Tlanchana facts for kids

The Tlanchana, also known as the Anchane, is a special figure from the Matlatzinca people in Mexico. She is a spirit of freshwater, often linked to lakes and rivers.

What Tlanchana Looks Like

The Tlanchana is usually described as a woman with the lower body of a snake. She often wears a crown, necklaces, and has aquatic creatures like fish or shells around her waist. Over time, because of ideas from Europe, some pictures show her more like a mermaid with a fish tail instead of a snake's.

Where Tlanchana Comes From

The story of Tlanchana began with an Otomi goddess named Acapaxapo. This goddess was believed to have special powers to see the future and give warnings or signs about what was going to happen. Later, the Aztecs adopted this goddess and called her Atl-tonan-chane, or Altonanchane, which eventually became Tlanchana.

Unlike the original Acapaxapo, Tlanchana was not always kind. If people didn't show her respect, she could be dangerous. Stories say she might pull people into the water if they angered her.

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