Date of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree
Master of Arts in History
Department
History
Committee Chair
John Chuchiak
Abstract
By thoroughly investigating the available primary sources, this thesis will convey the importance of the Mesoamerican inebriating drink pulque in both the ethos and mythos of ancient Nahua society, examining how the ritual use of pulque became problematic in the eyes of the Spaniards, by investigating the cultural and ideological contradictions or double standards that enabled the tensions, struggles, and violence with which the Spanish colonial regime repressed the ritual use of pulque. This thesis compares the Nahua ethos and mythos of pulque to the Christian ethos and mythos of wine, highlighting the parallels perceived by Spaniards in Central México that have long held reign in both colonial and modern historiography. This comparison reveals a sixteenth-century humanistic perspective on the native use of pulque that fueled bias and prejudice in the Spanish Conquest-era rhetoric. As a result, the reader will be able to gather that the Spaniards and the Nahuas had much more in common than is usually perceived, but also that the religious methodology of conversion often absorbed the pre-existing ideological structure surrounding alcoholic beverages, libations, and their symbolism of life. The so-called Spiritual Conquest’s co-opting of the historical humanistic connection between alcohol and spirituality to their respective agenda of conversion fell short in Central México. This approach showcases how pulque would prove to be a pivotal point in what some have called the Spiritual Conquest, as the encounters with the ritual drink pulque would prove problematic for religious conversion.
Keywords
pulque, alcohol, religion, conversion, conquest, México, Indigenous, Christianity, Catholicism, polytheism
Subject Categories
Catholic Studies | Christianity | Cultural History | History of Christianity | History of Religion | History of Religions of Western Origin | Indigenous Studies | Latin American History | Latin American Languages and Societies | Latina/o Studies | Missions and World Christianity | Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology | Other Religion | Social History
Copyright
© Elizabeth Vilchis
Recommended Citation
Vilchis, Elizabeth, "¡Salud! Sacrificing the Sacred Sip: A Critical Analysis of the Impact of the Spiritual Conquest on Alcohol Traditions in Central México" (2026). Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 4145.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/4145
Open Access
Included in
Catholic Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, Cultural History Commons, History of Christianity Commons, History of Religion Commons, History of Religions of Western Origin Commons, Indigenous Studies Commons, Latin American History Commons, Latin American Languages and Societies Commons, Latina/o Studies Commons, Missions and World Christianity Commons, Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons, Other Religion Commons, Social History Commons
