invocations inside the temples. During battles, music never ceased: drums and shells marked the rhythm of the confrontation and served to instill courage, coordinate movements, and invoke divine protection.
Even the capture of prisoners was accompanied by ritual songs: music marked the transition from combat to ceremony, from warrior to sacrifice, from pain to spiritual glory.
Sounds during the battle
The Mexica possessed a rich musical culture. Instruments such as the teponaztli, the huéhuetl, seashells, flutes, whistles, and ayoyotes (dried seeds tied to the dancers' ankles) were used in battles. These instruments served several essential functions:
Coordination: The drums and shells served as sound signals to direct the army's movements.
Intimidation: The roar of thousands of warriors playing in unison created a deafening atmosphere that sought to demoralize the enemy.
Spiritual energy: Music was part of communication with the gods, especially with Huitzilopochtli, the deity of the sun and war.
Identity and morality: The shared rhythm reinforced the sense of belonging and collective value.
Final reflection
Perhaps Cuauhtémoc, amid the pain and silence of his captivity, remembered those sacred sounds: the drums of battle, the conch shells that invoked the gods, the songs that spoke of honor and duty. Perhaps in them he found strength, dignity, and inner peace in the face of suffering.
What we can be sure of is that Cuauhtémoc embodies the resilient spirit of our people: strong, warrior, unbreakable. Remembering him is also remembering that in our roots lives the echo of a music that never stopped playing.
References
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(S.N.) Instrumentos musicales del México antiguo: el huéhuetl y el teponaztli, México Desconocido. Describe los tambores prehispánicos y su uso en contextos ceremoniales y bélicos. México Desconocido
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Stresser-Péan, Guy. El sol-dios y Cristo, la cristianización de los indios en México vista desde la Sierra de Puebla. México: Centro de estudios mexicanos y centroamericanos. 2013 Disponible en https://books.openedition.org/cemca/2264
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“Yaocuícatl, el poderoso canto de guerra prehispánico”, México Desconocido. Habla del yaocuícatl, atribuido a la poeta mexica Macuilxochitzin, y su rol como canto guerrero.
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