Name and Etymology:
Mayahuel
Mayahual
Mayouel
Religion and Culture of Mayahuel:
Aztec, Mesoamerica
Symbols, Iconography, and Art of Mayahuel:
Aztec art shows Mayahuel as a young women wearing blouse and carrying a flowering maguey plant.
Mayahuel is Goddess of:
Maguey (agave)
Pulque (made from agave)
Alcohol
Equivalents in Other Cultures:
unknown — please email me if you have any information to add about this.
Story and Origin of Mayahuel:
According to Aztec myth, Quetzalcoatl and Mayahuel were fleeing tzitzimime (star demons) and tried to disguise themselves as the branches of a tree. Mayahuel was recognized, however, and the tzitzimime tore her to small pieces. Quetzalcoatl buried the pieces which in turn sprouted into the first maguey plants. These are then turned into pulque, an alcoholic drink used by the Aztec in their religious rituals.
Family Tree and Relationships of Mayahuel:
Wife of Patecatl
Mother of Centzontotochtin, an innumerable group of rabbit gods of drunkenness whom she fed through her 400 breasts, all delivering the alcoholic drink made from agave. Each of the Centzontotochtin are responsible for a different sort of drunkenness. For the Aztecs, "400" was the number they used for anything they considered innumerable.
Temples, Worship and Rituals of Mayahuel:
unknown — please email me if you have any information to add about this.
Mythology and Legends of Mayahuel:
Apparently, Mayahuel first got the idea of distilling agave from watching the actions of a very drunken mouse.
