There are a great variety of languages throughout the world All of them are a product of the cultural heritage of one or several peoples, possessing different structures and ways of functioning that vary enormously from one another.
Unfortunately, this linguistic wealth has deteriorated over time and many ancient languages have been lost. However others manage to endure, as is the case of Nahuatl which comes from pre-Columbian times (although the dialect has probably changed greatly compared to Mayan times.
Nahuatl is a living language, although not as well known, used and expanded as others And as with many other languages, a method that can help you acquire vocabulary and fluency is the use of songs, popular sayings and riddles.
It is about the latter that this document is about, throughout which we are going to visualize 33 riddles in Nahuatl in order to train our imaginative capacity and reasoning while expressing some elements of a cultural nature.
A brief collection of riddles in Nahuatl
Below we leave you with a total of 33 riddles in Nahuatl along with their approximate translation through which we can see elements that are part of the heritage, idiosyncrasy and popular knowledge of the descendants of pre-Columbian peoples (although many of them are from modern times).
We can see that many have verbal forms that remind us that we are facing a riddle.
1. Za zan tleino Tepetozcatl quitoca momamatlaxcalotiuh Papalotl
“Through the valley, colorful, it stirs, clapping its hands like someone throwing tortillas”
This brief composition refers to butterflies, colorful and very beautiful animals.
2. Uñijximeajts ajtsaj ximbas salñuwindxey makiejp op saltsankan makiejp ñity
“A leaf wrapped and tied with a palm is my costume. In my body of dough you will find my heart of flesh”
A typical Mesoamerican food with great flavor, the tamale is the answer to this riddle.
“This is one of your little riddles. It has teeth, it has no mouth, suddenly it’s hairy”
The ear of corn is the answer to this riddle, which identifies the grains with the teeth and the fact of becoming hairy with the state in which the ear is left when eaten.
4. Natyek umbas ñikands umeajts nanbyur ulük nangan mi kej
“A feast you will give yourself… Green on the outside you will see me and black teeth on the inside you will find. You will eat sweet blood from my red heart, will you guess?”
The answer to this riddle is a very refreshing fruit: watermelon.
5. Wa na’atun na’ateche’ na’at le ba’ala’: Jump’éel ts’ool wukp’éel u jool
“Guess, riddle: Seven holes, one pumpkin”
A riddle that refers to the part of our anatomy where our brain is housed: the head. The holes in question correspond to the two ears, the two nostrils, the mouth and the eye sockets.
“A riddle, a riddle. A little man climbs a tree with his little drum”
On this occasion, we are talking about an insect that carries with it an element that is reminiscent of a drum, or its house: we are talking about a snail.
“A riddle, a riddle. Behind your back it lengthens, in front of you it shortens.”
The answer to this riddle is the path: as we follow it, we leave more and more behind and shorten the distance to our destination. In a symbolic way it could also represent life.
13. See tosaasaanil, see tosaasaanil. Maaske mas tikasisneki xkeeman tikasis
“No matter how much you want and try, you will never be able to touch it, although you will always see it walking behind you.”
This riddle refers to something that always follows us wherever we go, our shadow.
“So that people can get their food in a little hut, I have to dance, after jumping and diving into the sea.”
Since the food in question is obviously fish, we must think of an instrument that can be thrown overboard and can be stored in a basket. The answer is cast nets, lightning bolts or other types of nets.
17. Zazan tleino, xoxouhqui xicaltzintli, momochitl ontemi. Here qittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca ilhuicatl
“What is a blue gourd, planted with roasted corn, which is called momochtli (something like popcorn)?”
A curious riddle that refers to the night sky, full of stars.
18. Ni cayúnini ma´cutiip i ni cazi´ni ma´ cayuuna ´ ni guiqu iiñenila ma´qué zuuyani
“Guess, guess. He who makes it, does it singing. He who buys it, buys it crying. He who uses it, is no longer seeing it.”
This riddle, on the other hand not very pleasant, reflects how important the concept of death is for many peoples of Mesoamerica. And the riddle refers to a coffin or coffin.
19. Mo apachtsontsajka mitskixtiliya uan axke tikita?
“He takes off your hat and you don’t see it. What is it?”
“My mind is covered with palm trees. My feet are made of wood. People rest on me, because I stop the sun’s rays.”
It is a bower, a type of natural shelter that is made by intertwining the branches of the trees.
24. Chak u paach, sak u ts’u’
“Red skin, bleached inside.”
The riddle refers to radishes, with a reddish rind and white interior.
25. Lipan se tlakomoli, westok waan nokweptok, para oksee lado.
“To the invited meal, even if it is on a plate and spoon”
In both Central and South America, it is common that one of the most common foods that accompany all or almost all meals are corn tortillas, as essential in the daily diet as bread in most of Europe.
26. Zazan tleino, tezahuilama tlallan tlacuacua.
“What a monstrous old thing, underground, that goes around eating and gnawing?”
The answer to this riddle is a creature capable of living underground and that seems to gnaw while digging. It’s the mole.
27. Wi’ij tu jalk’esa’al, na’aj tu jáala’al
“They carry her hungry. They carry her full.”
The riddle in question tells us about a jar or bucket, which is intended to be full and when they are taken it is to refill them.
28. Zazan tleino, cuatzocoltzin mictlan ommati. Here quittaz tozazaniltzin, tla ca nenca apilolli, ic atlacuihua
“Cantarillo made of wood that knows the region of the dead.”
The answer is a jug of water, probably in reference to the pre-Columbian tradition of throwing corpses into cenotes.
