Remote Stories, Local Meanings: Knowledge Transfer and Acculturation Strategies in Nahua Sociocultural History

Abstract In this paper I carry out a microphilological study of section the Codex Indianorum 7, colonial devotional manuscript in Nahuatl preserved John Carter Brown Library. It contains wisdom teachings derived from biblical Book Tobit and directed to both parents their children. argue that hitherto unstudied text reveals Native author's liberty creatively mold adapt culturally remote European prototype into genre oratorical art—the huehuehtlahtolli , or “words elders.” The author also skillfully embedded contextualized content instruction local cultural meanings understandable valid an Indigenous audience. As example cross-cultural translation textual production, source provides new insights forms agency, intellectual autonomy, acculturation strategies reflected creative dialogues with traditions, developed maintained despite seemingly substitutive Christianization policies imposed on people sixteenth century.