Tonantzin (pronounced toe-NAWN-tseen) is the Aztec Goddess of motherhood and the moon. She is the embodiment of the feminine principle, and has been syncretized to Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is called by such names as Little Mother, Mother of the Corn, Honored Grandmother, Goddess of Sustenance, and Our Beloved Mother.

With some of these names, my pronunciations are half research, half “yeah, that sounds about right.” Please feel free to correct me!

Mictecacihuatl (pronounced meek-tay-cah-SEE-wah-tl) is the Aztec Goddess of the dead. She rules over Mictlan, the underworld, with her husband, Mictlantecuhtli. Mictlan is the lowest level of the underworld (there are nine levels), and is where those who died non-violent deaths go. Mictlecacihuatl escorts those who have died to their families, and watches over their bodies. She is also known as Mictlancihuatl and the Lady of the Dead, and is especially honored on November 2, El Dia De Las Muertos, the Day of the Dead.

Bachué is the Chibcha Goddess of creation and farming. She is the mother of all mankind, having risen from Lake Iguaque to create humans. When she came out of the lake, she had a baby in her arms—the baby grew into a man, with whom Bachué mated to produce mankind. Afterwards, they turned into snakes and returned to the lake. She occasionally returns to guide her creation. Bachué, whose name means “she who has naked breasts”, also watches over the crops that sustain man.

Cihuacoatl (pronounced see-wah-co-AH-tl) is the Aztec Goddess of earth and fertility. She is the patron of midwives and took charge of the souls of women who died in childbirth. These souls were called cihuateteo after the Goddess, and they were said to haunt crossroads where they waited to steal children. Cihuacoatl helped Quetzalcoatl in creating humanity by mixing the ground bones of earlier peoples with the blood of the old Gods. Her name means “snake woman” and is also seen as Cihuhcoatl or Ciucoatl.

Huitaca is the Chibcha Goddess of the moon, pleasure, and drunkenness. Also known as Chia or Chie, she advised her followers to live a life of happiness and joy, much to the chagrin of her husband, Bochica, God of laws and morals. Tired of having Huitaca undo all his hard work, Bochica turned her into an owl.

Chicomecoatl (pronounced chee-co-muh-CO-ahtl) is the Aztec Goddess of ripe corn. As Xilonen is the Goddess of the young corn (the maiden aspect), Chicomecoatl is the mother aspect of the corn Goddess. She is also the Goddess of sustenance, as the ripening of the corn was a time of great feasts. She holds both ripe corn and a spear in her hands. As with many Aztec deities, Chicomecoatl was worshipped with a human sacrifice. Every September during a celebration called ochpaniztli, a maiden was dressed as the Goddess and ritually sacrificed. The priests collected her blood to anoint a statue of the Goddess with it, giving her life. One of the prayers used shows that this was a sign of thanks to Chicomecoatl for a good harvest:

Goddess of the Seven Cobs
Rise, Awake, for you, Our Mother,
are leaving us now, Going back to your
home Tlalocan, the country of rains.

Xilonen (pronounced she-LO-nen) is the Aztec Goddess of corn. She is the wife of Tezcatlipoca, God of the night sky and the earth. She represents the young corn, just reaching tenderness. She is the maiden aspect of the corn Goddess, Chicomecoatl as the mother aspect, and Ilamatecuhtli as the crone. Her name means “the hairy one,” referring to the silk tassels on new corn. In summer, maidens were sacrificed in Xilonen’s name to ensure a good harvest of corn.

Ixtab (pronounced EESH-tob) is the Mayan Goddess of suicide. The Mayans believed that those who died by suicide, hanging, battle, sacrifice, or childbirth went straight to paradise. Ixtab was responsible for gathering their souls and escorting them to their final rest. She is usually depicted hanging from a tree, with her eyes closed in death.

Itzpapalotl (pronounced its-pah-pah-LO-tl) is the Aztec Goddess of fire. Her name means either “obsidian butterfly” or “clawed butterfly”, which may refer to the fact that she is sometimes depicted with bat wings. Her wings are made from obsidian, a black stone that was used for knives. Itzpapalotl rules over Tamoanchan, a paradise where the first humans were created, and where the souls of stillborn babies and women who died in childbirth went.

Chantico (pronounced chan-TEE-ko) is the Aztec Goddess of hearth fires and precious things. Chantico is very protective of her possessions, and guards them well. She also guards hearth fires, and men going to battle would pray to her that they would return to find the fire still burning. Chantico once angered the food God Tonacatecuhtli by eating roasted fish with paprika on a fast day when paprika was banned. He turned her into a dog to show his displeasure. Chantico’s name means “she who dwells in the house.”