by Mexico News Daily
According to its inhabitants, Mexcaltitán is the mythical island of Aztlán, the place where the Mexicas came from. We tell you about this place that could inspire the ancient floating city of Mexico-Tenochtitlán.
Mexcaltitán is one of the most amazing towns in Mexico. In fact, its history is closely linked to the national history. Its name means “in the house of the Mexicans or of the moon”, and according to a legend, this place is Aztlán, from where the Mexicas left for the center of Mexico. It is located in the municipality of Santiago Ixcuintla, near the Nayarita Pacific.
According to the locals, a priest had a vision in which he saw an eagle perched on a cactus eating a snake, which was interpreted as the beginning of the pilgrimage to Tenochtitlán. Due to the similarities with the mythical island of Aztlán described by the Mexicas, Wigberto Jiménez Moreno considered that it was the same place, despite the lack of evidence. Another point to consider was the structure of the cities of Mexico-Tenochtitlán, which was founded on islets in Lake Texcoco.
This wonderful island is located in the state of Nayarit, it has an oval shape and is located in the middle of the lagoon with the same name. The perimeter of the island is 1 kilometer. The streets of Mexcaltitán are iconic for their high sidewalks, which are prepared for the rise of water during the rainy season, when the town is flooded.
Due to its geographical and pluvial location, there are no cars on the small island. Likewise, due to its peculiarities it is known as the “Mexican Venice”.
Mexcaltitán, “the place of the herons”
The island of Mexcaltitán emerged taking advantage of one of the many islets in the area made up of the San Pedro River. Thanks to the above, visitors and residents of Mexcaltitán can take advantage of the river to do water activities or obtain products such as shrimp or fish. The latter directly influences the local gastronomy, which includes dishes such as shrimp meatballs or fish cooked with recipes of pre-Hispanic origin.
Another of the things that travelers who make a stopover on the island most like are its small tiled houses, which have the appearance of low houses from the early twentieth century. In addition to them, this town of barely a thousand inhabitants has a beautiful parish church and a central square.
What to do on the island
- Admire its narrow streets and houses with open doors.
- Visit the Museo del Origen with its archaeological pieces and find out why it is said that this town is the cradle of Mexicanness.
- Walk through its small square and visit the parish of San Pedro Apóstol.
- Acquire the different handicrafts made from mangroves and water lilies: lamps, tortilla holders, hats, bags, sandals, fans and the barcinas, very traditional spheres made with blankets and palm leaves used for the conservation of dried shrimp.
- Take a boat tour around the island.
