List of Themes | Nahuatl Dictionary

Nahuales, Sorcery, Divining

augury, spell casting, shape-shifting, see also Religion (Indigenous) and see Dreams

Names (for people, deities)

indigenous & Spanish, given names & surnames, and deity names

Names (places)

intersects with Landscape Features

Numbers, Math

ways of counting, quantifying

Occupations, Responsibilities

Origins (human, ethnic, towns)

Human origins, town foundings, etc.

Orthography of note (use of "r" for l)

Paper

relating to writing, painting, and ritual uses

Philosophy

Plants, Trees, Flora

see also Agriculture & Gardens, and see Flowers

Politics, Power, Governance

roles, influence, seats of power, influential individuals, etc.

Protest, Resistance

a range of terms for resistance and protest, responses to impositions

Race, Ethnicity, Identity

indigenous, Spanish, and mixed-heritage people, altepetl allegience, etc.

Religion (Christian)

includes indigenous Christianity, so intersects with indigenous religion

Religion (Indigenous Christianty)

sometimes difficult to discern; see also other religion categories

Religion (Indigenous)

emphasis on pre-Columbian beliefs & practices, but some indigenous Christianity, too

Rubber

special attention to an item of cultural importance

Sensory Perception (sound, smell, etc.)

language of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, etc.

Sexuality, Fertility, Reproduction

as always, check attestations

Shells

fresh & saltwater; plus, armadillos, tortoises, snails, etc. (see also Marine & Maritime)

Skins (human or animal), Hides

Slavery

indigenous slaves and African slaves

Snakes, Serpents

(see also religion/indigenous; see also animals/reptiles)

Social Hierarchy, Commoners, Elites

class differences, commoners, nobles, etc. (see also Politics & Power)

Socio-Political Units, Cities, Towns, Neighborhoods

altepetl, tlaxilacalli, calpulli, chinamitl, tlatilanalli, etc.

Speech, Speaking, Oral Tradition

includes greeting, talking, conversation, huehuetlatolli, etc.

Sports, Games, Leisure

ball games, bowling, running, juggling, bullfighting, equipment, etc.

Stones, Masonry

overlaps with architecture and jewelry

Technology, Tools

wooden, metal, leather, pipes, bridges, helmets, cisterns, canopies, crowns, etc. etc.

Textiles, Clothing

patterns, designs, shapes, types, cloaks, mantles, paper vestments, etc., etc.

Theater, Drama

(looking for more suggestions for this category)

Time, Calendar, Frequency

seasons; thinking about past, present, future; etc.

Transportation, Travel

overlaps with maritime theme; carts; human carriers; roads, travel, horses, mules, etc.

Tributes, Taxation, Service

Turquoise, Greenstone/Jade

special attention to precious natural gems of cultural importance (see also Jewelry)

War, Conflict

conflict is broadly defined; see also Weapons, see Protest/Resistance

Water

(broadly significant in the culture)

Weapons, Shields, Heraldry

Weather, Climate

rain is a major element in this theme

Women, Men, Gender

includes masculinity, etc.

Wood, wooden material

natural wood and constructed wooden things