Wine God codex in John Paige book on Nahuatl songs

My new friend the poet and scholar John Paige of Oakland gifted me a copy of his book of translations from Nahuatl to English, what most people think of as Aztec. I met John because of my efforts to promote an event for Alden Van Buskirk (1938-December 11, 1961 — he died 50 years ago to the day!). John met Van at Dartmouth, where he was a four event skier (downhill, slalom, cross country and ski jump) while the younger man was downhill and slalom and was a fine figure skater.

Coincidentally or merely incidentally, our December 20 event to honor Van will be attended by my Oaxacan friend Guillermo Gomez Abascal, who will be visiting me for the first time since 1981, when we were both part of the Neighbors Abroad exchange. On trip to Oaxaca that year I visited Mitla (or Mictla, for the strict Nahuatl scholar), probably with Memo who either way surely knows the site (we will find out how is his Nahuatl).

John’s book has some interesting photos and illustrations. I’d also like to introduce John Paige or at least his book to Enrique Chagoya.

edit to add. December 30: My dear friend, Dr. Brian Edward Moore, of Springfield, Illinois, a pathologist and fitness nut, who was also a film studies / drama cum laude graduate of Dartmouth — we met at the Daily D — reminded me yesterday that he has a tattoo of a frog on his bicep that he was told is an Aztec fertility icon. I will have to run this by Dr. or Mr. Paige.