Get to know the stories of the Giants of Mexican mythology. Discover their secrets and which legends have endured through time.
Giants Of Mexican Mythology
Mexican mythology is mainly highlighted by the Aztec people; it had its beginnings between the XIV and XVI centuries throughout the Mexican territory. Besides being famous for their great technological, cosmic and agricultural advances; the Aztecs are very renowned for their buildings. Hence the myth of the giants of Mexican mythology.
The most important was the pyramid of Cholula, so large that it could be bought with the union of nine Olympic swimming pools. Today it is impossible to explain how the Aztecs could have built such a huge pyramid; the only trace is in their legends about giants. Better known as “the giants quinametzin”.
History of the giants of Mexican mythology
The Aztecs believed that the giants were the first to populate the earth, they existed before the era of the sun and rain; which he called “Nahui-quiahuitl” . They described them as similar in appearance to humans, but measuring more than 10 feet tall and weighing more than 600 pounds.
Created by the gods
It was believed that they were beings created by the gods, and their species died by punishment from heaven due to all the sins they committed in life. In many of the writings of Mexican mythology there are indications of the presence of giants as well as engravings.
Even one of the giants was a hero who saved the Aztecs during a European invasion; his name was “Tzilacatzin”. According to Mexican mythology, the giants were fundamental in the creation of the world, as described in the legend of the suns.
Based on engravings and giant bones found throughout Mexico in the 16th century, it is estimated that giants inhabited these lands since the creation of the world. However, there are doubts about their origin due to the lack of progress in paleontology in the XVI century to confirm if they were really fossil bones of giants or of any animal.
Legends by tribes of giants in Mexican mythology
Aztecs
They crossed their path with the giant Oxkokolyzec, which they called “big man”; which was a ghost that appeared to torment the Aztecs and adopted the form of a giant.
Toltecs
They had two appearances of giants, the first to appear had a deformed appearance, with arms and thin and very long. They were in a celebration and the giant began to dance with them. But when he embraced them he applied so much force that he left the Toltecs lifeless.
Thus this giant killed most of those present at the celebration. The other giant they witnessed was one that had long and very pointed fingers, which he used to skewer the Toltecs and in this painful way he killed them.
Mayab
In this tribe, the giants played an important role; they were in charge of holding “the thirteen heavens”. They called them bacabob, these thirteen heavens were distributed by all the cardinal points of their territory so that they could not find their position; and they had skin of different colors based on yellow, red, black and white.
Maya
In their territories are what were most commonly seen several giants, they walked through the village and even snooped in some houses. The most known giants were: Che Uinic, who was generally called the man of the woods; Ua Ua Pach, also known as Uay Pach or snatching giant; Uay Poop and the giant H-wayak.
Tarahumara
In this area, some giants were seen who were called Ganos, although in a singular way their name was “ganoko”. They used to live in the Tarahumara mountains or in the caves of these mountains. Their size was equal to that of a pine tree in the forests.
The Tarahumaras made an alliance with the Ganos; they were in charge of planting and cutting the trees and in exchange they would give them food and alcoholic beverages. However, this alliance did not work, because when the Ganos got drunk they would eat the children and rape the women. For this reason the Tarahumaras poisoned them.
Generations of the giants of Mexican mythology
First generation
They were the oldest giants of Mexican mythology, they were called “Quinamiltli”; they were born from the creation of the earth and came from the goddess Tlalcihuati. These giants inhabited the earth and fed on acorns from trees.
However, they died of starvation at the end of the period of the first sun. And the few that remained alive, died being devoured by the jaguars that appeared at the end of the first sun.
Second generation
They appeared with the beginning of the period of the second sun, they were called “Hueytlacome”. Due to the lack of food on earth, there was a war of survival among the giants that lasted several millennia, causing the death of all the giants of this generation. The men who inhabited the earth died because of the war; and the few that remained the gods turned them into monkeys.
Third generation
They were called “Tzocuiliceque”, they existed in the period of the third sun. However, in the legend of the Mexican god Sahagún, he speaks of these giants in the period of the first sun; they lived together with the giants Quinametzin as the first to populate the world.
Fourth generation
In this period the earth was desolate, due to the destruction of the earth by the god Atonatluh. Then the gods decided to bring 4 giants to the earth to raise the heavens, they were called “Huehueytin”. Then they were turned into fish; their individual names were: Izcoalt, Cuauhtémoc, Tenexuche and Izcaqlli.
Names of the giants of Mexican mythology
- Tlaloc: was the giant ruler during the first sun of the other giants, he was also called “rain god”.
- Che Uinic: he was a giant with a red body, similar to a pyramid. He had no bones and was called “man of the woods”. His feet were upside down and for this reason he carried a cane, his main food was human flesh.
- Ua Ua Pach: also known as Uay Pach; his appearance was similar to a stick insect to camouflage himself in the vegetation. It loved to torment humans and break their bones.
- Uay poop: he was famous for how noisy he was, he likes to line his body with mats that resonate when he walks.
- H-wayak: eats human flesh, and his appearance is very similar to that of an ordinary human. He suffers fits of rage destroying everything in his path.
- Cuauhtémoc, Izcoalt, Izcaqlli and Tenexuche: they were the four giants in charge of holding the sky at the beginning of the fifth sun.
- Xelhua: he was the founding giant on earth, and it is believed that he was the builder of the pyramid of Cholula.
Conclusion
In Mexican mythology, giants are closely linked to Aztec mythology; they are beings that stand out for their great stature and superhuman strength. There are the giants that emerged with the creation of the world and others that have emerged from myths and legends among the tribes throughout the Mexican territory.
In Aztec mythology, it is believed that these giant beings not only built the pyramid of Cholula; they also made the amazing city of Teotihuacan. And they believed that the giants were the first inhabitants of the earth.
