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Order of Quetzalcoatl Teocalli Site
Order of Quetzalcoatl
What dazzling beauty there is in the myth of Quetzalcoatl! It is the complete fairy tale in which all things change perpetually into something else and are forever elusive, yet profoundly true. The Great Bird-Serpent is the most powerful figure in Mexican mythology. From Teotihuacan (Mexico City) on the high plateau to Chichen Itza in Yucatan, he is a dominate motif on ancient monuments. Sometimes with his jaws open, bifid tongue, and articulated spinal column, he is easily recognizable. At others, he seems to have been coded in an almost infinite variety of formalized patterns derived from his famous scales, or feathers. Like all great symbols, he is misused and misunderstood. You find him popping up in the corniest modern sculpture friezes, mosaics and paintings. What the Statue of Liberty is to the United States, what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, even so is Quetzalcoatl to modern Mexico. Almost certain there was more than one historical Quetzalcoatl, because in ancient Mexico the name was given to any priest who was supposed to have attained enlightenment. It is believed that Quetzalcoatl was a king, living about the time of Christ. If it was he who discovered that corn was a good staple diet for humans, then he must certainly have existed much earlier. So, let's look at the myth itself, or at the collection of myths. To begin with there is the name, which was analyzed many years ago. It is formed of QUETZAL, the name of a rare bird with green feathers inhabiting the highlands of Chiapas and Guatemala, and COATL, which is the Nahuatl Indian language means snake, but which in its essence is a combination of CO, generic name for serpent or snake in the Maya language, and ATL meaning water. The Quetzal was a great bird, regarded as the most graceful of all. Its name means the most precious, or the beautiful bird. Quetzalcoatl is symbolized by the plumed serpent that may be seen depicted on many ancient temple ruins in various parts of Mexico.
Quetzalcoatl was known and accepted as a god in ancient Mexico. Accordingly, he dominated the great early American civilizations, from the land of the Incas in South America, to the Pueblo Indians of our southwestern desert. Quetzalcoatl became the force for understand the universe, as it was known before the introduction of modern religion by the Conquistadors of Spain. The god, Quetzalcoatl, represented to the ancients the very essence of life. It was said by the Aztec priests that after leaving the world of the living, Quetzalcoatl would reappear from the east as the morning star, preceding the sun. Therefore, when the Conquistadors landed at Veracruz, from the east, in the year 1519, Montezuma was sure that Cortez was Quetzalcoatl, returning to take possession of his kingdom. Because of this mistaken belief, Cortez, with a small force, conquered an empire. Archaeologists uncovered the Temple of Quetzalcoatl early in this century at the ancient ruins of Teotihuacan, just north of Mexico City. The Toltecs may have been the builders of the Temple of Quetzalcoatl at Teotihuacan, about ten thousand years ago, where the pyramids of the moon and sun rival those of ancient Egypt. In the ancient rites and legends practiced by the Toltec tribes under the leadership of their prophet and guide, Quetzalcoatl, we find many parallels to our Masonic ways of life. Here is a code of conduct native to the North American continent worthy of emulations. Everything he taught was for the betterment of the people. Whether Quetzalcoatl was a myth, a man, or a god, remains a mystery. Nevertheless, Quetzalcoatl stood for all that was good in this world: Peace, art, wisdom, and prosperity. The Order of Quetzalcoatl was founded on March 14, 1945, by the late Arthur J. Elian, Recorder of Anezeh Temple in Mexico City, who was an outstanding student of Mexican lore as well as an active 33rd degree Mason. His profound interest in all Masonic affairs crowned his efforts with all honors due him, having been Grand Master of the Muy Respectable Grand Logia Valle de Mexico, Emeritus Registrar of the Scottish Rite bodies, Recorder Emeritus of Anezeh Temple, and was fondly considered "Mr. Mason." The Order is based upon authentic Mexican legend and depicts the eternal struggle between the forces of good and evil. This is the only Order of American origin, following the Masonic Tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, which were exemplified in the life of Quetzalcoatl. Members of the order are known as Coates (KO-AH-TAYS) or Artisans, an Indian word which means twin brothers. Artisans are truly the "workers" of the Temple. There are now in existence numerous Teocallis in the United States of America organized under the umbrella of the Supreme Teocalli which exercises general control over the affairs of the Order. Teocalli is the Aztec word for lodge, or Temple. The jurisdiction of the Supreme Teocalli is the See of North America. The Order of Quetzalcoatl is recognized throughout Shrinedom, and is enjoying phenomenal growth. a large number of Shrine officers on the local as well as on the Imperial Divan are "Coates" of the Order. Although the Order of Quetzalcoatl is a forum for fun and fellowship among the Artisans of the Temple, the Order has a serious side: Our philanthropy is to assist the Supreme Teocali and the local Shrine Temples in extraordinary activities with financial and moral support, particularly in the area of transportation funds for the Shrine Hospitals for Children.
The Order of Quetzalcoatl is a very unique organization of Shrine Masons. The Order is composed of only those who have distinguished themselves in their service to the Temples - who have associated together, for fun and fellowship. Local Teocallis are virtually autonomous, subject only to conformance to the Supreme Teocali bylaws. Each set is own membership qualification, meeting and attendance requirements, rules for elections of officers, fees and dues, in accordance with the general guidelines established by the Supreme Teocalli. Local Teocallis are combined into regional associations, similar to Imperial Shrine Associations. The ritual is divided into three distinct parts. Once accepted into membership an individual is a Coate (or tribesman) of the Order and is given an obligation in which he promises that he will avail himself to receive the two degrees of the Order, that of Initiation (Artisan degree) and that of Consecration (Master Artisan). Upon initiation through a ritualistic full feathered ceremonial, a candidate is made an Artisan. Thereafter, by consecration ceremonies either at the annual "Feast of Fire", or upon a pilgrimage to the pyramids in Mexico, primarily the Temple of Quetzalcoatl at Teotihuacan (Mexico City) or Chichen Itza (Cancun), a candidate may be consecrated a Master Artisan. The one with the other would be incomplete and it is urged that the candidate by informed that although initiation is highly instructive and of great interest, it is desirable that all candidates should, whenever possible, make the pilgrimage to the Ancient Temple of Quetzalcoatl. Accordingly, although fun is the name of the game, fun and fellowship, with a purpose, is truly the name of the game. Any interested group of at least fifteen Shrine Masons, residing in the same jurisdiction and in good standing, who are truly "Artisan of their Temple", having rendered outstanding conspicuous and unselfish service to their Temple, and Shrinedom, may petition for dispensation to establish a new Teocalli in the jurisdiction of their Temple; provided that there is no pre-existing Teocalli in the same Temple. The Order of Quetzalcoatl is independent from our Shrine Temples. However, our membership is based on requisite membership in the Shrine. Membership in the Order is a high privilege and by invitation only. To initiate an application for dispensation to establish a new Teocalli, or to have more information about the Order of Quetzalcoatl, contact the Supreme Tlacuilo (Secretary): 1-800-850-0637
Nahuatl Pronunciation My name is James Bryan, and I am a professor at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. Because of my studies of Mesoamerican history and of the Nahuatl language, and as Supreme Co-Historian of the See of North America, I have been asked to prepare a cassette tape to assist you in the pronunciation of difficult Nahuatl names adopted by the Order of Quetzalcoatl. Let me say at the outset that we cannot replicate the exact sounds of the language spoken by the Nahua Indian tribes because in 1522 when the Spanish friars attempted to reduce Nahuatl to writing, there were no characters in the Spanish alphabet that could reproduce the guttural and clucking sounds they heard. What resulted from their efforts was a phonetic approximation of the words. Nevertheless, understanding the limitations of our knowledge of true Nahuatl as it was spoken in pre-Columbian central Mexico, we can provide the Spanish language approximation of Nahuatl. Please bear in mind in seeing Nahuatl words in print that Nahuatl is not Spanish. They are two separate languages. Remember, too, that the Spanish invaders destroyed the civilization of the native peoples, demolished their holy places, suppressed the native languages, and imposed European religion on the native population. Necessary Words
It derives from two Nahuatl words: quetzalli, a large brilliant tail feather which inspired the name given the quetzal, an exotic tropical bird some Indians believed was sacred, and coatl, the word for serpent, or snake. The proper pronunciation is Quetzal-coatl'. Make sure you don't pronounce the Q-U-E at the beginning of the word as though it were English, as in the English word question. The que in the first syllable is pronounced like the Spanish word que [pronounced, kay], as in Que pasa? Que tal? que homre! Que bueno! It has the same sound and spelling as in the last syllable of the Mexican word pulque [pronounced PULL-kay]. Do not pronounce it KWET ZAL COATL, or KWET ZAL KWATL. It's Quetzalcoatl. The word consists of four separate syllables, and each must be pronounced distinctly. Therefore, say Ket zal co ATL. Repeat the name of our Order after me while looking at the word in print:
Quet-zal-co-ATL . . . Quet-zal-co-ATL . . . Quet-zal-co-ATL
Teotl, meaning god, and calli, meaning house . Thus, it is the "house of god," a temple, or a teocalli in Nahuatl. Notice that in Nahuatl the word is spelled with two l's, as it appears in English dictionaries. Only in the Spanish language is it spelled with a single l (to keep it from being mispronounced as the double l sound in the English word million).Notice that the word can be pronounced two different ways: the preferred tay-o-calli, and tee-o-calli. Both are correct. The name of your local unit should bear the name you have chosen, plus the word Teocalli followed by its number. For example, Texcoco Teocalli No. 22.
The name of the highest ranking officer in the local teocalli is spelled C-a m-a-x t-l-i and is pronounced Ca-MASH-tli. It has three syllables broken down as: Cah-MASH-tlee. Look at the word and repeat it aloud. Cah- MASH -tlee. Caa- MASH -tlee. Cah- MASH -tlee. In our Artisan ritual mythology, Camaxtli, seated in the East, represents the sun and is called (with considerable liberty) "Lord and Master, ruler of all things here [in heavens] and below; Lord and Master of celestial bodies." The next highest officer in the teocalli is CHIMALMA, spelled C-h-i-m-a-l m-a. Repeat after me: Chee-MAHL-mah... Chee-MAHL-mah...Chee-MAHL-mah. In the Artisan ritual mythology, Chimalma is the wife of Camaxtli; consequently those representing this goddess at meetings and rituals wear a wig to signify the role of wife-mother in the hierarchy of gods. Chimalma in our ritual mythology is the mother of both Titlauacan and Quetzalcoatl. The next ranking offer is HUEMAC, spelled H-u-e-m-a-c. It has two syllables and is pronounced WAY-mock (last syllable rhymes with clock). Remember in Nahuatl, as in Spanish, the H is silent. Here the remaining letters, u-e, are pronounced way. Hence, WAY-mock. Repeat after me. HUEMAC... HUEMAC... HUEMAC. Huemac, a true historical personage, was the last ruler of the Toltecs in the 12th century. He was also Lord of Cicalco, "Place of the Hares," in the underworld, a place of joy and pleasure where men live forever. The next officer's name is spelled incorrectly in all the
publications of the Order, at least since 1967. It should be spelled Sometimes the third syllable is preceded by an H, thus h-u-a-n, but the pronunciation remains the same: Remember, H is silent. Repeat after me while looking at the word in print: TIT LA UA CAN... TIT LA UA CAN... TIT LA UA CAN. Titlauacan, better known among the Nahuas as Tezcaplipoca, god of the night and evil, a wizard and master of black magic, "the Smoking Mirror." Tezcatlipoca is depicted dressed in black with a stripe across his face, and on his chest a mirror in which to see the activities of all men. He introduced human sacrifice into the Nahua religion and drove Quetzalcoatl out of his own kingdom because Quetzalcoatl opposed human sacrifice. By the time of the Spanish Conquest, the Aztec considered Tezcatilpoca (Titlauacan) the greatest of all gods and feared him the most. Whereas Quetzalcoatl is widely portrayed as a benevolent culture hero,
identified with balance, harmony, life, fertility, and civilization, Tezcatlipoca
represents conflict, turmoil, and change. Look at the word and repeat after me. Coo-wah-TAY-mock ... Coo-wah-TAY-mock ... Coo-wah-TAY-mock. (The name is also written Guatemoc [pronounced gu a TAY' mock].) The Outer Guard's name is spelled N-e-z-a-h-u-a-l-c-o-y-o-t-l, and it is pronounced Nets a wahl CO yotl. Break the word into five syllables while learning to pronounce it: Nets a wahl CO yotl. Be sure to accent the next to last syllable. Now look at it and repeat after me: Nets a wahl CO yotl ... Nets a wahl CO yotl ... Nets a wahl CO yotl. Nezahualcoyotl was the King of Texcoco, now a suburb of Mexico City. He was said to have been one of the greatest Mexican philosophers. Now, let's learn to pronounce the name of the Supreme head of our Order. It is spelled T-l-a l o-c. It has two syllables and is pronounced with a clucking sound: TLAH-lock. Repeat after me as you look at the word: TLA-loc ... TLA-loc ... TLA-loc. Tlaloc was the god of water and rain; but lesser gods, sometimes translated "lords", were referred to as tlaloc. Thus, while our Order has as its head the Chief Tlaloc, there are also lesser tlalocs, or lords, in the polytheistic hierarchy.
Two Useful Nahuatl Words Teponaztli is the proper word for what is misspelled in some copies of the Ritual. It is the drum used in rituals. The word is properly spelled t-e-p-o-n-a-z-t-l and pronounced tay-pon-AZ-til. The teponaztli among the Nahuas was a lateral drum, carved hollow log which was then struck with a stick to make a resonant sound. The teponaztli was also the war drum. The proper spelling for pulque is p-u-l q-u-e-. Pulque is a
fermented drink made from cactus and is quite potent. The "pulque" concoction
(spelled "pulkie" in the ritual) at the end of the ritual ceremonial should not
be confused with the real pulque which was considered a sacred drink among the indigenous
people of Central Mexico and is still sold. NOTE: The above has been
extracted from a cassette tape prepared by Dr. Bryant to assist us in learning the proper
spelling and pronunciation of the Nahuatl words we commonly use. This cassette tape
is available for purchase from the Office of the Supreme Tlacuilo (Secretary). To
order call 1-800-850-0637 or fax your request to (520) 290-9789.
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