Nagualism

Animal companions, ritual calendars and hidden religious societies are the subjects of Daniel G. Brinton's study of native traditions in Mexico and Central America. Presented to the American Philosophical Society in 1894, the essay draws on historical accounts, missionary writings and language comparisons to explain the beliefs grouped under the name Nagualism. Early passages describe guardian spirits, claims of changing into animals, dream interpretation and ceremonies associated with rain and successful hunting.

Later sections turn to cave temples, the Earth as a source of food and water, and the meanings attached to the numbers three and seven. Brinton also examines the survival of native religious practices under Spanish rule and their relationship with Christianity. Readers interested in folklore or the history of religious ideas will find detailed examples, alongside the interpretations and assumptions of a nineteenth-century scholar.