Winner of the Fall 2016 StMU History Media Award for
Best Article in the Category of “People”
Best Article in the Category of “World History”
Largely due to the importation of disease and use of superior weapons, the Spaniards were able to conquer the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, kill the empire’s last emperor, Cuauhtémoc, and bring the Aztec empire to an end. Few know of La Malinche, the indigenous interpreter of Hernán Cortés, whose linguistic abilities were used to facilitate important conversations between the Spaniards and the indigenous leaders. Without the help of La Malinche, perhaps the Aztec empire would have survived.
Born between 1502 and 1505, La Malinche was named Malinalli Tenepal, the first part of her name being a Nahuatl term for the twelfth day of the month in correspondence to the Aztec calendar, and the second part of her name meaning “lively.” She was born of nobility in Paynala within the region of Veracruz. Her troubles started at a young age after the death of her father. La Malinche was ousted from her home to ensure her new half-brother received the inheritance of the family instead of her, since she was the eldest child. She was given to “some Indians of Xicalango.”1 Then the Indians gave her to a nobleman in Tobasco, a region in the Yucatan. When Cortés arrived to Tobasco, he was offered twenty slaves, one of them being La Malinche. Having lived in Veracruz, a Nahuatl-speaking region, and then being sold into a Maya-speaking region, La Malinche knew both languages and she was soon recognized for the linguistic talents that could benefit Cortés in his conquests.2
The few glimpses of La Malinche and how her presence as an interpreter accelerated the fall of the Aztec empire can be found in the writings of the Spanish explorers, specifically from Hernán Cortés, her “lord and master.”3 From the second letter Hernán Cortés wrote to Emperor Charles V, dated October 30, 1530, Cortés speaks of La Malinche as “a female interpreter that I had, who was a native of this country, and whom I obtained at Putunchún on the Rio Grande.”4 This confirms the vague aspects of her life that we already know. But most importantly, in this context, this letter goes on to tell of a scenario in which La Malinche saved the Spaniards from an ambush by the Cholulans. La Malinche was told by the wife of a native leader that they planned to attack the Spaniards and if La Malinche came with them, she would be protected. La Malinche delivered this message to Cortés, which ultimately led to the massacre of Cholula and provided a direct path to march towards Tenochitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire.5 This leads to the question of whether or not La Malinche was a traitor or a survivor. Did she explicitly want the Aztec empire to fall or did she just want to save herself from the carnage?
With no traces of primary sources from La Malinche herself, her story has been retold by various scholars without much consistency, nothing ever being certain. Up until the twentieth century, La Malinche was viewed as a traitor to her country Mexico. In 1861, on the celebration day of Mexico’s Independence, Ignacio “El Nigromante” Ramírez, a Mexican journalist, addressed the Mexican people by saying, “One of the mysteries of fate is that every Mexican owes his downfall and disgrace to a woman, and to another woman his salvation and glory; the myth of Eve and Mary is reproduced everywhere; we indignantly remember Cortés’s mistress and will never forget, in our gratitude to Doña María Josefa Ortiz.”6 La Malinche is seen as playing a key role in the subjugation of the Mexican peoples to Spain, while Doña María Josefa Ortiz did the contrary and liberated the country. However, many Chicana writers and modern scholars are trying to rewrite the tale of La Malinche to understand the complexities of her choices and to vindicate her. For example, Gloria Anzaldua promotes the idea that La Malinche had a “new consciousness,” that she voluntarily served as the interpreter of Cortés not only to save herself, but also because she knew that a new mestiza culture was going to be born (especially considering she had a son with Cortés in 1524).7 She made a conscious effort to exchange language and cultural aspects from each side in order to facilitate the emergence of the new mestiza society; however, with that came brutal consequences in the shape of warfare and mass death in the New World.
Whether or not La Malinche’s role as Cortés’s interpreter was traitorous, simply an effort to survive, or some other complex reason involving love for Cortés, hate for the Aztec empire for the cruelty she faced after being ousted from her home, or promotion of the new mestiza culture, no one will ever know the true story of the Indian, slave woman who traveled alongside Cortés towards the culmination of the Aztec empire.
- Bernal Castillo del Díaz, The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico, 1517-1521 rev. American ed., trans. A.P. Maudsley (New York: The Noonday Press, 1965), chap. 22-23. ↵
- Pilar Godayol, “Malintzin/ La Malinche/ Doña Marina: re-reading the myth of the treacherous translator,” Journal of Iberian and Latin American Studies 18, no. 1 (April 2012): 61-68. ↵
- Castillo del Bernal, chap 23. ↵
- Hernan Cortes to Emperor Charles V, October 30, 1520, in Letters of Despatches of Hernando Cortes, to the Emperor Charles V., trans. (New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1843), letter II. ↵
- Hernan Cortes to Emperor Charles V, October 30, 1520, in Letters of Despatches of Hernando Cortes, to the Emperor Charles V, letter II. ↵
- Rosario Pérez-Lagunes, “The Myth of La Malinche: From the Chronicles to Modern Mexican Theater” (PhD dis., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2001), 24. Although she was of Spanish descent, Doña María Josefa Ortiz was born in Valladolid, Mexico in 1768 and identified herself as Mexican. She and her husband were both a part of the rebellion that ultimately led to Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1824. ↵
- Godayol, 68-70. ↵
230 comments
Kristen Leary
What an interesting article, and congratulations on the award! It is so interesting to me that while we know so little about this woman, she played such an integral role into what the Americas look like now. This is one of those mysteries of history that I wish was solved so I can know for sure if her motives were of self-preservation or going against her people in favor of the Spaniards. I enjoyed the article, and its easy-to read flow.
Sofia Perez
Hi Mariana! I really like how your article sheds some light on La Malinche from a different perspective. I understand why many people in Mexico see her as a trader, but she was betrayed by her own people when they outcasted her. I feel like when La Malinche met Cortes, she decided she would save her own skin and also get revenge on the Aztecs.
Anna Steck
This was a fascinating and nuanced consideration of a character often demonized in north American history. I liked the different proposals that were brought up and they all seem plausible given the historical context. It seems odd to me that anyone would completely pin the fall of the Aztec empire on her when the motivation for its destruction lies of course with Cortes and is men. I guess it can be fun to imagine the what ifs if she had not been there, but the Spanish conquistadores just had so many advantages against the Aztecs when it came to technology and of course disease. Very interesting article!
Lauren Deleon
Well done! This is a very compelling story and a wonderful article. I appreciate how you address that La Malinche’s motives will never truly be known, but there could be more to her choices than the story that is told about her. You expressed this idea really well through the inclusion of the quote from the journalist about the Eve and Mary construct and how it applies to Mexican’s understanding of their history.
Jaedon E
Great article! Moreover, I found it interesting that people believe that La Malinche was a traitor or she was just trying to survive. During this time anything can be considered as controversial as being a traitor. Nevertheless wanting to protect herself from facing a cruel punishment if she turned her back. Which we may never know. Maybe it was time for a new culture to conquer the Aztec’s land.
Vianey Centeno
This essay was really well written and incredibly thorough. The La Malinche is something I had never heard of. It was so intriguing since it’s unclear if La Malinche knew what her actions would lead to. Nobody will really know what happened, in my opinion. I thought the post about taking a side with a local woman’s assistance was genuinely extremely fascinating. The ramifications of Cortes’ and La Malinche’s conduct will last forever.
Lana Garcia
This article did an excellent job at keeping me interested and engaged throughout the entire read. I think that noting that her story can never be proven or fully true is worth mentioning. I loved the writing style and format of the article; it gave the perfect amount of information without being overwhelming. Congratulations on being named the best article in two categories!
Elena Montiel
This is a great story and it really makes you think about why she helped him but although it was never explained you did a great job in telling the story that keeps the audience questioning more. It also makes you think about how someone personally would go about the situation and if you would help him to protect yourself or if you would protect your home empire.
Gabriela Chavarria
Congratulations on the award. This article was well written and very interesting. It gives us insight of the events of La Malinche’s life that are key points for later In the article. Toward the end of the article the author discusses that La Malinche is considered a traitor because she told the spaniards of the attack and eventually helped them bring down the Aztec people, but the events from earlier in her life makes me as a reader not feel bad for her and I wouldn’t consider her a traitor because of how she was treated. Even though I think this there’s also more to the story because no one really knows why she really did it so that’s why I like the ending because it leaves us to decide how we feel about La Malinche and her actions
Vanessa Fabila-Ramirez
Congratulations on not just winning one but two awards. I’m not a big history person but this article made me really stay engaged and made me make connections to what we are learning in class. I feel like I learned a lot from reading this. I didn’t even know she had a kid. You did a really good job at bring the scene together and making us question if she was a traitor or not. I don’t think she is in my opinion.