The tonas · The soul of Mazunte
Rootedin theabundance,magic&creativityof thenatural world.
Mazunte derives its name from the Nahuatl phrase “maxotetia”, which roughly translates into “let me see you spawn” — a reference to the sea turtles that migrate to the area to lay their eggs. Mazunte is a place rooted in spirituality, and at the same time, connection to our natural world.
In that spirit, each of our casitas is named for a Zapotec tona — animal spirits that they believe protect you and guide you through this life and into the next. In Zapotec tradition, your tona is assigned at birth, and serves as both protector in our physical world, as well as our spiritual guide into the next.
According to tradition, when a child is born, the father makes a circle of salt and mezcal around the home. The first animal tracks to appear in the circle are believed to signify a visit from the newborn’s tona — the symbolic animal that will guide them throughout their journey through life. A small animal carved from the sacred wood of the Copal tree representing the tona is then placed around the child’s neck as a talisman.
