Native Americans of North America

Where are the Americas? South, Central, Meso, North

• Mysterious Origins; Bedtime Stories; Indigenous Americans of the Americas; Xochitl, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Aztlan: legendary Aztec homeland

Is the legendary homeland of the "Aztecs" a myth?

(The Mysteries of Latin America, with Andrew Colón) July 1, 2025:  THE VAULT! The Mysteries of Latin America Podcast, hosted by Andrew Colón.

Leaving Aztlan (Atlantis?) for the mainland

This video explores the "Aztec" [a modern made-up name invented in the USA] mythology surrounding Aztlan, the claimed ancestral origin of the people who would build Tenochtitlan, the site of modern Mexico City.

Was Aztlan a real place or a fictional narrative meant to give meaning to a greater truth about outsiders looking for a place to belong in Mesoamerica? It delves into the symbolism behind their journey and how it shaped their search for a new home and history.

Thousands of people are marching in cities across California, standing up for migrant families and demanding dignity—which is reminiscent of something ancient. Way before national borders, ICE raids, and Trumpian walls, the ancestors of the Mexica—the original "Mexicans," the tribal people we now label “Aztecs”—were wandering the desert looking for a sign.

They were turned away by those who were already settled. This story of Aztlán has been passed down for generations. This episode digs into what it really means. Was Aztlán a real place? A metaphor? A strategy? Why ask?

For a lot of us—especially those of us who are Mexican American—this isn’t just about the past. It’s about identity, memory, and what it means to belong.

In this episode:

• The legend of Aztlán and why it still matters

• What the codices, scholars, and even conspiracy theorists have to say

• Why this ancient story still hits hard in a world where people are still being turned away at borders.

Let’s explore the Mexica migration, how “Aztecs” came to be, what the codices say, and how this all connects to today—because this isn’t just myth. It’s about who we are and how we got here.

If anyone is Mexican American, Latinx, Chicano, Hispanic, or has ever asked, “Where do I really come from?”—this one’s for you.

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 Exile or Origin?
• 0:30 Why We Tell These Stories
• 0:45 A Lost Paradise
• 1:52 “Aztecs” vs. Mexica
• 2:48 The Command: Leave Paradise
• 5:37 The Journey: Sacred Wandering
• 7:43 Where was (or IS) Aztlán?
• 10:07 Aztlán: Truth or strategy?
• 12:26 From the fringe: Atlantis, aliens, and conspiracies
• 13:15 What do viewers think?
• 13:58 Share a story

ABOUT: Andrew Colon tells stories about myths, legends, histories, and mysteries from Latin America and the Caribbean. He does this so those of us with roots here know where we come from—and so that those who don’t can finally learn what we were never taught in school.

Everything on this channel is researched and rooted in culture. It uses AI-generated images to help visualize ideas, but the story, its meaning, and the message are real.

Watch or listen to full playlist: • THE VAULT! The Mysteries of Latin America... Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/12rJLlk... Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Instagram: @andycolonvo Join the list: andy@andycancun.com. Help spread the word: Like this video if it hit home. Share it with someone who should see it. Subscribe for more stories rooted in Latin America.   #mexicanhistory #AztecOrigins #Latinx #Aztlan #mexicanamerican #mesoamerican

📚 Resources mentioned in this episode

• Codex Boturini – 16th-century Aztec codex depicting the migration from Aztlán to Tenochtitlán.
• Codex Aubin and Codex Mendoza – additional sources for Mexica migration and history.
• Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, Muerte a filo de obsidiana – Reflections on Mexica mythology, symbolism, and interpretation of Aztlán as a cultural metaphor.
• Miguel León-Portilla, The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico – essential reading for Nahua voices and historical memory.
• Camilla Townsend, Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs – groundbreaking modern retelling based on Nahuatl sources.
• Susan Gillespie, The Aztec Kings: The Construction of Rulership in Mexica History – insight into how the Mexica used myth and memory to legitimize political power.
• Juan Miguel Zunzunegui – Mexican historian and social commentator who discusses the northern desert origins of the Mexica in his videos and books.
• David Carrasco, City of Sacrifice: The Aztec Empire and the Role of Myth in History – explores how myth shaped Mexica society and migration narratives.
• Mexican flag symbolism – origins of the eagle, cactus, and serpent from Mexica prophecy.
• Mexcaltitán, Nayarit – real island city thought by some scholars to be the inspiration for Aztlán.
• La Quemada (Zacatecas) and Sierra de San Luis (Chihuahua) – archeological sites linked to Chicomoztoc, the "Place of the Seven Caves."
• Uto-Aztecan Language Family – linguistic evidence tying Nahuatl to Indigenous peoples in the American Southwest (Hopi, Pueblo, etc.)
• Andrew Colon, July 1, 2025; Crystal Quintero, Pfc. Sandoval (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

American Holocaust: Amazonian Apocalypse

Nossas histórias | Na floresta amazônica, um povo indígena luta pela sobrevivência (ACNUDH)

The Amazonian Apocalypse

Untamed Beauty of the Amazon (freepik.com)

(Lost in Context) For some 10,000 years the world was split into two isolated spheres, each unaware of the other's existence.

Then in 1492 the so-called "Old World" collided with the new, unleashing a cascade of devastation unlike anything humanity had ever witnessed. What followed was without parallel the darkest chapter in human history.

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:19 European arrival
• 02:21 Orellana's expedition
• 06:15 Portuguese take control
• 09:26 Manaus to Santarem
• 13:16 Destruction of the Amazonians
• 21:46 The holocaust of disease
• 25:55 The rubber boom

It didn't stop in the Amazon. It ruined pre-USA

This video tells the tragic story of the destruction of the people of the Amazon rainforest and, through its lens, the holocaust of the entire Western Hemisphere.

Sources (for the Amazon series)

• John Hemming, Tree of Rivers: The Story of the Amazon, 2008
• Chris Feliciano Arnold, The Third Bank of the River, 2018
• Charles C. Mann, 1491: The Americas Before Columbus, 2005
• Charles C. Mann, 1493: How the Ecological Collision of Europe and the Americas Gave Rise to the Modern World, 2011
• McNeill, J. R, Mosquito Empires; Ecology and War in the Greater Carribean, 2010
• Grandin, Greg, Fordlandia, 2009
• Lost in Context, Dec. 9, 2024; Pfc. Sandoval, Crystal Quintero, Sheldon S. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

People in Americas 130K ago (G. Hancock)

Proof of Great American Flood and more

(History Drops) There were humans here at least 130,000 years ago. Did civilization begin in the Americas thousands of years before Sumer, which was only 6,000 years ago? Graham Hancock presents America Before: The Key to Earth's Lost Civilization, Part 3 of 3, in Graham's hometown, Bath, England, in 2019. Here he presents highlights from his famous 2019 bestselling book, America Before was a New York Times Top 10 nonfiction bestseller. #grahamhancock #science #history #geology

America Before: The Key to Earth's Lost Civilization

(Audible Logo) Graham Hancock is the author and narrator in this Macmillan Audio. It has 4.7 out of 5 stars with 3,884 ratings. Was an advanced civilization lost to history in the global cataclysm that ended the last Ice Age?

Graham Hancock, the internationally best-selling author, has made it his life's work to find out. In America Before, he draws on the latest archeological and DNA evidence to bring his quest to a stunning culmination.

We’ve been taught that North and South America were empty of humans until around 13,000 years ago -- among the last great landmasses on earth to have been settled by our ancestors (the Clovis people).

But new discoveries have radically reshaped this long-established [and gatekeepers at the university enforced] picture, and we now know that the Americas were first peopled more than 130,000 years ago -- many tens of thousands of years before human settlements became established elsewhere.

Hancock's research takes us on a series of journeys and encounters with the daring scientists [who dared to defy the gatekeepers and status quo] responsible for the recent extraordinary breakthroughs.

In the process, from the Mississippi Valley to the Amazon Rainforest, he reveals that ancient "New World" cultures share a legacy of advanced scientific knowledge [likely gifted to them by the Star People] and sophisticated spiritual beliefs with supposedly unconnected "Old World" cultures.

Have archeologists focused for too long only on the "Old World" in their search for the origins of civilization while failing to consider the revolutionary possibility that those origins might in fact be found in the "New World"?

America Before is the culmination of everything that millions of people have loved in his body of work over the past decades, namely a mind-dilating exploration of the mysteries of the past, amazing archeological discoveries, and profound implications for how we lead our lives today. More

• Graham Hancock (grahamhancock.com) via History Drops, Jan. 29, 2024; Pat Macpherson, Xochitl, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Exploring Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

A fully evolved script, Rongo Rongo tablets - How old is Easter Island civilization? 3,000 years+

Exploring Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

(Funny Olde World) Premiered Sept. 23, 2024: Hey, Hunters, let's dive into the origin myths of the Moai (those giant head above/bodies below ground stone monoliths on Easter Island and the DNA evidence of cross cultural mixing with Natives from the Americas in the ancient past.

Myth research and references:  earthstoriez.com/myths-legend... has an extensive source list at the bottom. Huge shout out to adeptexpeditions.com for running such an awesome tour of the Island. Enjoy! JJ xx. #rapanui #easterisland #ancienthistory

Easter Island has Native American DNA

Sexy Polynesians seduced Native American Indians on the mainland in ancient times?

Moai: the "ancestors" of the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island are honored in stone.

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Ancient DNA from Easter Island/Rapa Nui shows Polynesians and Native Americans interbred

We should welcome the sea people.

The headline says it all, but where, when, why? The why seems obvious enough. Where and when?Stephen Luntz reports for IFLScience.com:

The population of Rapa Nui, dubbed "Easter Island" by Europeans who stumbled onto it on Easter and proceeded to rape, kidnap, and enslave the people, interbred with Native Americans from the Americas before Europeans arrived, despite a distance of 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) between them, ancient DNA suggests.

Thrust together, they made the best of it.

The islanders, once the poster children for a people who brought about the environmental collapse of their world through overharvesting of resources [a recently debunked but still popular theory], also appear to be innocent of this charge, according to the same research.

• Easter Island never collapsed: study

The island of Rapa Nui is so incredibly remote that even finding it is considered one of humanity’s most remarkable achievements before the acquisition of technology like compasses and large vessels.

We welcome Rapanui, intermarry.

The remarkable civilization built there by the native [American and Polynesian] people was made famous by the enormous moai (carved monoliths) they constructed, but it has fascinated anthropologists for other reasons.

One of these is the possibility that the inhabitants sailed on and reached South America. On the one hand, it’s a lot harder to miss a continent than a small island, but on the other hand, this would have required a voyage almost twice as long as the one from the other Polynesian islands from which the Rapanui people came.

Europeans kidnapped, raped, and enslaved us.

Genetic testing of the modern population of Rapa Nui has shown a diversity of ancestry, but that is distorted by the Europeans who first visited in 1722 and subsequently kidnapped most of the population for slaves.

Now, however, DNA has been found from 15 people who lived on the island, in some cases as far back as 1670, and whose remains are stored in the Musée de l’Homme in Paris.

Aztlan/Atlantis is overseas in underground caverns.

The possibility of interchange between Polynesia and the Americas via Rapa Nui has been very controversial, but the presence of foods like sweet potato, which originated in South America, is hard to explain any other way.

It also seems the first South American chickens were Polynesian breeds. The new study shows that about 10 percent of the ancestry of the pre-European contact Rapanui was Indigenous American.

That means some of the population not only sailed all the way to South America but found their way back to their tiny dot in the vast Pacific, bringing people they’d visited with them.

Not surprisingly, the Native American genetic inheritance of the population most closely matches peoples from coastal Chile and Peru. More

• IFL Science: Historic spacewalk may have broken space law, a population of Neanderthals were isolated for 50,000 years, and much more this week
• Stephen Luntz, IFLScience.com via MSN.com, 9/14/24; Xochitl, Ashley Wells, Pfc. Sandoval (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Going Native: 10 Essential Travel Tips

10 Essential Tips for Immersing Yourself in Native American Culture

Pow wow ritual dancing

Exploring the rich history of Native American culture offers a profound understanding of the diverse traditions and philosophies of the Indigenous peoples of North America.

From the ancient cliff dwellings of the Southwest to the vibrant pow-wows of the Great Plains, each destination provides a unique insight into the resilience and creativity of American-Indian communities.

Spanning parts of Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, the Navajo Nation is the largest Native American territory in the United States, offering an insight into Navajo (Dine) culture, history, and landscape.

Visitors can explore Monument Valley’s iconic sandstone buttes, experience the spiritual beauty of Canyon de Chelly, and learn about traditional Navajo crafts, such as weaving and silverwork, at the Navajo Nation Museum.

The Navajo people’s deep connection to the land is evident in their art, ceremonies, and way of life, providing a profound experience for those who seek to understand their culture.

Part of the Smithsonian Institution [a collection of organizations that seem more interested in burying and hiding discoveries rather than featuring them], The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to preserving, studying, and exhibiting the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of Native Americans.

What was Alta-California like before?

The museum’s extensive collection spans over 12,000 years of history across more than 1,200 Indigenous cultures. Exhibits range from ancient artifacts to contemporary art, providing a comprehensive overview of Native American heritage.

The museum’s architecture, inspired by natural rock formations, and its Indigenous landscaping further enhance the visitor experience. More

• 15 mind blowing ancient Mexican ruins
• 50 photos of the last free place in America: Slab City
• Passing Thru Travel via MSN.com; Xochitl, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

5,000-year-old map of America found in Egypt

Kincaid found a cave with an ancient Buddha statue and Egyptian art in the Grand Canyon.

5,000-year-old map of America discovered in Egypt reveals terrifying secret

Transoceanic voyages by ancient Egyptians to the Americas: a god deals with sea naga

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Forbidden History Revealed

(Discoverize) [So it is true that the Grand Canyon in the American Southwest was a settlement of the ancient Egyptians or some cross-cultural mishmash of Buddhist, Hindu, and Egyptian artifacts in the massive cave systems we are as American citizens forbidden to enter! The mysterious Kincaid was right, reporting his findings in the Arizona Gazette only to have himself disappeared and the Smithsonian scrubbed of the physical evidence and then any knowledge of his existence. What are the powers-that-be hiding?]

• The Nagada or Naqada culture of ancient Egypt
• History of Africa: The Nubia Egg is the Nubian Egg
• The Nubian Egg, found in a 7,000-year-old Nubian tomb. 2,500 years before the known date of pyramids construction
• Ostrich eggshell covered with drawings of pyramids
• Forbidden History Revealed – Steve Quayle

The Forbidden History Revealed is a DVD produced by Steve Quayle's GenSix Productions on American history that is kept out of textbooks. Episode 1, The Egyptian Presence in the Americas and the Pacific Rim. The Great Smithsonian Cover-Up focuses on the strange mystery of why modern names for features of the Grand Canyon are Egyptian.

Buddhist and Egyptian artifacts

The mystery was solved by Kincaid, who while working for Smithsonian system, explored a cave system and documented his findings in both a report to his employers and the Arizona Gazette. The Smithsonian buried the information, just as they cover up all anomalies and physical evidence of giants. But the paper did not retract his story. It is still possible to read firsthand accounts of his incredible discoveries. This information aligns with the 1885 research of American Edward Payson Vining in An Inglorious Columbus...

• Forbidden History Revealed: The Egyptian Presence in the Americas and the Pacific Rim

The Grand Canyon eroded out

For the first time in history, there is a firsthand eyewitness account of the fact that Egyptian artifacts and giant skeletons were taken from the Grand Canyon and stored in a secret Smithsonian warehouse. Why are all the landforms in the Grand Canyon named for Egyptian deities? Why is the DNA of giant mummies and giant skeletons being extracted by the militaries of the world? Was a live 21-foot giant captured in 1877 with the most unusual features ever noted? Will the DNA of ancient giants be used to make super-soldiers?

Americans have been lied to: cover up

Gen 6 Giants – The giants of antiquity are now returning (gen6giants.com)

Welcome to the Discoverize channel, where we dive into the most exciting and unbelievable things that the world has to offer. From ancient artifacts to mind-blowing scientific theories, there's never a dull moment on this channel. Join as we embark on a thrilling journey of discovery and wonder. Get ready to have lose socks as they are knocked off by the amazing things uncovered. Whether viewers are lifelong learners or just looking for a good time, this channel is sure to not be able to measure up but to at least entertain and educate. Buckle up and get ready for an unforgettable ride. For copyright matters, please contact: juliabaker0312@gmail.com.

• Discoverize, April 17, 2024; Stephen Quayle (stevequayle.com, gen6giants.com); Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

LatinoLand: A Portrait of America's Minority

Latino rebel Che Ernesto Guevara  in 1964 in Cuba (Srkcxixngcpgn)

Che Lynch Guevara, the Latino-Irish revolutionary, is a world-famous symbol of resistance.

It's not just Mexicans in former-Mexico (now the US Southwest). Latinos are diverse.

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Latinos are not only Mexicans.

Marie Arana, author of LatinoLand: A Portrait of America's Largest and Least Understood Minority, which has 4.4 out of 5 stars after 17 ratings, was on AirTalk today.

It's a sweeping yet personal overview of the Latino [Hispanic, Latinx, Mexican, Central American, South American, Spanish-speaking] population of America, drawn from hundreds of interviews and prodigious research that emphasizes the diversity and little-known history of our largest and fastest-growing minority.

Why are so many U.S. Latinos Mexican? - Because this land used to be our neighbor Mexico.

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LatinoLand is an exceptional, all-encompassing overview of Hispanic America based on personal interviews, deep research, and Marie Arana’s life experience as a Latina.

Ethnic Realities of Mexican Americans (Guevara Urbina)

At present, Latinos comprise 1/5th or 20 percent of the US population, a number that is growing quickly. By 2050, census reports project that one in every three Americans (33%) will claim Latino heritage.

But Latinos are not a monolith. They do not represent a single group. The largest numbers are Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, and Cubans.

There's a look called feo, fuerte, y formal.

Each group has a different cultural and political background. Puerto Ricans, for example, are US citizens, whereas some Mexican Americans never immigrated because they didn't cross the border. The border crossed them.

That is, the US-Mexico border shifted after the US invasion of Mexico in 1848, stealing what is now the entire southwest of the United States.

Are you a rich elite, Cruz? - Are you a poor prisoner, AOC? - FU, Ted. - No, you, you b*tch!

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Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Virgen

Cubans came in two great waves, those escaping communism in the early years of Fidel Castro, many of whom were professionals, conservatives, and wealthy elites. The second wave were those permitted to leave in the Mariel boat lift 20 years later, representing some of the poorest Cubans, including prisoners.

As LatinoLand shows, Latinos were some of the earliest immigrants to what is now the US — some of them arriving in the 1500s.

They are racially diverse — a random fusion of white, Black, Indigenous, and Asian. Once overwhelmingly Catholic, they are becoming increasingly Protestant and Evangelical.

Who are the Dreamers in DACA?

They range from domestic workers and day laborers to successful artists, corporate CEOs, and US senators.

Formerly solidly Democratic, they now vote Republican in growing numbers. They are as varied culturally as any immigrants from Europe or Asia.

Author Arana draws on her own experience as the daughter of an American mother and Peruvian father who came to the US at age nine, straddling two worlds, as many Latinos do.

LatinoLand unabashedly celebrates Latino resilience and character and shows us why we must understand the fastest-growing minority in America. More

Latinos are fastest growing numerical minority in US – also the least understood?

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo (MX)

It's predicted that by 2050, over 30% of the U.S. population will have some Latino heritage. Despite a growing population, a lot is still unknown about the diverse fabric of this demographic group. Author Marie Arana (mariearana.net) takes up this topic in her new book LatinoLand: A Portrait of America's Largest and Least Understood Minority. The product of extensive research and personal experience, Arana attempts to understand and celebrate Latinos in America and their rich and varied contributions to the foundation of this country. She joins us today on AirTalk to discuss her new book.

• AUDIO: LISTEN TO INTERVIEW (17:09) NOW

What is it like South of the United States like the underground caverns of Mexico?