Felipe

Felipe was born on 12 November 1737 in San Pedro Chacabal, in the Motul district of the Spanish Empire’s Yucatán. His family spoke Yucatec Maya at home and lived under parish Catholic authority, mixing church devotions with household rites. The compound held several related households and a shared cooking space where maize was ground on stone and pots simmered over a low fire.

His father, K’inam, worked a milpa outside the village and brought back maize, beans, and squash, sometimes a turkey or eggs. His mother, Ixchel, spun and wove for tribute and exchange, keeping thread taut across her backstrap loom. K’inam’s mother Antonia lived with them, helping with cooking and childcare. Felipe had two much older half-brothers from his father’s first marriage—Juan and Antonio—both old men who managed their own plots in the compound. They held Felipe briefly when he was first carried out to be shown to the family. Before the year ended, both died within weeks of each other.

Felipe’s full sister María, seventeen, stayed close to Ixchel. She carried Felipe on her hip while Ixchel worked, rocking him when he cried and handing him back when he rooted for milk.

During the dry months Felipe failed to gain weight. María fell ill with fever and could no longer help with his care. Ixchel tried more frequent nursing and thin maize gruel, but her own milk had thinned. Antonia took turns holding him while Ixchel worked at the loom. On 30 April 1738 he died in the house. The family wrapped his body in cloth, lit candles, and brought him to the churchyard for burial with prayers to the saints.