Nanahuatzin

In Aztec mythology, the god Nanauatl (or Nanauatzin, the suffix tzin implies respect or familiarity) sacrificed himself in fire so that it would continue to shine on Earth as the sun, thus becoming the sun god.

The Aztecs had several different myths about the creation. In the legend of Quetalcoatl, Nanauatl helps Quetalcoatl to obtain the first grains which will be the food of humankind.

Nanauatl is best known in the legend "of the fifth sun", Recopilated by Sahagun.

The legend explains that there had been other four creations, and in each creation one of the major gods (Quetalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, Tlaloc, Ehecatl) took the job of being the sun. Each creation ended because the gods were not satisfied with the men they had created. But finally they create man from corn, and they need someone to take the task of being the sun; but none of the gods want to do it since they would need to be sacrificed. Finally, Tecciztecatl accepts because he is proud and rich. The gods accept him, but still they need someone else. They choose Nanauatl because he is humble, and he accepts because it´s his duty.

They are purified. Tecciztecatl offers rich presents, and coral instead of blood. Nanauatl offers his blood, and makes penitence.

The gods make a big fire, which burns for four days. When Tecciztecatl tries to jump into the fire, he is afraid and fails four times, because the heat is so strong. So the gods ask for Nanauatl. He closes his eyes to control his fear, and jumps. When Tecciztecatl sees that Nanauatl has jumped, he feels wounded in his pride and jumps after him.

Nothing happens at first. But eventually two suns appear in the sky. The gods are angry, because Tecciztecatl was still following Nanauatl, and they are glowing exactly the same; so one of the gods takes a rabbit and throws it in the face of Tecciztecatl. He loses his brilliance, and the rabbit is marked on his face. So he became the moon, and the moon still has the mark of a rabbit.

But still, the sun does not move. The gods accept they need to die, so the men can live. The god Ehecatl, the god of the wind, sacrifices all the gods, and then with a powerful wind makes the sun begins to move.

Men need to repay the gods their sacrifice.

An important aspect of this legend is the death of the gods. The Aztec gods have no real earthly power, because they are dead, and only exist in the spiritual world, they even have to use a magic mirror made of obsidian to see the world - all of them, except Ehecatl. Ehecatl, the wind, becomes the symbol of the forces of nature: we can´t see him, but we can feel his power.