[Aztlan] Stupefing Snakes With Tobacco

[Kerryasa at aol.com]

Hi Elaine,
 
The Ch'orti' say that tobacco can be used to kill a large snake, known  as 
matzala, that is big enough to take down a small cow.   These snakes are no 
longer found in the Ch'orti' area, but they are still talked  about.  In one oral 
tradition, a woman goes out to pick jocote fruits.  She's aware of the 
possibility of running into the matzala, so she puts tobacco  into her mouth before 
leaving.  As she's picking fruits, the snake attacks  her and tries to suck the 
blood from her nose, at which time she spits the  tobacco into the mouth of 
the snake, killing it on the spot.  They still  say that the best way to kill 
the matzala is to use tobacco on it.

Best wishes,

Kerry Hull

Associate Professor
Reitaku University


Hello  Listeros,
I recently came across an interesting passage from Sahagun's  Florentine 
Codex that give us very helpful information about snakes and  tobacco I wanted to 
see if anyone has anything to contribute to this  idea.  Apparently tobacco is 
extremely toxic to snakes and it can be used  to kill and/or calm them, 
depending upon the dosage.  Also, I have been  corresponding with a herpetologist 
friend who tells me that all modern snake  handlers know that they should not 
handle snakes after smoking, especially  baby ones. Here is what the passage 
from the codex says.  The narrator is  talking about the yellow "ajaw kan" (his 
words).

"..And when it is  taken, in order to be caught, it is beaten with a stick, a 
willow.  And  to be speedy, it is caught with fine tobacco.  He who wishes to 
take it  rubs fine tobacco in his hands; then also he throws it at [the 
serpent].   Especially if the fine tobacco enters his [the serpent] mouth, this 
serpent  then stretches out stupefied; it moves no more.  Thus he [a person]  
simply takes it up with his hands.  This happens with all serpents; they  are 
stupefied by fine tobacco."

Even though the part about calming the  snake by throwing the tobacco may 
seem absurd (and cowardly, no doubt),  apparently, snakes are so sensitive to it 
that they can absorb it through  their skin or possibly through their forked 
tongues, which pick up tiny  particles in the air.  I would suggest that 
tobacco was used on snakes to  calm them when Mesoamericans were performing special 
snake  ceremonies.

I am aware of the Aztlan discussions about the images of  the snake lady and 
her tobacco skirt, so there is no need to rehash that part  of the topic, 
unless someone has something new to relate to us.  I would  love to hear from 
anyone who know more about this subject such as how early  Mesoamericans started 
using tobacco.  Did the Olmec grow and use it? Are  there any folktales about 
snakes and tobacco? Perhaps ancient Mesoamericans  found dead snakes near their 
tobacco stashes and figured out that they could  tame  or "stupefy" snakes 
with  it.

Thanks!
Elaine


 
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