Chantico (pronounced chan-TEE-ko) is the Aztec Goddess of the family hearth and home and a very comforting Goddess to have around. She is a domestic deity who lives in your fire and keeps your home safe and cozy. Being a fiercely protective Goddess of fire, it’s not surprising that she is also Goddess of Volcanoes!
According to many Aztec myths, Chantico brings wealth and stability to the home. So it’s no wonder that the meaning of her name is ‘in the house’ as that’s where she lives. She also protects the home from thieves – and losing things! So if you are prone to losing your favourite toy, she’s a great Goddess to know! Chantico is very protective of all special and precious things (like your favourite teddy, blanket or toy) and it’s a great idea to let her look after your favourite items to keep them safe and sound.
So, what did Chantico look like? Well, she is shown in a variety of images. Sometimes Chantico wears a grown of cactus spikes and red snakes. I suppose that doesn’t sound very friendly, but if you think about it, it’s a great deterrent to anyone who might be thinking about coming into the home and stealing things! She’s also been known as the ‘lady of the chili pepper’ and you’ll find that she’s sometimes holding a pod or two of red chillies. This Goddess loves fire in any and every form it would seem!
One spice you don’t want to mention to her however is paprika. Paprika was one of Chantico’s favourite spices – it looks and tastes like fire! However, Chantico once angered the food God Tonacatecuhtli because she couldn’t resist eating roasted fish with paprika on it on a fast day when paprika was banned. He turned her into a dog to show his displeasure. Being a lover of the hearth fire, some people have said that this is why dogs so love to cozy up on the hearth by the fire.
Chantico’s themes are kinship, communication, divination, protection, unity and cooperation. She’s a great Goddess to pray to if you are going away on holiday and want to come back to your home safe and sound. Arguments can be settled by calling on Chantico’s wisdom and asking her to aid you in communication, unity and cooperation. Chantico also has a particular fondness of children, and Children can petition her to know the future.
At a time when families are feeling less connected to one another than ever, Chantico is a fantastic Goddess to ask for help in rekindling the fires of kinship, connection, communication, unity and cooperation. Gather your family together, light a candle (the flame represents Chantico’s presence) and rededicate yourselves to oneness.
Now, Chantico loves all precious and beautiful things with a hint of fire in them. This includes silver, copper, red-toned agate, amethyst or jade. Wearing or carrying some of these items is said to draw Chantico’s presence and encourage the warmth of kinship no matter where you might be. Another idea might be to take a piece of paper with the word ‘KINSHIP’ or ‘FAMILY’ or ‘HEARTH’ written on it and write 3 things you are grateful and want more of about the word you have chosen. Now wrap it around one of these metals or stones. Carry it with you, or place it somewhere that feels right in your home and share Chantico’s unifying energy with all of your family, friends and your home.
To wrap it up, Chantico is an Aztec Goddess who fiercely protects whatever is valuable and precious. The more we study about Chantico, the more we see that whilst she’s associated with ‘precious’ things like jewellery, at her core, her main focus is on protecting families and homes. She understands that homes are precious places where families live, grow, love and laugh together and she’s invested in keeping the fire of connection and love burning in our homes and family lives. This is why her themes are strongly associated with communication, connection, kinship, unity and cooperation. Protecting our families, and the threads that weave our families together come from a place of strong communication, unity, cooperation and kinship. It is here where Chantico really shines.
This being said it is unsurprising that Chantico is also associated with fertility, wealth and abundance. As a Goddess who strongly believes in family, fertility is a natural ability for her. In fact, whilst we wouldn’t want to gossip, some people say that Chantico leads a secret double life as the Fertility Goddess Cuaxoloti. Wealth (which does not always translate to material wealth) and abundance are ways that Chantico secures the protection of homes and families.
Fun Historical Fact:
In 1519, after the arrival of the Conquistadores and their accompanying missionaries, Chantico’s primary votive image was secretly buried to keep it safe and sound.
Written by Ursula – Children and Families Liaison for the West Midlands