References:

 References:

The Captivating Chinampas: 

Cartwright, Mark. “Aztec Food & Agriculture.” World History Encyclopedia, 29 June 2014, www.worldhistory.org/article/723/aztec-food--agriculture/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2022.

Vera, Antonio. “Chinampa: An Ancient Agricultural System – Nihopeku.” Chinampa: An Ancient Agricultural System, 2 Feb. 2018, hilo.hawaii.edu/nihopeku/2018/02/02/chinampa-an-ancient-agricultural-system/.

Two intense games of Patolli:

@hOMe. Otago Museum. (n.d.). Retrieved September 6, 2022, from https://otagomuseum.nz/athome/how-to-play-patolli

The mysterious time machine. How it all started?

June 2017, Owen Jarus-Live Science Contributor 15. “Tenochtitlán: History of Aztec Capital.” Livescience.com, 16 June 2017, www.livescience.com/34660-tenochtitlan.html#:~:text=Tenochtitl%C3%A1n%20was%20an%20Aztec%20city. Accessed 5 Sept. 2022.

Interesting Interview with Jack:

“Aztec Music Education.” The Orly, theorly.net/mexico-anahuac-aztec-education-music-cuiyocan. Accessed 13 Sept. 2022. 

Biart, Lucien. “Music of the Aztecs | TOTA.” Www.tota.world, www.tota.world/article/2818/. Accessed 13 Sept. 2022.

The captivating chinampas

The Captivating Chinampas

It was a cool new day in the Mysterious city of  Tenochtitlan. I was walking near the beautiful, fasinating bay of Lake Xochimilco. I was shocked at how breath-taking it looked. The scenery was so beautiful and it was like a perfect piece of art. Soon, something caught my eye. It was these little, boat-like shaped, brown, large floating crops. The crops looked so tall, green and gigantic. At a distance, you could see an Aztec Farmer on the floating crops and what looked like he was checking on them. There was also another Aztec Farmer on a small and brown boat. This is something you could never see in the modern world! I mean, floating crops! No one would have thought of that! I finally learnt that these floating crops were called Chinampas. These Chinampas were built for agricultural purposes. They were man-made raised fields which were used for cultivation. They covered large areas of Xochimilco and tremendously raised the agricultural space of the land. Each chinampas were very alike in size and direction. They were made by being attached into marshy areas using long sticks. Each Chinampas were enclosed by fences made of twisted branches that slowly became much more solid overtime as the branches gathered up lots of mud and vegetation. The wall was made stronger by Aztec Farmers planting willow trees at regular gaps. The area of the Chinampas that were meant for planting were filled up with sediment. Between each Chinampa there was a gap that gave canoes access. The water was supplied by a mixture of natural springs and man-made constructions, like aqueducts. The type of crops that were growing in the planting area were beans, corn, squash, tomatoes and peppers. Chinampas produce up to seven crops per year. This seemed to be a very productive and advanced idea for agriculture. Compared to how people grow crops in modern days and in New Zealand, these Chinampas is definitely a much faster way to grow crops and a very smart way too. This is because when farmers now adays seem to have a large process to grow crops whereelse with the Chinampas you could just built the Chinampas first and then supply the water which makes it easier. It might not be eay at first for building the Chinampas but overtime it will get easier because once you get everything working, the Chinampas crops will start growing. But, the process nowadays seems to always be difficult and the process just makes it hard for the farmers to cope. These Chinampas can also be a more efficient way to grow crops as well. How I wish these Chinampas existed in Modern day!!!

Drawing of Chinampas and how it looks like- with labels

An Aztec farmer checking on the Chinampas(close-up on Chinampas)

Interesting Interview with Jack

Uilacapitzli

Interesting Interview with Jack

This trip has gone by so fast! I just got here and now it is time to go back home. I really will miss Tenochtitlan. As I hopped back into the gigantic, golden time machine, I play back all the wonderful memories I have made in Tenochtitlan and how much I have learnt from the city. This city was really one of a kind and magical. After what felt like 20 minutes, I found myself back to New Zealand. Except different. I found myself standing in front of an Archaeologist. In his hand, he was holding some sort of Aztec artifact. It looked like a brown, stick and it looked like it had a texture somewhere between smooth and rough. It looked very familiar though. I slowly approached him and started asking him questions:

Me: Hello there! What are you holding? What is that?

Jack: Hello there! As you probably don't know, my name is Jack and I am an Archaeologist! I have just uncovered an traditional Aztec Uilacapitztli! 

Me: Wow! These seem so cool! So what exactly is the Uilacapitzli?

Jack: This Uilacapitzli is basically an Aztec version of the Flute. Yes, it is an musical instrument used by the Aztecs! Don't get too excited! 

Me: That's so interesting!! But what is it made of?

Jack: Uilacapitzli is either made of reeds, bone or pottery. Some of these Uilacapitzli is made of pottery that has been preserved!

Me: Do you know what the Uilacapitzli's are mostly used for?

Jack: well, they can be an accompain for the hymns that are sung in the Temples that were chanted in a sing-song manner. The Aztecs had so much pleasure in the songs that they regularly sang for the entire day. Also, fun fact, music was the only art that remained in the start among them.

Me: Wow! That is very fascinating!!

Jack: Also they were a highly prized instrument.

Me: Understandable. This is so interesting! Thank you so much! I have learnt alot from this Uilacapitzli! Just checking, does it still work???? 

Jack: I don't think so but you could always try!!

Me: I don't think I want to try but thanks anyway!

Now, there is one thing left to do, going back home and taking a long relaxing nap.

Uilacapitzli(close-up)

Two intense games of Patolli

Two intense games of Patolli 

As I was walking through the streets of Tenochtitlan and just roaming around. Admiring the beauty and the exceptional pyramids and palaces of this City. Amazed at how creative some people were and feeling pity for the servants and slaves. I hear the chattering of people and the scent of spices fill up my nose. I could see warriors heading of to war, or what looks like they were heading off to war. I saw market stalls and even children playing games. I turned my attention to two little children beside me. 

Child 1: Stop Cheating!!!

Child 2: What do you mean?? I'm not cheating! It's not my fault I'm better at this game than you! 

Child 1: No! I'm better than you!!!! You see! Ok I bet my favourite blanket!! 

Child 2: I bet this maze and this stone given to me by my mum!! 

I was astonished to realize that they would bet anything for this game. I soon learned that they were playing Patolli, a gambling game where people would bet their most prized possessions to meet and examine the items each other had available to gamble. Every time a player got one of their pieces off the board successfully, their opponent had to give them an item. Now that I understood how it works, I really was eager to try playing the game too! I mean, these kind of stuff aren't in New Zealand. After a while, I started roaming around again. As I was walking past the palace, I saw two nobles playing the Patolli game as well. I slowly walked past, pretending I wasn't eavesdropping when I actually was. 

Noble 1: Ha!! Now hand over the Jade necklace! 

Noble 2: Ugh! Here take it! 

Noble 1: Anyways, I bet this season's crops! 

Noble 3: what!! you can't do that! That's too risky! There's a chance that Noble 2 could take all our seasons crops!

Noble 1: Yes I can, this game is about either losing items or keeping everything! It's gambling, you know?

Noble 3: I guess so.

Noble 2: I bet the whole entire livestock!! *whispers to self: I hope i dont lose anything*

Noble 1: that's so little! Bet more!

Noble 2: the whole livestock, you know!!! Like, the turkeys, ducks, the deer and the fish and more!! *whispers to self: Noble 1 is so rude!*

Noble 1: Ok sure sure!

Noble 3: Looks like Noble 1 is gonna win!

Noble 2: NO! I CANT LET THAT HAPPEN! *whispers to self: I'm gonna lose everything!*

*Noble 2 tries to run away but fails*

Noble 1: Haha! I win! I got all my pieces off the board see!!

Noble 2: Noooo! Ugh ok!

Noble 3: ok guys! Pack it up! Good game! 

So they weren't gambling for money but rather for crops, freedom, jewellery! So different to nowadays when people gamble for large sums of money!

The Aztecs playing Patolli

The Patolli Board

Commoners playing the Patolli game!

The mysterious time machine. How it all started?

           The mysterious time machine. How it all started?

The city of Tenochtitlan(close-up)

On a cold Friday night, while I was listening to music, relaxing on the couch, I heard a loud bang. Being curious, I went outside to check what had happened. I was amazed when I saw a huge, gigantic golden, egg-shaped machine. At first, I was scared because I had never seen that before!!! I didn't want to be involved with it so I just took a picture to send to my mum since I was home alone. But as they say, curiosity gets the best of you.. so I slowly stepped closer to the machine. There was a small tablet saying Technochtitlan- the World of the Aztecs ( 1325-1521). I was so amazed. I wanted to see what was inside but once I stepped inside, I felt like I was moving. Very soon, I woke up to notice that I wasn't outside my house anymore but I was in what seemed to be TECHNOCHTITLAN!!! WAS THIS FOR REAL?? I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! 

I finally got the opportunity to go back in time to visit the Aztecs!! I have heard so much about it and always dreamed of seeing it in my own eyes. As I got closer to the city itself, I smelt the beautiful, iconic scent of the foods, the wonderful sound of the Aztec people and the authentic smell surrounding the whole city. I was so shocked!!! To even think this city was built on marshy land!!! Everyone's clothing looked so different! There were people making feathers, clay pots and many other things. I was speechless when this man who was making clay pots was talking to another man who seemed to look superior and everyone was scared to talk to him. They were all ignoring the fact that he was there! This man was talking about some sort of ceremony happening. It was so easy to tell he was the Emperor. The way everyone treated him was like he was the most important person on earth. 

The city of Tenochtitlan (the temple)