Reading "Leaving the #9" on 12/9 + the Meaning Behind Cuetlaxochitl
"All I could make out was that her skin was a warm sandy brown, like mine, her lips full and stained a deep red, like a cuetlaxochitl." - from "Leaving the #9"
Morning, everyone! I'll be joining Anya Martin (Sleeping with the Monster) for Story Hour hosted by Laura Blackwell and Daniel Marcus. When: Dec 9 at 7pm PDT/10pm EDT via Zoom and Facebook Live! I'll be reading my short ghost story "Leaving the #9." Check it out!
Photo taken and modified from www.storyhour2020.com
In the story, I include both Spanish and Nahuatl, which is one of the many native languages of Mexico and is still spoken today by 1.7 million people. I describe one of the character's lips as being stained a deep-red like a cuetlaxochitl, which you might know as the "poinsettia" or "noche buena" for Spanish speakers.
While doing research for this story, I learned that the poinsettia was co-opted after colonization and had its indigenous origins rewritten to accommodate its new Christmas narrative. The name cuetlaxochitl means “mortal flower that perishes like all that is pure" and also symbolizes the life force of blood. The flower was introduced to the United States by then-U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who apparently hated the native indigenous peoples. Surprise, surprise (not really), the native flower was named after him, with no recognition of its indigenous roots.
I grew up knowing this flower as the "flor de noche buena" and associating it with Christmas and thus Catholicism--colonialism at work, y'all. Not until I wrote "Leaving the #9" did I learn its true origins, and it broke my heart to learn of the erasure. Mexica (Aztec) history is not ancient; it's a culture and a people who are still very much alive to this day. So now that you know the truth, next time you see this lovely flower, you'll know its history ❤️
Have a great day!
Please check out these sources for more information over the cuetlaxochitl: https://bit.ly/33AwbOk, https://bit.ly/3lCPFrA
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Horror fantasist E.M. Markoff writes about damaged heroes and imperfect villains; she is also an inkblot artist. She is the creator of The Ellderet Series, a diverse dark fantasy epic exploring how family bonds are tested in a violent world. 