El temazcal mesoamericano: un modelo de adaptación cultural

Abstract

In Mesoamerica the temazcal or steam bath was a traditional indigenous practice which was pursued after the conquest. A parallel can be drawn between what happened in Mesoamerica with the temazcal and what happened in Spain with public baths. This practice in Spain was limited in the sixteenth century to the Moorish population. The aim of this paper is to analyze the shift of the temazcal to the New Hispanic culture by comparing and contrasting the sociocultural contexts in Mesoamerica and in Spain. In Mesoamerica, unlike what happened in Spain, after various attempts to prevent its use, the temazcal became an integral part of the colonial culture and medical knowledge. It was assimilated from the foundations of the Galenic doctrine. This integration was possible by the communication between those who defended galenism and the indigenous population, facilitating the development of mechanisms of resistance and adaptation.

Keywords

• transculturation
• temazcal
• public baths
• hygiene
• early modern