Mythology in the Izalco cosmovisions: A symbolic universe of nahuales and contra nahuales

Abstract

Mythology is an essential part in the worldview of the human race. It is here where the basis of the original peoples and their evolutionary development are found: in the symbolic universe that concentrates its paradigms. In this sense, this article is part of the finding of the thesis work entitled: “Local worldviews: traditions, customs and oral literature in the cofradias (brotherhoods) from Izalco”, to obtain the Bachelor´s degree in Anthropology from Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador. One of the specific objectives was to infer the presence of the foundational myths on human creation through the oral literature from Izalco around linguistic relativism, as found in the indigenous cofradías in this city. This thesis work was conducted between march and November 2018, in the urban area of the city of Izalco. In order to collect qualitative data, the following techniques from the ethnographic method were used: the rapport, interviews--both guided and not guided--. These instruments were used with the mayordomos (religious administrator) Alonso García, from the “Padre Eterno” cofradía (“Eternal Father brotherhood), and Don Lipe Pilia Chile, from the San Francisco de Asís cofradía (Saint Francis of Assisi brotherhood); they were also used to interview Miguel Ángel Palma Gómez, tour operator in Izalco.