Series Events > The Codices of Mexico

The Codices of Mexico: A Window to Pre-Columbian Culture in the Americas:
IU's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies(CLACS) developed the Codices of Mexico program to introduce students, grades 5-12, to pre-Columbian culture in the Americas. This outreach project, sponsored by the Indiana Humanities Council, was designed and presented by CLACS faculty and graduated students.

Visiting professor Refugio Nava of Mexico presented the first of three Codices to the 7th grade Latin American study group at Lebanon Middle School. In this engaging, hands-on introduction to the Codices as cultural history, Refugio demonstrated how history can be told without words. After discussing the Codices and their origins in pre-Columbian Mexico, the Lebanon students had the opportunity to experience Codices-making and reading firsthand. Students were given ten minutes to make their own 3-page codex in order to communicate one of three topics: daily life in the U.S.; the national anthem; or a personal biography. Upon completion, another student 'read' the codex to Refugio and the class. By making and interpreting these mini-codices, students learned how Mexico's pre-Columbian civilizations used images to record and preserve their cultural history for future generations. Refugio's energetic and engaging presentation provided a stimulating introduction to the now world-famous books of ancient Mexico.

The second of three Codices of Mexico program to South Wayne Jr. High School featured presenter Aarton Dziubunskyj, an IU doctoral student in Spanish. Aaron began by introducing the students to the Nahuatl region of Central Mexico and telling students the origin myth if the Aztec people. He then used a colorful facsimile of the codex to demonstrate how pictographic writing was used to record and preserve Aztec history.

Graduate student Galen Brokaw presented the third of three Codices of Mexico program to teacher Gary Morton's 6th grade social studies class at Tell City Jr. High. Galen used a hands-on format similar to Professor Nava's, having the Tell City students form Codices-making and interpreting teams.