Tonas and Nahuales are the animal guardians and protectors of our two beings, the physical being and the spiritual being.
TONAS
We are born protected and we are never alone on our journey through life
Tonas represent the belief that each person is born with a spirit animal that looks out for him or her. The date of birth in accordance with the Zapoteco Calendar determines which animal. This animal will accompany said person throughout their life and is considered a protector.
NAHUALES
Nahuales roam in the darker hours of day, shrouded in fear and mystery
A Nahual alebrije is a fusion of man and animal often seeking and expressing symbolic meaning in the combination of the two. A Nahual sparks fear and admiration as we are in the presence of a sorcerer who can adopt the form of any animal with the purpose of doing evil. These are shapeshifters – our bridge and guide to the afterlife.
THE ZAPOTEC CALENDAR
Round and around and around we go
The Zapotec believed that time is cyclical, that dates and events repeated themselves, as opposed to linear and chronological in which days move forward and events do not reoccur. The sacred calendar of the Zapotec had 20 months of 20 days resulting in a total of 260 days.