The Totonac’s have a system of ritual kinship that is practiced. It is related to the compadrazgo (parenthood). Among the Totonac the kinship ties are primarily between the adults involved other than between the adult and the child. Great importance is given to the relationship of compadrazgo.

Some Totonac communities had patrilineal systems of descent that were based on residence in a specific location. Main conflicts over land actually destroyed those systems.

Political relations were based on Kinship. The cacique was the one who made all the big decisions for the tribe and influenced them. In the Totonac culture, marriages were celebrated at an early age. Fun fact the new family had to live near the house of the husband’s family.

There were five main classes in the social organization of the Totonac tribe.

1. Caciques- highest authority in the tribe. Very respected.
2. Priests- Carried out rituals and religious ceremonies, also were responsible for astronomical and calendar records.
3. Nobles- They were responsible for the management of economic and commercial activities.
4. Warriors- They were in charge of defending the territory limits of enemy incursions.
5. Plebeians- Mainly were dedicated to agriculture and fishing. Also were apart of the construction of temples and buildings.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Totonac

https://www.everyculture.com/Middle-America-Caribbean/Totonac-Kinship.html

https://www.lifepersona.com/social-organization-of-the-totonacas-most-important-characteristics

Totonac popular Catholicism is complex. Elements of both Iberian and Amerindian religion. Many Totonac people have been converted to Protestantism (highly critical of popular Catholic beliefs). Which in some communities had created a conflict.

Social organization of the Totonacs were important. When the Spaniards arrived in America, social organization of the Totonacs was presided over by a cacique and was characterized by a marked difference of classes. The Totonacs were an important civilization of Mesoamerica. Which came to ally with the Spanish and repression suffered by the Aztecs.

As mentioned earlier the cacique was the one who made the big decisions and it influenced the rest of the tribe. Like most of the people of the region, political relations were based on Kinship. Totonacapan became incorporated into the Spanish regime with little violence. Although the region was ravaged by epidemic diseases in the 16th century.

As of today, at least one hundred thousand Totonac people survive in their original territory. Most present today Totonacs are Roman Catholic. But sometimes their Christian practice is mixed with their traditional religion.

http://everything.explained.today/Totonac/

https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/totonac-religion

https://www.everyculture.com/Middle-America-Caribbean/Totonac-Religion-and-Expressive-Culture.html

The Totonac’s diet consisted of a variety of things. Both men and women played an important role contributing to their diet. Men were in charge of hunting shark, turtle, deer, armadillo, opossums, and frogs. Women raised the turkeys and dogs.

Peasants as well as nobles ate corn porridge in the mornings. The main meal of the day was lunch, and consisted of moniac. Which was like a beef stew. The nobles and farmers had a diet based on primarily fish and seafood.

In the Totonac diet there is an absence of corn. Even though corn was grown, it was never a large part of their diet. Which meant that they did not eat tortillas. The main fruit that they ate were zapotes, guavas, papayas, plantains, and avocados. The principal crop, maize, is also a basic part of every Totonac diet. There is only one season for the cultivation of maize. Some other major crops are beans, chilies, and other vegetables that are grown on small family plots near houses.

Fun fact: The Totonac people were actually the main producers of vanilla.

https://everipedia.org/wiki/lang_en/Totonac_people/

https://www.lifepersona.com/totonac-culture-the-7-most-important-features

https://www.everyculture.com/Middle-America-Caribbean/Totonac-Economy.html

The Totonac inhabit two different types of environments. One consists of high mesa (cool and rainy). The other one consists of coastal lowlands (hot and humid). Both environments are agriculturists. Lowland raise a variety of cash crops. While highland keep poultry and raise livestock. The lowland live primarily in scattered farmhouses as the highlands live in Central villages. The Totonac generally purchase their tools from commercial outlets.

The Totonac clothing consisted of a variety of different things. The women dressed grandly and even braided their hair with feathers. They were classified as “elegant”. They wore skirts and a poncho that covered their breasts. They also often tattooed their faces with red ink. On the other hand the men dressed well also. They wore multicolored cloaks, necklaces, armbands, and feathers.

Trade is very important. The Totonac rely on the middlemen to take their agriculture produce to the markets. The Division of labor was where men were in charge of the maze fields and women took care of the household. Coffee was a great deal for labor. Entire families actually worked together to harvest those beans. When the men were absent , women had to work the fields themselves.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Totonac

https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/totonac

The Totonacs were polytheists. The main cult surrendered to the sun, with human sacrifices. They worshipped the Goddess of Corn (wife of the sun). But their sacrifices were not human, so they offered animal sacrifices and offerings of herbs and flowers.

The Totonacs were the first natives who Cortes met in Mexico in 1519. The Totonacs had their own traditions and cultural values. They established important centers of population at Cempoala and Tajin, in Veracruz, where traditional deities are still worshipped. The Totonacs had maintained an independent kingdom, until subjugated by the Aztec twenty five years before the arrival of the Spaniards.

Aztec domination weakened the Totonac rulers. Being compelled by their conquerors of a heavy tribute, including the seizure of their people for slaves, they were ripe for revolt and their king. Eager to defeat the Aztecs, the Totonac helped the Spanish invaders. The Franciscan clergy evangelized Totonacapan, where they built churches with Indian labor and converted the community to Catholicism. Where they faced culture change.

In conclusion “the ancient Totonac culture was discovered again at the end of the 19th century by the Mexican and historian Francisco del Paso y Troncoso.”

“Totonac Indians.” CATHOLIC LIBRARY: Sublimus Dei (1537), http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14794a.htm.In-text Citation

“Totonac – History and Cultural Relations.” Countries and Their Cultures, http://www.everyculture.com/Middle-America-Caribbean/Totonac-History-and-Cultural-Relations.html.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14794a.htm

The Totonac are an indigenous people of Mexico. They reside in the states of Veracruz, Puebla, and Hidalgo. In the 15th century, the Aztecs labeled the region of Totonac, “Totonacapan”. Totonacapan was largely hot and humid. The region was mainly known for its production of liquid amber and cotton. They are the builders of the pre-Columbian city of El Tajin and also claimed to have built the city, Teotihuacan. They are also known as the world’s main producers of vanilla.

Totonac’s are Roman Catholic. Mother goddesses played a very important role in the Totonac belief. They believe each person’s soul is made by them. It’s believed that if a newly born child dies, it’s soul, does not go west to the place of the dead but to the East with the mothers. Also as a tradition, it is believed that “when babies are born during a storm, under the protection of thunder. They think that a lightning bolt strikes the house of a new born baby… and makes it… under its possession.”

The Totonac people speak Totonac, together with Tepehua. Which forms an isolated language family. It is spoken with 4 principle dialects and also lacks the sound of r. There are many different varieties of Totonac. Such as Papantla Totonac, North Central Totonac, South Central Totonac, and Misantla Totonac.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Totonac.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 18 July 2018, http://www.britannica.com/topic/Totonac.

“Totonac Indians.” The First Commandment of God, http://www.catholicity.com/encyclopedia/t/totonac_indians.html.

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