Tetelcingo facts for kids

Tetelcingo is a town in Cuautla, Morelos, Mexico. It is about 6 kilometers north of the city of Cuautla. Tetelcingo and its nearby areas, like Colonia Cuauhtémoc and Colonia Lázaro Cárdenas, are now almost part of the larger city.

This town is special because it is the home of a unique language. This language is a type of Nahuatl called Mösiehuali. People who speak it call it Mösiehuali. As of 2008, many people in Tetelcingo still spoke this language. However, because the area is growing, the language is becoming less common. It is important to help keep it alive.

In 2019, Tetelcingo was supposed to become its own independent municipality. This means it would have its own local government. But officials from Cuautla disagreed with this plan. Other towns like Xoxocotla, Coatetelco, and Hueyapan also faced similar situations. The government explained that indigenous communities can have their own identity. This happens when they are social, economic, and cultural groups. They must live in a specific area and recognize their own leaders.

Local Traditions

The Mösiehuali language is a very important part of Tetelcingo's culture. Many people in Tetelcingo still speak it. This is true even though the language has been lost in many other communities. Some women in the town still wear traditional clothing. These garments are called cuieyitl or chincuete.

Other old customs and practices are also kept alive. For example, people still build a special storage place called a bescomatl or coscomate. This structure is designed to keep rats and squirrels away. It helps protect the corn that is stored inside.

Tetelcingo's Past

In 1935, a person named Guillermo C. Townsend visited Tetelcingo. He met with President Lázaro Cárdenas there. Later, Dr. Ricardo Pittman started studying the Mösiehuali language in Tetelcingo. He wrote several books about it. One of his important works was A Grammar of Tetelcingo (Morelos) Nahuatl in 1954.

On December 9, 2014, a hidden burial site was found in Tetelcingo. When officials investigated in 2016, they found 117 bodies. Many of these bodies showed signs of injury. Some cases had not even been looked into by the police. A similar large burial site was later found in Jojutla.

See also

In Spanish: Tetelcingo para niños