Ochpaniztli

High school (ages 12+)
Holidays & Celebrations

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ochpaniztli

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the calendar system?Eleventh month of the Aztec Xiuhpōhualli (solar calendar)
2. What is the etymological meaning?Derived from 'ochpaniztli,' meaning 'sweeping' or 'cleaning'
3. Why did the Aztecs sweep during Ochpaniztli?Sweeping was a deep cleansing ritual. It helped remove dirt, bad influences, and old problems, making space for new blessings and a fresh start.
4. Which gods were honored at Ochpaniztli?The festival honored Toci, the earth mother who brings healing and fertility, and Tlazolteotl, who represents love, pleasure, and the cleansing of impurities.

Xiuhpōhualli: The 365-day Aztec solar calendar, used for agricultural and civic purposes.
Tōnalpōhualli: The 260-day Aztec ritual calendar, used for divination and religious ceremonies.
Cosmology: The understanding of the origin, structure, and nature of the universe and humanity's place within it.
Polytheistic: Belief in or worship of more than one god.