Dance and Theatre warm earth: the Tecuanes

By Oscar Cortes Palma

As we all know the dance of the Tecuanes is hunting a jaguar. Someone once told me that if it was hunted to a Jaguar really answered: Obviously not.

The dance is staged Tecuanes, you act, the representation of the hunt of a dancer, a dancer dressed as a tiger or Jaguar dramatizes.

How is this done?
Good with the participation of 17 dancers minimally, which are headed by the Ranchero and his assistant, they who want the Jaguar or Tiger is hunted because they are eating animals on his ranch, although there is an act in this dance where the hunt for the herd is staged.

Well, the dance of the Tecuanes, which could well be called, dance and theater of Tecuanes because as mentioned in other writings, participants in this traditional folk show, dance and act represented a different character and the plot is that , hunting the dreaded tecuani. The tecuani is the Jaguar, so who is going to represent this character it has to be very skillful.

In the footsteps of tecuani or tiger, walk Salvadorchi and Mayeso, common names rancher and his foreman respectively, but as they can not hunt the hunters rented Jaguar. First you pay a archer, who is a dancer who carries on his back a bow and arrow. All this is done comically, is not Needless to say this, but obviously it's funny all this dance, because it is to entertain people and to amuse ourselves as said Alicio Palacios, who walks very busy with his group Tecuanes Coatetelco, Morelos.

Well, so on the rancher temporarily hires turnadamente other hunters but all fail. Until finally, the rancher and assistant hire hunters capable of doing the work, I mean a hunter named John, who goes armed with a shotgun ome shot cualli fame (two shots reputation) and is assisted by creeping Viejo, a bearded guy who takes a very brave bitches and lists, they even have a reputation for knowing how to take comal tortillas.



Note then that is clearly a representation of a REAL HUNTING because although currently hunting and smuggling of wild animals in Mexico and the world is prohibited because many species are becoming extinct. In the past, bone over a hundred years ago, hunting was permitted.


Well, this is dance and theater of the Tecuanes. Although Tecuanes not seem as each town gives its peculiar twist. In itself, at least (96) ninety-six villages is traditionally danced at fairs dance of Tecuanes, this evidence to Tecuanes as a regional dance and theater.

The region where Tecuanes dance is very wide and is characterized by a warm or hot weather a bit because of that this region is called "HOT EARTH". And also its vegetation is very characteristic and corresponds to the tropical deciduous forest, ie they are not as high low trees, their leaves expire, there comes word deciduous in the dry season; and are reborn and new leaves are green plants in the rainy season which spans from June to November.

Finally I should mention that the dance of the Tecuanes is not uniform in all villages and this is so notorious that when there have been meetings Tecuanes is very evident variety of costumes, masks, songs, performances and actions of groups of different participants villages.
Many groups but is that almost all unaware of the existence of dances Tecuanes in other towns that were not theirs, why are so surprised that there Tecuanes other people and they are so different from their communities.



Undoubtedly one of the places most abundant dance Tecuanes Acatlán de Osorio is where two dancers called old or huehues: Lucas and Moranchi (Morantzin) are ordering their children hunt the fearsome tiger or tecuani because they are eating the cattle, as we can see if they are different characters, dialogue, choreography and costumes, dance Tecuanes of Acatlan de Osorio, Puebla and villages of the same district consist of the same dances Tecuanes of Huamuxtitlan districts of Guerrero, Teloloapan, Taxco, Iguala, Chilapa, Tlapa, Arcelia, Coyuca de Catalán. And the towns of the western states of Morelos and Mexico, ie hunting is a costumed dancer of tecuani, tiger or jaguar. That's why the Tecuanes is a dance and theater representative villages in warm earth.
.  © Oscar Cortes Palma Lic. In UNAM and Research Tecuanes History and history of Axochiapan. Email: cami17_4@hotmail.com; Facebook: OscarCortesPalma.

Description Dance Tecuan type Coatetelco

By Oscar Cortes Palma

The theatrical dance Tecuanes Coatetelco type, is a comedy that tells dancística comically an event that occurred in hacendaria time. Then a landowner named Salvadorchi, was concerned that an "animal claw" was eating his ranch animals, so call your foreman Mayeso, to go to catch that "animal claw". By not being able to hunt, Mayeso ask permission from your employer to consecutively hire some "expert hunters" known as: Flechero, the Lancer, the Chanhuaxtlero (Trapper) and Yerbero (called Pascasio) who did not manage to catch it and be injured , hired the services of some doctors and relieved extravagant remedies.

 Finally, Mayeso hired three other hunters: The Creeping, who has in hand a stuffed fox and accompanied by one or two characters representing the hounds; next to it is the gunman Juan shooter, the two go hunting jaguar but unable to find, and on the way within a very talkative hermit living in the hill known as "Laughing" in some villages also know him as Újaja, Gervacia, Gervacio or Varañado-, Laughing does not want to join them, but at last hired and then help them find the lair of the cat. Subsequently, a deer used as bait to lure the Tecuani-also called tiger or jaguar and after the Tecuani hunting deer, still another scene in which some escuintles disguised as vultures, try removing the deer. 

Subsequently, the feline fierce fight between Juan handle against the creeping, the dog and Smiles, who jointly manage, among the four, hunt the beast is represented. After hunting the Jaguar or Tecuani, they take the Squire Salvadorchi, who comically order to measure the animal's skin to get some clothes, the funny thing is that skin was enough to make for some shoes to some jackets for him and to his foreman, and the leftovers they give to hunters or those representing the dogs and vultures. © Text: Oscar Cortes Palma

 In a few days I will present my second book entitled DANCE Tecuanes. The above text is an excerpt from a chapter of the book, then I'll share them online the other chapters.

Territory Tecuanes traditional dance in the states of Morelos and Guerrero

By Oscar Cortes Palma

 About 150 villages dancing dressed as jaguars in Mexico, 135 villages are located in this region: "The Suriana region."

Tecuan dance and other variants spanning a region comprising about 10, 000 square kilometers and includes the border villages located between the states of Mexico, Morelos, Guerrero and Puebla.


In the state of Morelos, this dance is danced in 13 villages:

1. Alpuyeca, Xochitepec
2.-
3.-
4. Coatetelco, Miacatlán
5. 
6. Ocotepec, Cuernavaca
7. 
8.-Tetecala
9. 
10.-Tetelpa, Zacatepec
11. 
12.-Tlatenchi, Jojutla
13. Telixtac, Axochiapan

Previously it was danced in other villages more like Tepoztlan, Tehuixtla and Temixco, but stopped danced in the course of the twentieth century.

The dance of the Tecuanes also danced in populations near Morelos belonging to the state of Guerrero. So far I have been 46 villages but can be a little more, and are located in northern and mountain region of Guerrero state:


1. Acapetlahuaya, Canute
2. 
3. 
4. Ciudad Altamirano, Pungarabato
5. 
6. Alpoyeca
7. 
8. Tlaquiltepec
9. Cacalutla
10. Coyuca de Catalán,
11. 
12. Cocula
13. 
14. de 
15. 
16. Chilacachapa
17. Huitzuco of Figueroa
18. 
19. Huehuetepec
20. San Andrés Huixtac
21.
22. 
23. Ixcatepec, Arcelia,
24. 
25. Mexiquiapan
26. , 
27. Oxtotitlan
28. 
29. Pachivia
30. 
31. Poliutla, 
32. Tecoyo, Alcozauca de Guerrero
33. 
34. Tlapa
35. 
36. 
37. Temalacatzingo, Olinalá
38. 
39. 
40. Tlatzala, Tlapa
41. 
42. Tecuiciapan
43. 
44. Tuxpan, Iguala
45. Xalpatlahuac
46. ​​



© Text: Oscar Cortes Palma
DANCE Tecuanes: the presentation of the book entitled approaches.

ORIGINS OF THE DANCE OF Tecuanes

By Oscar Cortes Palma

(Excerpt from the book DANCE Tecuanes)
Based on these nine points, I conclude that:
1.-The dance of the Coatetelco type Tecuanes, with most of the elements as we know it today emerged between the years of 1840-1880.
2.-The dance of the Tecuanes massively distributed in the region of 1850-1950.

3.-The Dance Cowboys states of Morelos and Guerrero, are adapted Tecuan dance, and dance jeans arose between the years of 1840 to 1880. And danced in many villages where also dancing the dance of Tecuanes.
4.-The dance of the Tecuanes Coatetelco type, was probably spread by tents theaters and circuses, those who came forward in many places between 1850 and 1910. Many residents of these communities liked and began to copy and use in their employer fairs. Subsequently shared the dance Tecuanes in employer fairs other villages dispersing.
5.-A late nineteenth century with the arrival of the railroad, the dance of the Tecuanes experienced a great dispersion.


6.- Both Tecuanes Coatetelco dance dance guy like jeans were promoted or at least were not prohibited by ranchers. Since this dance dramatized make them "look good" since in both a character that represents the rich Squire, who paid very well to hunt Tecuan or Jaguar in the dance of the Tecuanes or to goad the bull in the dance of the participating jeans.

7. Dance Tecuan-type Coatetelco is obviously a reinvention or adaptation otherwise oldest indigenous dance that could be Tlacololeros dance, the dance of the Tlaminques, or dance Chilolos Juxtlahuaca or other dance primitive extinct. In other words, the dance of the Tecuanes Coatetelco type, has prehispanic elements and also has elements of the landowner era.

So I think that this dance is a "reinvention" of some dance Mesoamerican origin, as well seem to prove the involvement of costumed native animals such as Tecuani (jaguar), deer and turkey buzzard. This is interesting because there are other native dances that use the same characters, eg dance Venado that the Yaqui and Mayo Indians danced; buzzards and dance, danced in Axochiapan and in the state of Guerrero.

Another feature are the names of some of the sounds of dance Tecuan that are related to native animals such as the "Son of the Iguana" is danced imitating the steps of a iguana.Además in dance there is another type Tecuan Coatetelco character, I think is of Mesoamerican origin, "The Laughing" (also called Gervasio, Gervaise or Varañado), and is characterized by issuing guttural cries and mocking and act as a wild crazy. The "Laughing" is a character who carries in one hand holding a long stick, and is much like the characters in a state of Guerrero dance, dance called "Huesquixtles" meaning in Spanish dance "laughing" . Also in dance Tecuan hunters archers, spearmen, herbalists and trappers, weapons not unaware of the Mesoamerican people involved.


Another feature of Tecuanes Coatetelco type is that they are a funny, very funny and cheerful dramatized dance. Although not mention any god or saint, or mention Christian values. The relationship with the Christian religion is given in the dance Tecuan is instrumental in the festivities of the patron saint of the community by showing reverence.

In conclusion dance Tecuan type Coatetelco with the characteristics with which we know it today emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century. This information shows that the traditions of the peoples are not static, are in constant motion and change over the years, for example, within the dance Tecuan can find four types or variants. One of these variants is danced in fourteen villages in the south west of the state of Mexico and even longer is better known as "Dance of wolves", although older people still remember you used to dance called Tecuanis. Something similar happened about 150 years ago when the dance Tecuanes currently dancing emerged.

With this information but I find about the origin of the dance Coatetelco type Tecuan me more questions arise due to the existence of at least eight dances similar in the same region which are: 1.Danza of tlacololeros, 2.Danza the tlaminques, 3.Danza of Tejorones, 4.Danza of Chilolos Juxtlahuaca, 5.Danza Tiger Cuitzeo, 6.Danza of maizos, 7.Danza of wolves, 8.Danza Tecuan type of Acatlán de Osorio, 9. Multiple local variants Dance Tecuan and 10. Dances hunt Jaguar unclassified. All these dances are further evidence of the creativity of the indigenous people and the traditionalists Mexicans.

© Text: Oscar Cortes Palma
Do not miss the presentations of the book: DANCE Tecuanes.

Los naguales de los tecuanes

“En la religión mesoamericana existían unos Sacerdotes o Naguales llamados “Tecuan nahualli”, en plural: “Tecuan Nahuallique”, los llamaban así porque estos  sacerdotes preferían transformarse en fieras, es decir en jaguares o pumas, y abundaban en la huaxteca y en tierra caliente —los actuales estados de Morelos, Guerrero,  Michoacán, un poco  el estado de México—.

Es por eso que cuando los nativos veían a  un  jaguar o un puma en el cerro, lo respetaban pues aparte de temible, el  jaguar podía ser el nagual de un sacerdote poderoso, o tal vez podía ser el nagual de un dios, como Tezcatlipoca, el Dios cojo con una franja negra en el rostro  quien solía transformarse en  jaguar puesto que era un hechicero nocturno.”

El anterior texto es un pequeño extracto de un capítulo del libro. DANZA DE LOS TECUANES  titulado: 1.7.- El Jaguar y la temporada de lluvias.

Se acercan las giras de presentaciones del libro DANZA DE LOS TECUANES del autor Óscar Cortés Palma, este libro es una excelente investigación, en donde se aborda el estudio histórico, geográfico y fantástico de esta bella danza mexicana representativa de los poblados fronterizos ubicados entre los estados de Morelos, Puebla, Guerrero y México.

Por tal motivo los invitamos para que estén atentos a la gira de presentaciones de este magnífico libro publicado por el PACMYC de la Secretaria de Cultura del Estado de Morelos.

A continuación mostramos un dibujo pintado por Miguel Ángel Tafolla que hace alusión a esta magnífica danza, símbolo de las tierras surianas.

Nombre de la imagen: Tecuan con maíz.

Autor: Miguel Ángel Tafolla

Para el libro: DANZA DE LOS TECUANES del autor Óscar Cortés Palma