Otomi people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Otomi Hñähñu, Hñähño, Ñuhu, Ñhato, Ñuhmu |
|---|
 |
| An Otomi quexquémitl design, from the northern Sierra region of Puebla |
| Total population |
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Mexico:approx >300,000 |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Mexico: Mexico (state), Puebla, Veracruz, Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Queretaro, Tlaxcala |
| Languages |
| Otomi, Spanish, |
| Religions |
| predominantly Roman Catholic, Jewish |
| Related ethnic groups |
| Mazahua, Pame, Chichimeca Jonaz, Matlatzinca |
The Otomi are an indigenous people of central Mexico. Some groups of Otomí self-identify as Hñähñu (pronounced [ʰɲɔʰɲuː]), but the exact autonym depends on which variety of the Otomi language they speak.[1]
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[edit] History
Before the founding of Teotihuacan, the Otomi people settled nearby Tula, where later the Toltec culture flourished.[citation needed] Some centuries later they developed their own culture and country, with a capital city in Xaltocan. Nevertheless, around 1399 they were defeated and submitted by the Mexica or Aztecs.
Otomi warriors were often employed by the Aztecs and by people of Tlaxcala as mercenaries. The Tlaxcaltecans sent a group of Otomi warriors to oppose the Spanish, and when they lost, decided to ally themselves with the Spaniards.[2]
After the 16th century, the Otomi passed to be ruled by the Spanish crown. During four centuries after, they mixed with other people from central Mexico.
[edit] Language
The Otomi language is part of the Otopamean language family, which also includes Chichimeca Jonaz, Mazahua, Pame, Ocuilteco, and Matlatzinca, which belong to the Otomangean language group (consisting of the Amuzgoan, Chinantecan, Mixtecan, Otopamean, Popolocan, Tlapanecan, and Zapotecan language families). The Otomi of the Valle de Mezquital speak nHa:nHu while the Otomi south of Querétaro speak nHa:nHo, together amounting to 300,000 people (some 5 to 6 percent is monolingual), most of whom live in the states of Hidalgo (Valle de Mezquital), México, Puebla, Querétaro, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz.
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Wright Carr, David Charles (2005). "Precisiones sobre el término "otomí"" (PDF). Arqueología mexicana XIII (73): p.19. (Spanish)
- Manuscritos Otomies del Virreinato - Paper in Spanish by David Wright Carr
- Otomies en las fuentes - Paper in Spanish by David Wright Carr
- Lengua cultura e historia de los Otomíes Paper in Spanish by David Wright Carr
