Song of the Hummingbird

“‘Why are you telling me these things?’

‘Because I will soon die, and someone must know how it was that I and my people came to what we are now.’”

As a colonized Mexica woman, Huitzitzilin occupies a vulnerable and marginalized position, and she is perceived mainly through the lens of the dominant colonial power. This exchange highlights the inherent power dynamics between Huitzitzilin and Father Benito, who is a representative of the Spanish conquerors. In this moment, however, Huitzitzilin asserts the significance of her narrative, emphasizing its necessity and urgency. Her statement serves not merely as a personal confession but as a vital historical testimony meant to ensure the survival of her people’s history and identity.

“She had fascinated him, and he wanted to know more about her because she was different from what his teachers in Spain had taught him about the natives of this land. He muttered under his breath, asking himself why it had not occurred to him before that the people of this new mission might be like his own people.”

Father Benito begins to question the stereotypes and prejudices he learned back in Spain about the people that his country had colonized. He realizes that Huitzitzilin is different from his preconceived notions, and this sparks a critical moment of self-awareness. This moment marks the start of his transformation through Recognizing Bias Through Human Connection. It also furthers the theme of The Power of Narrative, as Huitzitzilin’s story helps Benito to recognize the humanity and complexity of the Mexica people.

“He told himself that what this woman had to say about her people might be as valuable as what the captains of the first discovery had written and dispatched to Spain. He might even gather enough information from her to compile a work that could be of use to those following him.”

Father Benito begins to recognize the importance of Huitzitzilin’s narrative, furthering the theme of The Power of Narrative by highlighting the potential value of Indigenous accounts in shaping historical records. By considering her story as being as valuable as the Spanish captains’ reports, Benito starts to challenge dominant colonial narratives. This shift hints at the possibility of a more balanced and inclusive historical account that acknowledges the Mexica perspective, countering the erasure perpetuated by the conquerors. Benito’s thought process reveals his growing awareness of the need for diverse viewpoints in understanding the full scope of the conquest’s impact.

“‘What a pity that you have taken those practices away from us, because you have not given us anything to replace them.’

‘If we asked your people to abandon certain practices, it is because they were rooted in the devil.’”

Huitzitzilin challenges a binary perception of good and evil, urging Father Benito to reconsider his biased stance. This moment marks the beginning of Benito’s internal conflict, as he starts to question the colonial narrative and recognize the beauty in the Mexica traditions. This idea furthers the theme of The Power of Narrative since Huitzitzilin’s words force Benito to confront the destructive impact of his culture’s imposed beliefs.

“When she described the ordeal she suffered at the hand of her husband, the woman spoke of herself as if being someone else. […] Not once did she say me or I.”

Huitzitzilin copes with the trauma of her assault by distancing herself from it. By speaking of herself in the third person as she describes it, she separates her identity from the violence inflicted upon her, illustrating a dissociation that protects her sense of self. Her detached narrative voice indicates how trauma silences the victim’s personal identity, reducing her to an observer of her own life.

“Then slowly my spirit took hold of itself, raising itself out of that pain and misery and humiliation. A tiny fire, a speck in the beginning, was born in the center of my brain, drawing life, growing until it became a powerful flame that carried my spirit up and out of my torment. I was alive, and never again would this happen to me. When I opened my eyes, I realized that I would be free because pain had liberated me.”

Through vivid imagery and metaphor, Huitzitzilin describes her internal journey as she rises from despair. The metaphor of a tiny fire growing into a powerful flame symbolizes her inner strength and determination to overcome her suffering, highlighting her resilience in Navigating Loss in a Colonized World. Initially, Huitzitzilin describes her spirit taking hold of itself, indicating a moment of self-awareness and awakening. This self-awareness is crucial as it marks the beginning of her transformation from a state of victimhood to one of empowerment. The imagery of a “tiny fire” being “born in the center of [her] brain” describes the emergence of a new, powerful consciousness within her—a spark of resilience that begins to grow. This fire, initially just a “speck,” signifies the potential for renewal and strength that exists even in the darkest moments of despair.

“He bit his lip in consternation because he couldn’t help thinking that it would be equally difficult to speak of his own people without the mention of Jesus Christ. His eyes widened in shock, and he made the sign of the cross, realizing he had actually compared the Savior to an idol. Benito was struck with horror at how close he had come to blasphemy.”

Father Benito’s internal conflict is palpable as he grapples with his rigid religious indoctrination. Though he is able to recognize the inherent contradiction in holding Huitzitzilin to a different standard than he would hold himself, his teachings get in the way of his empathy. This passage illustrates Benito’s struggle to reconcile his faith with the reality of the Mexica people’s experiences and beliefs. His immediate reaction—biting his lip in consternation and making the sign of the cross—reveals the depth of his indoctrination and the fear of blasphemy ingrained in him. The shock he feels at comparing Jesus Christ to an idol underscores the strict dichotomy he has been taught to maintain between his own religion and that of the Mexica people.

“Two native boys startled him as they came around the corner […]. He noticed their faces as they trotted by him: round, brown faces. […] for the first time since his arrival in Tenochtitlan, [he saw] how different the boys were one from the other. Even though they seemed of an age, and had the same color, they were distinct. This had not yet occurred to him because, up until then, all those faces had blurred into one.”

As Father Benito listens to Huitzitzilin’s story, he comes to the realization that she—and by extension, all Mexica people—are individuals with distinct pasts and opinions. He realizes that they are human, just like him and the other Spanish people, rather than the stereotypes he previously views them as being. Father Benito recognizes his own bias, which marks a crucial step toward understanding and empathy. This underscores the theme of Recognizing Bias Through Human Connection.

“[He] finally understood that something deep within him was beginning to share Huitzitzilin’s melancholy for what was irrevocably gone. This impulse took Father Benito by surprise, and he shook his head trying to take a fresh approach to his mission. He was in this land to convert, not to be converted, he told himself.”

Father Benito’s realization that he shares Huitzitzilin’s melancholy signifies a pivotal moment in his character development. This recognition highlights the theme of Recognizing Bias through Human Connection as he is able to recognize his bias and truly empathize with Huitzitzilin. The internal conflict he experiences, evident in his shaking his head and reaffirming his mission, underscores the tension between his newfound empathy and the rigid doctrine of his faith. This moment foreshadows his ongoing internal struggle as he grapples with the clash between his duty as a missionary and his growing empathy for the Mexica.

“After that we all stood in silence, and that stillness has reigned in this land since then. It is the silence of our spirit, of our tongues that have dried up. It is the silence that sprang to the heavens, engulfing the winds and volcanoes, that has wrapped itself around our bodies and faces, stopping the air from entering our nostrils. It is a silence that smells of hollowness and nothingness. It is a silence of the living that are dead. It is a silence that is eternal.”

The personification of silence as something that “sprang to the heavens” and “engulfed the winds and volcanoes” creates haunting imagery of how colonialism has suffocated Mexica culture and identity. This idea furthers the theme of Navigating Loss in a Colonized World, highlighting the cultural and physical devastation wrought by colonization.

“These things happened in my life at the same time, one causing the other, and that intertwining with something else. Oh, please don’t reach for your mantle. […] Can’t you just listen to me, then decide what must be forgiven and what must be written?”

Huitzitzilin expresses frustration with Father Benito’s inclination to pass judgment prematurely, urging him not to rely on preconceived notions. Through her plea for Benito to listen before making judgments, Huitzitzilin highlights the importance of empathy and understanding, emphasizing the theme of Recognizing Bias through Human Connection.

“Father Benito was captivated by the unheard of description of that day, but though he wanted her to continue, he kept silent. He knew the outcome of those events, but now, in his heart, he would have wanted the woman’s world not to have been destroyed.”

The motif of silence takes on a nuanced role, shifting from a tool of oppression to one of empathy and understanding. Father Benito’s silence reflects his recognition of Huitzitzilin’s agency in narrating her story, allowing her to lead the conversation despite his prior knowledge of the events. Through this silence, he acknowledges the devastation wrought upon the Mexica people while also expressing a desire for their history to have been different, underscoring his evolving perspective on the consequences of colonization.

“[T]he early explorers did not describe rituals such as the ones described by your sly old woman, and that must have been because it never happened.”

Father Anselmo underscores the theme of The Power of Narrative by highlighting the colonialists’ deliberate erasure of Mexica voices. The phrase “sly old woman” reflects his dismissive attitude toward Huitzitzilin’s account, emphasizing a refusal to acknowledge the Mexica people’s lived experiences.

“What I loved most died. He would not grow to manhood, because he was dead. His intelligence and spirit would not discover the beauty that would surround him, because he was dead, and it was the white beast that killed him!”

Huitzitzilin mourns the loss of her son and expresses her anguish over the extinguished potential of his life. She uses the metaphor of “the white beast” to refer to the Spanish conquerors, which evokes a sense of monstrosity and inhumanity, amplifying the brutality of their actions. She also repeats the phrase “because he was dead,” which highlights her grief at her son’s death. This emotive language underscores the theme of Navigating Loss in a Colonized World, highlighting the suffering and devastation inflicted upon the Mexica people by the violence of colonization.

“I spent a long time remembering my first child and how this second white-brown one would grow in my belly, taking the place of the other one.”

Huitzitzilin reflects on her complicated emotions surrounding her pregnancy by Baltazar. The juxtaposition of her first child, lost due to an induced abortion to protect her life, with the impending arrival of this other child, symbolizes her internal conflict and the weight of her past decisions. The visceral imagery of the second child “taking the place” of the first conveys the profound emotional impact of Huitzitzilin’s experiences, highlighting the grief she still feels.

“In the beginning, I didn’t feel love for those children, because they appeared strange to me. […] The boy and girl were the result of my weakness.”

This introspective moment reveals Huitzitzilin’s internal conflict and feelings of detachment, highlighting the emotional consequences of colonial violence and trauma. She feels a sense of personal culpability, indicating her struggle with feelings of guilt and inadequacy due to her involvement with a Spanish captain.

“I cannot believe Father Benavente would have so foolishly left his work in the hands of uninformed natives. Even if he did think of them as his children, he was an erudite man; he knew the historical value of his work.”

Father Anselmo’s statement reveals his dismissive attitude toward the Mexica people and their capabilities, portraying them as “uninformed natives.” This derogatory language reflects the colonial mindset that views Indigenous cultures as inferior and unworthy of recognition. Additionally, Anselmo’s skepticism likely stems from his fear that Benavente’s account would challenge the dominant colonial narrative by favoring the Mexica perspective, thereby threatening the established power structures and ideologies of the colonizers.

“‘Señora, forgive my interruption, but will these details lead to something important?’

‘You find what I’m telling you unimportant? […] Is what happened to me and to others like me not interesting to you?’”

Huitzitzilin challenges Father Benito’s perception of the significance of her narrative, highlighting the dismissive attitude often directed toward Mexica perspectives. Her response exposes the implicit bias embedded within colonial frameworks, where experiences outside the dominant narrative are deemed unimportant or irrelevant. This interaction underscores the theme of Recognizing Bias through Human Connection as it reflects the broader struggle for marginalized voices to be acknowledged and valued within historical discourse.

“He looked at the woman beside him and wondered why, in the countless lessons and instructions given to him about this land, no one had explained that its natives loved and grieved as did his people.”

Father Benito recognizes the shared humanity between the Mexica people and his own culture. This moment of revelation serves as a pivotal turning point for Benito, challenging his preconceived notions and fostering empathy toward the Mexica population. It underscores the theme of Recognizing Bias through Human Connection as Benito begins to acknowledge the inherent humanity of the Mexica people, transcending the colonial mindset that portrays them as less than human.

“‘Did you not understand that the passion to which you yielded put your soul in jeopardy? You should have sought the counsel of a priest.’

‘No! A priest would have sided with Baltazar, just as you are now doing. He would have told me to resign myself and to offer my pain in atonement for my sins. A priest is a man, a Spanish man, and he would have told on me.’”

Huitzitzilin confronts Father Benito’s attempt to impose his religious views on her actions. Her rejection of seeking counsel from a priest underscores her defiance against the oppressive colonial ideology that seeks to silence her voice and dismiss her agency. By refusing to submit to the authority of a Spanish priest, Huitzitzilin challenges the power structures that seek to control her narrative and perpetuate the patriarchal colonial narrative.

“Huitzitzilin’s story, he realized, was unfinished and he knew that it was for him to record that ending.”

Father Benito realizes that Huitzitzilin’s narrative is incomplete, and this signifies a pivotal moment in their relationship. It prompts Benito to recognize his role in documenting the conclusion of her story, symbolizing his evolving understanding and acceptance of the complexity of Huitzitzilin’s life and his responsibility in preserving it.

“[H]e wondered how many people living in Spain were the offspring of a man or woman native to this land and yet had no notion of their ancestry. Benito pitied those people.”

Father Benito reflects on the complex legacy of Spanish colonization, pondering the descendants of Mexica people in Spain who may be disconnected from their ancestral heritage. His reflection highlights the theme of Navigating Loss in a Colonized World as he is thinking about the often overlooked consequences of colonialism on individuals and their sense of belonging.

“As he stood, eyes shut and face uplifted toward the sun, the monk slowly began to sense a humming sound. It was a lilting melody rising first from the earth beneath his feet, then from the stone walls of the convent, then from as far as the volcanoes.”

The humming sound that envelops Father Benito after he learns of Huitzitzilin’s passing serves as a poignant symbol of her enduring spirit and legacy. The humming originates from various natural elements like the earth, stone walls, and volcanoes. It suggests a connection between Huitzitzilin’s essence and the surrounding environment, emphasizing her profound connection to her homeland. This symbolism reinforces the hummingbird symbol and its song as a representative for Huitzitzilin’s story. The descriptions show that it continues to resonate long after she has departed, highlighting Huitzitzilin’s lasting impact on the history of her people.