Why centuries-old Mexica myth became Mexico's enduring symbol

The almighty eagle perched on a cactus while devouring a serpent on Mexicos flag hints at the myth behind the foundation of the countrys capitalIts a divine sign in an ancient legend according to which the god Huitzilopochtli asked a group called the Mexica who founded what was later known as the Aztec Empire to leave their homeland in search of a place to establish a new cityIt took some 175 years before they spotted the sacred omen and established the city of Tenochtitlan in 1325 where Mexico City stands todayHow the eagle the cactus and the serpent became an emblem and endured through the European conquest is the focus of a new exhibition A coat of arms an emblem a symbol of identity runs through December 15 at the Old City Hall in downtown Mexico CityThe exhibit is among the governments activities marking the 700th anniversary of the founding of the Mexica capitalRecognising Tenochtitlan doesnt mean recalling a dead past but rather the living heartbeat that still beats beneath our city President Claudia Sheinbaum said during an official ceremony in July It was the centre of an Indigenous world that built its own model of civilisation one in harmony with the Earth the stars and its gods and goddessesFragments of that civilisation lie underneath the Old City Hall the current seat of Mexico Citys governmentBuilt by order of Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes in 1522 its construction used stones from ancient Mexica sacred sites The building has been renewed over time but its halls have witnessed centuries of governance and symbolismHolding the exhibition in this City Hall a place of decisions and memory is a way to recognise the history of those who once inhabited it and how its transformations still echo in Mexico Citys identity said Mariana Gomez Godoy Director of Mexico Citys Cultural Heritage during the exhibits inauguration in NovemberA citys mythic originThe Mexica themselves recorded their story after Tenochtitlan fell to the Europeans Several codices depict the path that led them to fulfil their deitys taskEduardo Matos Moctezuma an acclaimed archaeologist from Mexicos National Institute of Anthropology and History has argued that the legend is a symbolic retelling of historical events rather than a literal claim about divine prophecyStill according to the Templo Mayor Museum the regions preHispanic people preserved the origin story of a long journey that led to the founding of Tenochtitlan as a cornerstone of their traditionsThey honoured a small island in Lake Texcoco now central Mexico City as the place where the Mexica found the eagle foretold by HuitzilopochtliFrom ancient prophecy to national symbolThe new exhibit offers a historical overview of how the image evolved from its establishment as the citys coat of arms in 1523 under Emperor Charles V to its transformation into an emblem of Mexico as an independent nationCurated by researcher Guadalupe Lozada it also displays images portraying how it was adopted by the religious orders in charge of converting the Indigenous people to CatholicismWhile the eagle and cactus were already adopted by Europeans in the mid16th century the Jesuits introduced the serpent decades later From then on it would remain a symbol of the citys identity one that would also spread throughout the rest of New Spain Lozada saidAccording to her plenty of monasteries dating back to the 17th century attest to how friars displayed the eagle and cactus in their sanctuaries Even today the emblem can still be seen above the facade of Mexico Citys cathedral and inside one of its chapelsSuch was the strength of Mexica culture that the evangelizers sought to adopt it rather than exclude it she said It was like saying I acknowledge your historyThe same logic applied with the European conquerors Even as they ordered the destruction of the Mexica religious complexes the representation of the foundational myth was not erased from historyFor them conquering a city like Tenochtitlan was a matter of pride and therefore they never intended to deny its existence Lozada said This meant that the strength of the city buried beneath the new one underlies it and resurfaces as if it had never disappearedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever