How should one investigate the written manuscript by Sahagún called the Florentine Codex? It is known that the top of the original codex had been cut off. This was thought to infer that it was to fit into a certain format
However, after reading Book VII, Chapter III and IV, I feel that Sahagún, along with other monks in their monasteries, were actually trying to give scholars information that was methodically being destroyed.
I looked for another word or explanation and discovered Xonecuilli that led me on a merry chase through all twelve books of the Florentine. The following information was my preliminary notes regarding the Warrior Women called Cihuapilli, who were ceremonially honored with such bread. Bread? Was that all it was? And "celebrated," not only in the temples, but also at crossroads? Why?
Sahagún, IV 1956 p. 50, Xonecuilli: “Pie torcido” Pan en forna de zigzag, usado en ciertas fiestas I, 10, 4. 50) Y por esto las hacían fíesta y en esta fíesta ofreían en su templo, o en la encruijadas de los caminos, pan hecho de diversas figuras. Unos, como maríposas, otros de figura del rayo que cae del cielo, que se llaman Xonecuilli, y también unos tamalejos que se llaman xucuichtlamatzoalli, y maíz [sic] tostado que llaman ellos izquitl [or popcorn.] : (I, X, 1, 49):
Estas diosas llamadas Cihuapipíltin, (IV, 370) eran todas las mujeres que morían del primer parto, a las cuales canonizaban por diosas, según, esta escrito en el sexto libro, en el Capitula XXVIII; allí se cuenta de las ceremonias que hacían a su muerte, y de la canonización por diosas; allí se verá a la larga. (II, VI, XXVIII, 5, 178):
Una Oración: Hija mía muy amada, mira que eres mujer fuerte, esfuerzate, y haz como mujer "varonil," haz como hizo aquilla diosa que parió primero que se llamaba Cihuacoatl, y Quilaztli---esta es Eva, que es la MuJer que primero parió---- (IV, 326)
Cihuapilli = Mujer, noble, reina [I VI, 1, 46: Se llamaba Cihuacóatl or Serpent Woman y también Tonántzin, que quiere decir nuestra Madre. Se da este nombre a las mujeres muertas de parto, y deificadas, y a ciertas deidades femeninas, diferentes de ellas.
My Note here: Varonil in this prayer does not mean a Lesbian. It means a woman who acquired the strength of a man during the process of giving birth, [but who died during the event] hence has the right of being a "warrior" that the gods would accept. . . . . in the heaven of Tamoanchan.
The women, in question, may have held the hands of their curanderas, [their midwives]. Maybe one or more may have broken the bones of a hand or two.
There are reports that a woman might, during the birthing, pull on a rope hung from the rafters of her home. If the rafter had not been set into the framework properly, or had not been thick enough,or even that the rope may have been frayed a bit, the woman could very well have either broken the rope, or broken the rafter, with her birthing exertions. A primer parto [first birth] for any woman is usually the most difficult since the bones of the pelvis have to adjust to the stretch necessary to accommodate the passage of the emerging baby.
Anyone who assumes that such actions of being a "female warrior in death" comes from being a man-woman has never had the wrenching experience of childbirth. To that they should say: "Thank Heavens" for it is a difficult time for a pregnant woman.
