Montezuma (mythology) facts for kids
Montezuma was a special name in the stories of some Native American tribes in the Southwest United States. These tribes include the Tohono O'odham and Pueblo people. In their legends, Montezuma was a powerful hero or even a god. The name Montezuma is also known from two famous Aztec emperors in Mexico, Moctezuma I and Moctezuma II.
Montezuma in Tohono O'odham Stories
In the Tohono O'odham legends, the world began with the Great Spirit. The Great Spirit dug a hole and found clay. He dropped the clay back into the hole, and out came Montezuma. Montezuma then helped the Great Spirit bring out all the different Indian tribes. The Apache tribe was the last to appear.
Long ago, all people and animals spoke the same language. But a huge flood destroyed almost everyone. Only Montezuma and his friend, Coyote, survived. Coyote had warned Montezuma about the flood. So, Montezuma built a boat and kept it ready on the top of the Santa Rosa Mountains in Arizona. Coyote also made his own boat. He chewed down a giant cane and sealed it with gum.
After the flood waters went down, Montezuma and Coyote met again on Monte Rosa mountain. Montezuma sent Coyote four times, once in each direction, to see how far the sea was. Coyote quickly returned from the south and west, saying the sea was close. The trip east took longer, but he found the sea there too. Finally, he went north and traveled a long way without finding water before he got tired.
Meanwhile, the Great Spirit, with Montezuma's help, filled the world with people and animals again. Montezuma was put in charge of mankind. But he became proud and mean. He turned against the Great Spirit and sent Coyote away. Montezuma then told people to build a house tall enough to reach Heaven. Before he could finish, the Great Spirit destroyed it with lightning. This caused people to speak many different languages.
Montezuma continued to be wicked. He ordered all temples to be destroyed. As a punishment, the Great Spirit sent a locust to the east. This locust called the Spanish people. The Spanish came and fought Montezuma, defeating him.
This story was told by Chief Con Quien of the Tohono O'odham tribe. It was written down in the Indian Affairs Report in 1865.
Montezuma in Pueblo Stories
Montezuma is also a very important figure in the religion of the Pueblo tribes. They believed their god-king Montezuma came from places like Taos or Acoma. They said he was born from a beautiful virgin and a pinyon pine nut. Even though he was weak when he was young, he was chosen to be their leader. He surprised everyone with his amazing powers, like being able to make rain.
Montezuma taught the Pueblo people their customs. He also showed them how to build their adobe pueblos, which are special mud-brick houses. One day, he started a fire that they were never allowed to let go out. Then he left for Mexico. In some versions of the story, he rode away on the back of an eagle. He promised to come back someday and save them from the Spanish.
In 1855, a U.S. lawyer named W.W.H. Davis visited the Laguna Pueblo. He was allowed to see a special idol or statue of their god Montezuma. He described it in his book El Gringo. Davis said the object was round, about nine inches tall and wide. It was made of tanned animal skin. Half of it was painted red and the other half green. On the green side, there were triangle-shaped holes for eyes and round pieces of leather for the mouth and ears. It had no nose. He said it was kept wrapped in cloth and sprinkled with a white powder.
Some historians have found old records that show the Spanish knew about Montezuma's fame among the Pueblo people a long time ago. One record from 1694 says that the natives told Jesuit Father Eusebio Francisco Kino that Montezuma had built what is now known as Casa Grande.
