Mesoamerican Ethnographical Participant Observation Case Studies

In August 2013 in an interview with the amateur ethnologist Maria Montserrat (BA) from the Toluca Valley, México, it was understood that even primary school children are taught in the syllabus there that the ancient city of Teotihuacán was not a civilisation in its own right, that Teotihuacáno was not a nationality, but instead Teotihuacán was a polyglot collective, comprised of priests, holy men, and shaman, from the outlying territories. These shaman, had a mutual respect for one another, as did the warriors of all the tribes, on the field of battle. There was an understanding, that, no man, would harm a shaman. It would not only be the Maya civilisation or Teotihuacán but a mixture of high-priests, which collectively organised, orchestrated and gradually built this first city in the Americas.

Veneration of the spirits of the gods entailed sacrifice, the gods having made the world from their own life-blood, which meant that in the mythology and collective cultural consciousness, a need to reciprocate, to repay a debt to the spirits of their tribal ancestors; which is why the ancient Mesoamericans fought to subdue, rather than kill.

The steps leading up to many of the pyramid’s peak, one cannot walk up conventionally but must turn and ascend sideways. This is indicative of the decapitated head falling down this channel, or indeed excessive blood-letting formed a sanguine waterfall, descending these side-ways channels, which are not conventional steps.

The Danes in the Americas.

A second case study undertaken by Jean-Jacques Doucet, a French historian, from Fermanville, Bas-Normandie, who has suggested that the Northmen of Denmark journeyed to the Americas. During an independent study into Normand heritage and ancestry done in the 1970’s throughout Denmark, then to the Shetland islands, even to America and back; (specifically New York City, Louisiana, and Quebec). Monsieur Doucet has highlighted the importance of an early compass, a Danish artefact, from a millennia ago.

“...Imagine if you will, a lone Viking, keeping busy ... in the process of felling a tree, he doesn’t even see the native bowman - a scout.” - Doucet, 2000.

There exists archæological evidence for settlement in Labrador in 1957 and various plantations in South America.

Whether they flourished, failed, or inter-bred is anybodies guess. J.J. Doucet again (2000).

“Silent arrows en masse stood against a solitary boat or two of men. The war-like spirit of the Viking, his bearded - barbaric - character, would be his undoing, in the vast unknown land mass of the continents of the New World, where the native, was born and raised, knew his land and lifestyle well.”

From the archæological record, it is likely these early attempts at settling by the Danes ultimately failed. It would not be for another half a millennia or so until the first European fur traders and settlers began pioneering these tracts.

“...the arrival of the Scandinavians in Labrador circa 1,000 C.E. and the possible arrival of some Chinese Buddhists 500 C.E. on the Pacific coast, ... and perhaps Polynesia...”

Bibliography

Fossier, R. Dunan, M. & Bowle, J. et al, (1981) Larousse Encyclopedia of Ancient & Mediæval History, Librairie Larousse & The Hamlyn Publishing Group, Paris, p.283, ll.24-27.a

Mahieu, J. (1974) Les Viking en Amérique du Sud

interviews with J.J.Doucet, 2000-2002, 2005; interview with M. Montserrat, 2013.

M.L.Latham