How Music Came to the Earth, an Aztec Tradition

MUSIC

Came to the Earth ❖ AN AZTEC TRADITION ❖

cantos para todos

Chained Bilingual Stories/ Cuentos Encadenados

How

Adapted by

Roy E. Howard Illustrated by Carlene H. Williams

How

MUSIC

Came to the Earth ❖ AN AZTEC TRADITION ❖ Adapted by

Roy E. Howard Illustrated by Carlene H. Williams

cantos para todos G A L L U P, N E W M E X I C O w w w. c a n t o s . o r g

Para Mariana Murguía, la persona quien me introdujo al bello país de México.

REH For my dad, who inspired in me a creative dream and the passion to pursue it.

CHW

❖

Story and illustrations are copyrighted ©2005 cantos para todos.

Permission is granted to print one copy of each page.

Permission is not granted to copy the electronic media, even to transfer it to a hard drive.

First Edition printed by Mennonite Press Inc., Newton, Kansas.

If you need additional copies of this book, contact: cantos para todos G A L L U P, N E W M E X I C O w w w. c a n t o s . o r g

preface cantos para todos VOL. 11 Each page has three versions of the same story line.

First on each page is the “Chained Bilingual” version. See Author’s Note at the end of the book for an explanation of how this is used as a story telling strategy.

Second on each page is the English version.

Third on each page is the Spanish language version.

The original language of this creation story is Náhuatl, the historical lingua franca of a large trade area throughout Meso America and North America.

For more information about the Aztec and Mexico go to: www.cantos.org/xi.

Tezcatlipoca, god of heaven and of the four quarters of the heavens, came to earth and was sad. Triste por la quietud de la tierra, Tezcatlipoca, dios de los cielos y las cuatro partes de los cielos llamó por el viento: “Come, O wind!”

“Come, O wind!” “¡Vente, O viento!” “¡Vente, O viento!”

❖ Tezcatlipoca, god of heaven and of the four quarters of the heavens, came to earth and was sad. Sad for the stillness of the earth, Tezcatlipoca, god of heaven and of the four quarters of the heavens called to the wind: “Come, O wind!”

“Come, O wind!”

“Come, O wind!”

“Come, O wind!”

❖ Tezcatlipoca, dios de los cielos y las cuatro partes de los cielos bajó a la tierra con gran tristeza. Triste por la quietud de la tierra, Tezcatlipoca, dios de los cielos y las cuatro partes de los cielos llamó por el viento: “¡Vente, O viento!” “¡Vente, O viento!” “¡Vente, O viento!” “¡Vente, O viento!”

“Wind, the earth is sick from silence. Though we have light, and color and fruit, yet we have no music. No es suficiente tener luz, color y fruta, el mundo es triste sin la música. Life should be all music! Go to the High House of the Sun where the musicians are surrounded by bands of light.

Ask them to return to the earth.”

❖ “Wind, the earth is sick from silence. Though we have light, and color and fruit, yet we have no music. It is not enough to have light, color and fruit, the world is sad without music. Life should be all music! Go to the High House of the Sun where the musicians are surrounded by bands of light. Ask them to return to the earth.”

❖ “Viento, la tierra está enferma por el silencio. Aunque tenemos luz, color, y fruta, no tenemos la música. No es suficiente tener luz, color y fruta, el mundo es triste sin la música. ¡La vida debe ser toda música! Véte a la Casa Alta del Sol, donde los músicos están rodeados por luz. Pídeles que vuelvan a la tierra.”

The wind gathered its strength, recorriendo las cuatro partes de la tierra para recobrar sus fuerzas para subir al cielo. The wind rose and rose, higher than all things made, y por fin llegó a la casa alta de Tezcatlipoca, dios de los cielos y las cuatro partes de los cielos. There at the feet of Tezcatlipoca, god of heaven and of the four quarters of the heavens, the wind rested from his endless complaining, and listened to Tezcatlipoca.

❖ The wind gathered its strength, stirring about the four parts of the earth to gain strength to rise up to the heavens. The wind rose and rose, higher than all things made, and finally arrived at the high house of Tezcatlipoca, god of heaven and of the four quarters of the heavens. There at the feet of Tezcatlipoca, god of heaven and of the four quarters of the heavens, the wind rested from his endless complaining, and listened to Tezcatlipoca.

❖ El viento andaba recorriendo las cuatro partes de la tierra para recobrar sus fuerzas para subir al cielo. El viento subió, y subió, y por fin llegó a la casa alta de Tezcatlipoca, dios de los cielos y las cuatro partes de los cielos. Al pié del dios de los cielos y las cuatro partes de los cielos, el viento descansó de sus quejas interminables, y escuchó a Tezcatlipoca.

Mientras el viento recobraba fuerza para subir al cielo, Padre Sol habló a los músicos. “¡Vengan músicos”, and the musicians of the cradle songs came dressed in white.

❖ While the wind gathered strength to rise to the sky, Father Sun spoke to the musicians. “Come, musicians”, and the musicians of the cradle songs came dressed in white.

❖ Mientras el viento recobraba fuerza para subir al cielo, Padre Sol habló a los músicos. “¡Vengan músicos”, y vinieron los músicos de los arrullos vestidos de blanco.

Mientras esperaban los arrullos vestidos de blanco, el Padre Sol llamó: “¡Vengan músicos!” and the musicians of the ballads of love and war came dressed in red.

❖ While the cradle songs dressed in white waited, Father Sun called: “Come musicians!” and the musicians of the ballads of love and war came dressed in red.

❖ Mientras esperaban los arrullos vestidos de blanco, el Padre Sol llamó: “¡Vengan músicos!” y vinieron los músicos de los corridos de amor y guerra vestidos de rojo.

Mientras esperaban los corridos vestidos de rojo, el Padre Sol llamó: “¡Vengan músicos!” and the musicians of dance came dressed in sky blue.

❖ While the ballads of love and war dressed in red waited, Father Sun called: “Come musicians!” and the musicians of dance came dressed in sky blue.

❖ Mientras esperaban los corridos vestidos de rojo, el Padre Sol llamó: “¡Vengan músicos!” y vinieron los músicos de baile vestidos de azul.

Mientras esperaban los bailes vestidos de azul, el Padre Sol llamó: “¡Vengan músicos!” and the flute players came dressed yellow, enjoying gold milled by the Sun from the peaks of the world. ¡Qué lindo el oro de los flautistas!

❖

While the dances dressed in blue waited, Father Sun called: “Come musicians!” and the flute players came dressed yellow, enjoying gold milled by the Sun from the peaks of the world. How beautiful the gold of the flutists!

❖ Mientras esperaban los bailes vestidos de azul, el Padre Sol llamó: “¡Vengan músicos!” y vinieron los flautistas vestidos de amarillo, gozando del oro sacado por el sol de los picos de la tierra. ¡Qué lindo el oro de los flautistas!

There were no musicians the color of darkness. All shone translucent and happy, their gaze turned forward. When the Sun saw the wind approaching he told his musicians: “When the wind comes, don’t say a word, or you will have to go down to the darkness of the cold, quiet earth!” Los músicos dijeron que no dirían nada, porque no querían volver con el viento al mundo oscuro y quieto.

❖ There were no musicians the color of darkness. All shone translucent and happy, their gaze turned forward. When the Sun saw the wind approaching he told his musicians: “When the wind comes, don’t say a word, or you will have to go down to the darkness of the cold, quiet earth!” The musicians agreed to say nothing, because they did not want to go with the wind to the dark, quiet world.

❖ No habían músicos del color de oscuridad. Todo brillaba luciente y feliz, su mirada hacia el frente. Cuando el sol vió acercarse el viento, dijo a los músicos: “Cuando venga el viento, no digan nada, o ¡tendrán que decender a la oscuridad de la tierra fría y quieta!” Los músicos dijeron que no dirían nada, porque no querían volver con el viento al mundo oscuro y quieto.

When the wind arrived, he called the musicians, y el viento dijo así: “¡Vengan, músicos!” pero no oyó nada. It was quiet, and he began to be angry. “¡Vengan músicos, les llama el dios de las cuatro partes de la tierra!” pero no dijeron nada.

❖ When the wind arrived, he called the musicians, and he spoke like this: “Come musicians!” but he heard nothing. It was quiet, and he began to be angry. “Come musicians, the god of the four parts of the earth calls you!” but they said nothing.

❖ Cuando el viento llegó, llamó a los músicos, y el viento dijo así: “¡Vengan, músicos!” pero no oyó nada. Estaba todo quieto, y el viento empezó a enojarse. “¡Vengan músicos, les llama el dios de las cuatro partes de la tierra!” pero no dijeron nada.

The wind rose in great anger, billowing and blowing, raging and storming, subiendo en su furiosa ira con nubes que cubrían la faz del sol. La oscuridad y tinieblas solo fueron quebrados por espantosos relámpagos y fuertes truenos. In all that darkness and loud thunder, the musicians scurried for shelter, right into the arms of the wind.

❖ The wind rose in great anger, billowing and blowing, raging and storming, rising in his furious anger with clouds that covered the face of the sun. The darkness and gloom were broken only by frightening bolts of lightening and loud thunder. In all that darkness and loud thunder, the musicians scurried for shelter, right into the arms of the wind.

❖ El viento sopló, subiendo en su furiosa ira con nubes que cubrían la faz del sol. La oscuridad y tinieblas solo fueron quebrados por espantosos relámpagos y fuertes truenos.

En todo esa oscuridad y trueno, los músicos corrieron para buscar amparo en los brazos del viento.

Bearing all that joy so gently, the wind turned toward the earth, careful not to harm the tender melodies. Seguros en los brazos fuertes del viento, todo ese gozo bajó a la tierra. ¡Ay, que dicha para la tierra, esperando con brazos abiertos! The earth reached up her arms to receive the happy group, who spread out to the four quarters of the earth. Así vino la música a la tierra.

Life was all music from that time on.

❖ Bearing all that joy so gently, the wind turned toward the earth, careful not to harm the tender melodies. Safe in the strong arms of the wind, all this joy came down to the earth. Oh, what joy for the earth, waiting with open arms!

The earth reached up her arms to receive the happy group, who spread out to the four quarters of the earth. That is how music came to the earth. Life was all music from that time on.

❖ Cargando todo ese gozo con ternura, el viento volvió a la tierra. Seguros en los brazos fuertes del viento, todo ese gozo bajó a la tierra. ¡Ay, qué dicha para la tierra, esperando con brazos abiertos! La tierra extendió sus brazos para recibir el grupo dichoso, quienes se esparcieron a las cuatro partes de la tierra. Así vino la música a la tierra. La vida ha sido lleno de música desde entonces.

author’s note Chained Bilingual Stories/ Cuentos Encadenados Story telling may be one of the most ancient of arts. However, since the invention of the printing press, the art has been generally lost as a common activity of every family and group. It seems to have been relegated, along with music and the visual and kinesthetic arts, to the realms of the elite. Now we pay to hear story-tellers in theaters and on the television, but rarely teach story telling in the schools or model it in the homes.

The story teller must become released from the prison of the print and make the tale come alive through the most natural of speech, as well as appropriate vocal inflections, and even facial expressions. The story-teller must adapt every telling to the listeners, be aware of what they know about the subject, and the language of the tale and use props and physical enactments to enhance the meaning. Meaning is personal to every listener, so the story-teller must accomodate every different understanding.

The cuento encadenado version of this story does not represent the exact way that stories should be told to every audience, or to every bilingual audience. It is presented as an example of what can be done to communicate with a group containing monolinguals of both languages. That said, I must add the disclaimer before continuing the explanation. The research on bilingual pedagogy suggests that if you want the students to learn Spanish, you speak Spanish in comprehensible context. If you want them to learn English, couch the English in situations that are meaningful. If you say everything in both languages, they will listen for the one they know, and not learn the other. Cuentos encadenados is a special story telling technique for presentations in which the content, not language development, is the purpose.

How to tell a story using the cuentos encadenados technique: A concept is presented in one language, and without repeating the whole phrase over, the concept is picked up by the next language, and the story continues. Explain, “listen to this story, but don’t worry if you do not understand every word. I promise, you will be able to follow the story line.”

In this illustrated story, three versions are given. The first version is “un cuento encadenado”. The second version is an English version. The third version is a Spanish language version of the story. Teachers and parents should use the version that matches with the need: cuentos encadenados are for mixed audiences who need to understand the story line in one telling. English and Español are offered with the illustrations to provide models of understandable language for the development of those languages.

Story-telling ideas Adapted from: El Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes por medio de la Dirección General de Culturas Populares y la Secretaría de Educación Pública, a través de la Dirección General de Educación Indígena: the contest: “Mounds of Stories” for bilingual children, who were to submit their stories written in two languages.

1. The customs of my town.

2. Grandparents say.

What do you know, or what what has been said about the founding of your town?

What were the main problems of the first people in your town? How did they live? What were their customs?

3. The people of my town.

What individuals are known in your community for some quality, for accomplishing some great act, or for their work? What are they like? How are they different from others?

4. Celebrations and customs of my hometown.

What are the most important celebrations and what are they like in your community?

(The anniversary of the founding of the town, the patron saint, a historic fact, famous families, leaders). Tell what people do and what they eat at their celebrations. Are there any special celebrations at times of planting, harvest, or for the land or the rain? When people or animals get sick, who cures them, and how do they do it?

5. This is my land.

Surely in your community there are rivers, forests and mountains, deserts or beaches.

What kind of animals are there? What are the main activities of the people, farming, ranching, honey production, fishing, etc.? Do they do some type of craft such as wood carving, basket weaving with palm, wicker, reeds, or other material; do they do sculpture with metals, paper, papier mache, clay, leather or others? How do they do it? Is it easy or difficult?

6. Stories and Legends.

What are the stories or legends told in your community?

7. Games and Songs.

What are the toys like that are made in your community? Who makes them? What material are they made of? Did your parents or grandparents play with the same toys you have now? Have they told you how they played with them? Do you know children’s songs appropriate for your region? Have you composed a song? What did your parents or grandparents sing as children? (If possible, tape record them).

roy e. Howard

lives just outside of Gallup, New Mexico with his wife Janeen, many ducks, chickens, and two cats. He is a professor of bilingual education at Western New Mexico University, popular story-teller, and musician. See Cantos Para Todos for other stories and songs by Roy. He has adapted this story from the Aztec tradition of Mexico where this style of storytelling is still popular in Meso-America.

carlene h. williams lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband, Lucas. She works as a freelance illustrator and art teacher and holds a BFA in illustration from Brigham Young University. She shares her father’s excitement for the power of storytelling as they collaborate their talents to bring stories to life. Her research for How Music Came to the Earth led her into ancient Mexican history in order to make historically appropriate drawings.

How

MUSIC

Came to the Earth AN AZTEC STORY

Illustrated by

Told by Roy E. Howard Carlene H. Williams

DVD Video Š2005 cantos para todos w w w . c a n t o s . o r g