Name and Etymology:
Huehuecoyotl
Ueuecoyotl, "Old Coyote"
Religion and Culture of Huehuecoyotl:
Aztec, Mesoamerica
Symbols, Iconography, and Art of Huehuecoyotl:
A shapeshifter, Huehuecoyotl is usually associated with coyotes or wolves.
Huehuecoyotl is God of:
Trickery
Cleverness
Pranks
Indulgence
Song and Dance
Equivalents in Other Cultures:
The coyote is important in cultures of the American southwest and it's possible that trade contacts with this region affected Aztec beliefs about Huehuecoyotl.
Story and Origin of Huehuecoyotl:
unknown — please email me if you have any information to add about this.
Family Tree and Relationships of Huehuecoyotl:
unknown — please email me if you have any information to add about this.
Temples, Worship and Rituals of Huehuecoyotl:
People who believed that they were cursed in some way appealed to Huehuecoyotl for help — as a shape shifter, it was thought that perhaps he could change the form of their futures as well. During festivals, the banging of a drum would signal the influence of Huehuecoyotl, calling on people to ever greater singing, dancing, and indulgence.
Mythology and Legends of Huehuecoyotl:
There are many stories of Huehuecoyotl playing pranks on other gods. In most cases, though, these pranks go awry and Huehuecoyotl ends up causing more trouble for himself than he does for anyone else. When he played tricks on humans, though, this usually led to strife and even violence.
