Please read this section carefully
 

Q.) What is the Mexika Eagle Society?
A.) The Mexika Eagle Society (M.E.S.) was founded in 1995 by Kurly Tlapoyawa. The purpose of the M.E.S. is to reclaim, preserve and advance the indigenous history, heritage and culture of Anawak. The struggle of the M.E.S. is based on the principles of Indianismo, as promoted within the living philosophy of Mexikayotl. The M.E.S. soundly rejects the paternalistic and oppressive ideologies of Indigenismo, Mestizaje, and La Raza Cosmica.
 

Q.) What is Mexikayotl?
A.) Translated literally, Mexikayotl means “everything which is Mexikah.” In a broader sense, Mexikayotl can also be taken to mean “everything which is Indigenous to Anawak." This includes our traditional foods, clothing, music, languages, cultures, comsology, social organization, philosophies, etc. Mexikayotl also includes our traditional ethics and values which shape how we view the world from an Indigenous perspective. To struggle for Mexikayotl is to struggle for all that is Indigenous to Anawak.
 

Q.) What is Ixachilan?
A.) Ixachilan (Ee-Shah-Chee-Lahn) is the original Nawatl word for the western hemisphere - the "American" continents. It can be roughly translated as meaning "The Great Land." We, the original inhabitants and caretakers of this land are collectively known as Ixachilankah ("People from Ixachilan").
 

Q.) What is Anawak?
A.) Anawak/Anahuac (Ah-Nah-Wak) is a cultural area which includes the Four corners region (Aztlan), Mexiko, Amalpan (Belize), Kuauhtemallan (Guatemala), Atenantitech (Honduras), Kuzkatlan (El Salvador), and Nikananawak (Nicaragua). Priot to the European invasion, Anawak was a culturally unified area with vast systems of trade, government, agriculture and sciences. We, the original inhabitants and caretakers of Anawak are collectively known as Anawakah ("People from Anawak").
 

Q.) What common traits united Anawak?
A.) Here is a short list of traits which united Anawak:
 

Achievements: Our people shared common achievements in mathematics, medicine, philosophy, art, music, metallurgy, warfare and social organization.
Calendar Systems: Anawak societies developed a solar calendar of 365+1/4 days and a lunar calendar of 260 days. Our ancestors had an intimate and complete understanding of the cosmos.
Food: Squash, mole, pozole, tamales, atole, elote, tortillas, beans, turkey, chile, guacamole, pulque, octli, etc.
Linguistics: The Nawatl language as common language of trade.
Social Organization: All Anawak societies functioned under a higly developed and advanced system of communalism.
Cosmology: The concepts of "God" did not exist in any Anawak societies. Instead, a belief in a dual cosmic energy was shared throughout Anawak. This energy (Ometeotl to the Nawatlakah, Hunab Ku to the Maya, Koki Xee to the Zapoteka) manifests itself as all the forces of nature. Anawak spiritual traditions were designed to maintain a balanced relationship with this cosmic energy.
 

Q.) What is Aztlan?
A.) Aztlan ("place of the Heron") is where several Nawatlakah nations lived before returning to the valley of Anawak. While the location of Aztlan is the topic of much dispute, recent discoveries place Aztlan in the four corners area - Wilson Mesa in Utah has been suggested as an exact location. It is one of the many ancestral lands of our people.
 

Q.) What is a Mexikah?
A.) In 1064 AD eight Nawatl speaking nations left the four corners region and migrated south into the valley of Anawak. They were led by a man named Mexihtli-Witzilopochtli, who had received a vision instructing him to lead his people south and seek out a new homeland. During this journey, those who remained faithful to the original vision were annointed with the name Mexikah (Meh-Shee-Kah) which means "Followers of Mexihtli." Those who struggle for Mexikayotl have humbly adopted the term to collectively describe themselves.
 

Q.) Why Mexikah as an identity for Xikano-Mexikanos?
A.) Placed into a modern context, a Mexikah is someone who has embraced their Indigenous cultural heritage and has dedicated themselves to the struggle of Mexikayotl. Not all of us can claim to be blood-descendents of the Mexikah, but we can all certainly embrace the Mexikah philosophy and living spirit as modern day followers of Mexihtli-Witzilopochtli. To embrace a Mexikah identity is a culturally assertive and proud declaration that you are an Indigenous person who is dedicated to the struggle of Mexikayotl.
 

Q.) Are You trying to assimilate the Indigenous people of Anawak into a generic “Mexikah” identity?
A.) Absolutely not! The Mexikah identity is meant to unite us in our struggle, not divide us. If someone does not feel comfortable calling themselves Mexikah, but remains dedicated to the struggle for Indigenous liberation, then that is fine! Mexikah exists as an identity for those who wish to embrace it, nobody is being forced into it.
 

Q.) If this is true, then why the emphasis on Mexikah/Nawatlakah history and culture?
A.) Realistically, the Mexikah culture was a living amalgamation of our collective Anawak cultural heritage. By embracing a Mexikah identity, we are connecting ourselves to the greater collective heritage of Anawak. Also, Mexikah/Nawatlakah history and culture is by far the most accessible in terms of readily available information. For those of us who do not know which sepecific pueblo we come from, the Mexikah identity enables us to embrace our Indigenous heritage in a general way, and can serve as a springboard to uncovering our specific pueblo roots.

Q.) What is a Mexikano/Mexicano?
A.) When the white Spaniards invaded these lands, they were unable to correctly pronounce the word "Mexikah." (There is no "SH" sound in Spanish.) So, when the Spaniards phonetically wrote down the word Mexikah, they used an "X" to represent the unknown sound it produced. (In mathematics, "X" signifies an unknown value). As time passed, the "X" in Mexikah and Mexiko got changed into the Spanish "J" sound we hear today. As in Europe, the Spaniards added the suffix "ano" to the end of Mexikah - as a means of labelling which nation they belonged to. (In Europe, Italians were ItaliANOs, Spaniards were HispANOs, etc.) So, Mexikah (Meh-Shee-Kah) became Mexicano (Meh-Hee-Kah-Noh) a word which has remained with us to this day. To call yourself a Mexican or Mexicano is to use the Spanish mispronunciation of Mexikah.
 

Q.) What is a Xikano/Chicano?
A.) Xikano/Chicano is a shortend way of saying Mexikahno. This word has been in use since at least the 1600's. A Xikano/Chicano is an Indigenous person of Mexikahn blood who resides in the so-called "United States."
 

Q.) What is Nawatl?
A.) Nawatl (Nahuatl) is one of the TRUE and ORIGINAL languages of the Mexikahn people. At its zenith, Nawatl was spoken from the four corners region to Nicaragua as a language of commerce. Presently, 3 MILLION Native Nawatl speakers remain, and Nawatl words make up a large portion of the Xikano-Mexikahno Vocabulary. Sadly, most of our people view Spanish as "our" language, and know little about our TRUE heritage and languages.

Q.) What is Mexiko?
A.) After a journey lasting 261 years, the Mexikah finally arrived in their new homeland, as was promised in the original vision of Mexihtli-Witzilopochtli. They called this new homeland "Mexiko" which means "The place of Mexihtli." The city of Mexiko-Tenochtitlan was constructed entirely on top of lake Texkoko.

Q.) What is a Latino?
A.) Latinos are white people from Southern Europe, they include the Roman, Italian, French and Spanish people. Latino is also a word used by Ixachilankah to describe white Europeans in central and south Ixachilan.

Q.) What is a Hispano?
A.) Hispano is a Roman word used to describe a white person from Spain. Its stems from the Roman word "Hispania," which was used by the phoenicians to identify the lands now known as Spain and Portugal.

Q.) What is a Hispanic?
A.) Hispanic is the English translation of Hispano. It is a word utilized by opportunistic White Cubans who hoped to create a false Euro-centric power base by lumping together all Spanish speaking people into an artificially created ethnic group. This would afford the White Cubans the opportunity to have their own little "Ethnic population" which they could then represent, manipulate and use to

Info obtained from http://www.mexika.org/FAQ.html