Difference Between Hmong And Aztecs

The Hmong and the Aztecs

Culture is fully integrated; all of its characteristics correlate or influence each other. That being said, cultures can also reflect aspects of a foreign society. To discover cultural commonalities an anthropologist must analyze the cultures individually before looking at them holistically. A general starting point when investigating a society is to look at their environment. A society’s environment affects many, if not all, aspects of their culture. A major aspect of culture that is influenced by environment is technology; specifically environment affects subsistent strategy which is basically how a culture procures their food. This is major for the obvious reasons, such as the need for food to survive. If a culture

tries to use the wrong subsistence strategy for their environment their chances for surviving are incredibly slim. The relationship between environment and subsistent strategy is essential for human survival, which in consequence makes it imperative for a native people to acknowledge. This relationship also affects other aspects of culture as well; this includes a society’s political structure. The more lucrative and abundant a cultures environment is the higher the population numbers are, which in turn dictates how structured and authoritative a societies “government” needs to be. The elements of culture lead to diverse communities because it is an accumulation of environment, subsistent strategy, families, politics, and belief systems; this is exemplified in the cultures of the Hmong and the Aztecs.
The Aztecs had an extremely interesting culture, this is evident given the fact they’re most infamously known for their love of corn and human sacrifices.

Though human sacrifices were an element of their culture, the Aztecs were a much more civilized culture then their more gruesome practices leads one to believe. The Aztecs, or Mexicas, arrived in central Mexico in the thirteenth century. After many years of difficult and drama filled travel they finally settled in a placed called Tenochtitlan. They built elaborate palaces after allying themselves with the Tepanec Empire, who provided them with the materials their new home could not provide. Their population quickly expanded due to this new economic stability. Most of the population was comprised of commoners, who farmed the land and fought battles. The Aztecs practiced an agricultural subsistence, unfortunately around the fifteenth century they suffered a famine. This was resolved when their government seized control of the production of the crop maize and combined with ritual offerings of food to the goddess of maize, they survived. The Aztecs were a very religious people, they even settled in Tenochtitlan because of an omen sent from one of their deities, Huitzilopotchtli. As far as rules for descent, the Aztecs recognized both the mothers and the fathers’ side equally (bilateral). While most positions available were defined and limited at birth, there was the ability to move up through ranks via accomplishments. The

Aztecs were a chiefdom society; their leaders generally passed the title from father to brother or son. Accordingly nobility were polygynous, while commoners were not. The general rule seemed to be class endogamy, and cross-cousin marriages were not uncommon. After a marriage occurred the newlyweds either created or joined another household. Family was extremely important to the Aztecs; they viewed lineage as ties that bound people together. The Aztecs had a rich and vibrant culture and many of their customs and ways are still infamously known even in today’s modern times.
The Hmong, while less famous, also have interesting customs and unique culture.

The Hmong are located throughout China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Their subsistence strategy is agriculture and their staple foods include rice and corn. They also have a long history with the growing and selling of Opium poppy. This provided income for the Hmong; however their profits were forcibly reduced due to having to split the profits with the government and military. The Hmong had an uneasy relationship with the Chinese government; the government had driven them from their lands and into the mountains for the sake of continuing their way of life. The Hmong villages varied in looks and structure based off of location. In the warmer areas the houses were built on stilts to avoid contact with the damp ground. Plus the stilts helped to avoid contact with the various reptiles and insects while also providing an area of covered storage. The Hmong primarily used bamboo to build their homes in these areas. In contrast, in the cooler areas the houses were built on compacted dirt and the roofs were made of leaves. An interesting fact about the Hmong is that none of their villages have names; instead they identified them through clan and lineage membership. They identify lineage patrilinealy, and they view family ties as been very important. The Hmong do not hesitate to help their extended family should the need arise. As far as marriage, the Hmong practice cross-cousin marriage and though polygyny is

allowed, it is not very common. Compared to more conservative cultures, the Hmong can be quite liberal. They do not view premarital sex as a heinous crime but rather as another route to marriage. While some Hmong have converted to Christianity, most remain animists. Animists believe in balance and hold great respect for the spirit world. In the last fifty years or so the Hmong have been manipulated and then screwed over by major powers like the U.S and communists. This has led to hardships such as displacement, starvation, and even death. Given their history, the Hmong have proven to be an extremely adaptable people; this is evident in their different methods of building homes, the eviction from their lands, and the oppression of their way of life.
While at first glance it would seem like there are not two more differing cultures, the Hmong and Aztecs actually have many things in common. They both have faced oppression, displacement, and violence from foreign cultures. Not to mention many of their customs have some elements that coincide with each other, this is evident in both culture’s marriage customs. Both the Aztecs and the Hmong accept polygyny but it is uncommon in both cultures. Cross-cousin marriage is common in both cultures, and the fathers in both cultures play a major role on deciding who the groom is. As noted earlier in the passage, both societies have experienced displacement. The Aztecs were repeatedly ousted from wherever they attempted to settle whether it be from political drama, like the accidental killing of the daughter of a major nobleman, or from being just flat out unwelcome. Similarly, the Hmong were also forced to move constantly due to political factors like war. Oppression is also a constant between the two cultures. The Hmong were oppressed by many nations, including the Chinese, and the Aztecs were oppressed by the Spanish who, ultimately, led the defeat and demise of the Aztec culture. However, even though the Aztecs had been conquered, aspects of their culture continued through the times to influence modern Mexico today. Likewise, the Hmong also preserved in the face of oppression; they still remain a relevant culture in today’s modern times. These two cultures expressed strength in the face of obstacles, and although one survived while the other did not, both cultures survived long enough to be recognized as tenacious society in the history of this world.