Nagualism: A Study in Native American Folk-lore and History

The study surveys the belief and practice known as nagualism among Indigenous Mesoamerican peoples, tracing linguistic roots, earliest colonial descriptions, and the Aztec naualli tradition. It catalogues sacred intoxicants and trance-related clairvoyant practices, outlines tonal and genethliac divination systems, and describes sodalities of magicians and guardian-spirit doctrines across Mixe, Zapotec, Mixtec, Maya and Central American communities. Ritual architecture, cave-temples, fire worship, sacred numbers, green stones, tree and cross symbolism, serpent and phallic rites, and gendered priesthood roles receive treatment alongside syncretism with Christianity and inquisitorial suppression. The work concludes with etymological comparisons, Old World parallels of animal transformation, and proposed scientific explanations.