Exploring the Aztec feast of Kecholli
The feast of Kecholli is named for the roseate spoonbill, a bird with resplendent pink feathers that migrates south into Mexico during the winter months. The word Kecholli literally means “rubber neck” in the Nawatl language. The feast was held in honor of Kamaxtli/Mixkoatl, the lord of the hunt, who is depicted in the codices painted in red stripes and holding his hunting instruments. The first several days of the month were used to craft the arrows, darts, and spears that would be used in the upcoming hunt.
The Florentine Codex describes the feast as follows:
“When they made the arrows, for a space of five days all took blood from their ears, and with the blood they anointed their temples. They said that they did penance in order to go to hunt deer. Those who did not bleed themselves had their capes taken away as punishment. No man lay with his wife on those days; neither did the old men nor the old women drink pulque; because they did penance.
