Tesoros de Mexico: La Malinche

La Malinche

Despite the male-centric politics (male conquerors and rulers), Mexico has a fair amount of female cultural icons. One woman who changed Mexican history is a woman called “La Malinche”, but is also known as “Doña Maria”.
Doña Maria was an Aztec woman born into nobility but ultimately shunned from her social class by her mother, who favored her younger step-brother over Maria. Sold into slavery, she given to the conqueror Hernan Cortez in 1519, where she learned Spanish and became an interpreter between the two rulers during meetings. She was also a mistress to Cortez and gave birth to the first Mestizo in history. Her affects on Mexican history is a wildly debated issue. There are some that argue that she helped bring Christianity to Mexico, and for influencing Cortez to be more compassionate than he could have been. However, she chose to side with the Spanish over her own people, thus being viewed as a traitor. Over the years, she has become a myth, with less of a focus on her role in the diplomacy that would eventually create a nation. Today, La Malinche has been taken in by Chicana feminist movement, due to her complex image as a betrayer of her people and her role in creating the Mestizo race. She is also seen as a strong female figure who managed to better her life.

By Jessica Shakarian

 More of Jessica’s Articles:
“Cesar Chavez“
“Indigenous Body Art“
“Jose Guadalupe Posada“
“Calvario“
“La Catrina“
“La Virgen de Guadalupe Defendiendo Chicano Rights“
“Aztec Death Rituals“
“Mosaic Skull”

Advertisement