After the Itza settled in the balsam forest near the coast of present-day La Libertad, most likely at Teotepeque and then Tamanique, they continued the practice of first born sacrifice. Just as with the Cho before them, Itza women, pregnant with their first child, began to flee. Because the Itza lineage started with just two people, the rest dying in the Guija flood, it took several generations for the Itza to have a population which allowed them to begin to guard against the women running away. Perhaps 120 to 160 years passed following the Lago Guija flood, about 7700 to 7660 BCE, before the Itza could effectively begin pursuing the women who escaped.
The escaped (rebel) Itza women and their first born children began to form a community, which likely spanned several generations. The place names indicate that this first rebel Itza community was located above the Sumpul River, on or around the mountain called La Montañona between Las Vueltas and Ojos de Agua, Chalatenango.
The Itza organized an assault, perhaps military in nature, on the rebel community. Several dozen place names record the assault. Nearly all names were named by the Itza guards and reflect the cruelty of the perpetrators of a massacre. The trail of the assaulting campaign begins along the Lempa River at San Jose Cancasque. It is tza an cho os tze ka an k’as k’er or “current at the beginning of esteemed ones slashing those who broke away running from being set down by the upright at the shiny.” The phrase “set down by the upright” suggests that women were being raped at the Itza community in La Libertad. This phrase is used repeatedly by the Itza in the sequence of place names of the assault.
The Itza stayed near the river reaching Hacienda - as si (p)en ta - “remains of many spirits practiced on in the wild.” A little further north along the river seems to be where there was a group of Cuscatlan protecting the women. A battle broke out between the Cuscatlan and Itza but the Itza were able to break through the Cuscatlan. Yurique is yur ri ik’ k’er or “Beside where the slashers broke through the wind (Ik’),” where Ik’ signifies the Cuscatlan. The main group of Itza seems to have broken off here to the west toward Las Vueltas. A smaller group went north/northeast toward Ojos de Agua. Ironically this area is within a kilometer of the Sumpul (Las Aradas) Massacre of May 14, 1980, in which 600 civilians were killed by the Salvadoran military, with assistance from the Honduran military and the U.S. government.
Following first the Ojos de Agua route, we find El Portillo, four kilometers north of Yurique, is el po or ti il lo or “see the women free of openings of the hole by the men.” While this name could refer to sacrifices by the Itza, it seems more directly to talk about the rapes that took place in the Itza homeland. The Itza warriors saw up in the hills the women who had freed themselves from being raped. El Portillo has a double meaning of “squeeze,” indicating that the Itza pinched the women - had men on each flank - as the men drove the women forward. Five kilometers later at Ojos de Agua the killing started. Ojos de Agua is och cho os sak wa or “entrance of the esteemed ones (Cho) setting down beings they searched for.”[1] [1] The ‘j’ in Spanish nomenclature is equivalent to a ‘ch’ in Mi nomenclature.
Other women continued to run north-northeast, some being caught at El Tablon: el ta ab bel lo on, meaning “remains from swinging at other (women) harvesters who were previously free.” A kilometer to the east is El Sitio - el si it ti or - “several women opened by the blows of the leaders.” It has a double meaning of “dancers from the foam (balsam),” linking the massacre again to the Itza. Two kilometers west is La Montañita or la am mo on ta an ni it ta, meaning “remains in the hills of those trapped by the spiders, previously a remnant that had run tired of the blows.” It is likely from this village that the mountain, La Montañona, between Las Vueltas and Ojos de Agua took its name. La Montañita has a double meaning of “powder” indicating that the Itza may have chopped the bones into powder to keep the beings from reincarnating, a practice mentioned in the Popol Vuh.
Still some of the women and their offspring escaped and continued north two kilometers to La Trinidad, reaching safety. Here the surviving Itza women borrowed from the name Nueva Trinidad, Chalatenango, a name given by the famous Cuscatlan woman who escaped the Cho and Kiche leaders more than 500 years earlier. Here La Trinidad is la at tar ri in ni it tat or “woman/women and first born offspring arrive from the hills beside tired of/from the blows of the fathers.” The survivors - there were at least two - continued west through the mountains until reaching a place they would name Comalapa. Their story will be rejoined later.
While one group of Itza warriors ran north pursuing the Itza women to Ojos de Agua, the other group ran to the west, first arriving at Coyolar. This name recalls Coyolito found both on Zacate Grande island near Isla Tigre and in far southeast El Salvador, linking this massacre to the beginning of human sacrifice practice by the Cho/Itza perhaps 600 years earlier in the Gulf of Fonseca.[1] Coyolar is koy yol la al or “time of those tired of the strikes of the chewers.” Chewers refers to tobacco users, but it also refers to tobacco being linked to human sacrifice on Isla Tigre. While the Kiche were more commonly called “chewers,” both Itza and Kiche were the traditional tobacco users. El Zapotal is two kilometers further northwest, el tza ap pot tal, meaning “arrival of the swingers from the wetness (La Libertad wet forest) to squeeze the women.” Like with El Portillo, it appears that the military strategy here was to pinch (squeeze) the movement of the women from each side and behind to force them into the center of the valley. [1] At least the beginning of this phase of human sacrifice. It is possible that their ancestors had a similar practice from time to time in the Aleutian Islands, on the journey to Monte Verde, and in Chile itself.
The south side of the pincher went to Conacaste or k’o on nak’ k’as te or “at the tree, blade to the sperm of the ancestors who practiced on the beginners.” This indicates that a child of an escaped Itza woman was killed here. Its double meaning of “break through the trees” indicates that most of the group was able to escape, perhaps due to the sacrifice of the one killed. This name also lends itself to the conacaste tree, a western El Salvador variation of the more common name guanacaste tree. The Itza caught up to some of the women and their offspring at Las Vueltas: la ab bu el ta as or “remains of the broken apart women tired of the practice of swinging.”
Those of the rebel group who survived at Las Vueltas seemed to separate into various groups here. One group went southwest while another went south and east. This group reached San Jose - tza an cho os tze - “upright ones set down those who ran from the esteemed at the wetness.” Using upright and set down together seems to indicate a woman or several women was/were raped before being killed. Some also reached La Laguna - al la ak kun na - “disappear and forget about the tender skin of those tired of the corn people.” And finally, Aldea Vieja - al te ab bi etz cha - “time of two companions who had observed the swinging at the trees.” The women had observed the sacrifice practice at the balsam trees of La Libertad and run away. Companions would seem to indicate as spouses or partners of two of the Izta pursuers. The two husbands killed their wives here.
Another group of survivors ran southwest from Las Vueltas down the Tumulasco valley followed by Itza pursuers. Arriving at La Ceiba one or more were killed. La Ceiba is la as tze eb ba - “body (ies) of those who separated due to the practice of the upright.” And then at Las Minas an offspring(s) of an Itza rebel women was killed: Las Minas - la as mi in as - “cats practice on the first born tired of the practice.” This suggests that the Itza warriors took out the heart(s) of the offspring - the sacrifice practice. The Rio Tumulasco which begins above Las Vueltas and flows past Las Minas and down to the Lempa was named for this event. Tumulasco is tu mul la as ko’ and means “mound(s) of corpses of those tired of the practice of the blade.” This name gives an idea of the magnitude of the Ojos de Agua / Las Vueltas massacre.
The north side of the pincher from El Zapotal caught some of the rebels at Los Naranjos: lo os nar ra an cho os or “esteemed ones set down those who freed themselves running, tired of being set down by the corn people.” This name implies that women were raped (set down) at Libertad and then again before the Itza killed them near Las Vueltas. The Itza called themselves corn people because they first hybridized corn not far from here. Next, some of the women made it west two kilometers to El Sicahuite. The Itza were borrowing a name referring to their discovery of teosinte near Arcatao at least 500 years earlier as they chased a Cuscatlan woman. This probably means that the Itza discovered teosinte at this spot, although not clear if it was at the time of this massacre. However, the name El Sicahuite has meaning in this context: el sik ka wi it te, meaning “blow from the source searches for the women and first-born in the trees. Blow (it) and source (wi) are both ethnic identifiers for the Itza. Since the Itza warriors were searching for the women, the name El Sicahuite indicates that a group of women and their offspring continued running west through the mountains toward Comalapa.
This group of surviving women and offspring made it to El Llano Verde, although it appears that some Itza warriors were still pursuing them. El Llano Verde, named by the Itza, is el la an no op per te or “women harvesters tired of the dancers run to the big trees.” The women and offspring split up here into at least three groups, with one (or more) running toward Concepcion Quezaltepeque and being caught at Conacaste. Like the previous Conacaste, it is “at the tree, blade to the sperm of the ancestors who practiced on the beginners.” Here or nearby the Itza warrior encountered one or several Olomeca man/men who probably paddled up from the Lempa, given the name nearby Olosingo. Olosingo is ol lo os si in k’o and means “blade to the man who set down many free first-born.”[2] The Olomeca killed the Itza and then continued north to gather survivors of the massacre. Next to Olosingo is a colonial era name, Concepcion Quezaltepeque. [2] There is no subject-object rule in Mi, so this could also be the Itza killing an Olomeca man. However, given that this name repeats in Honduras just north of the escaping point of the women, it seems more likely to refer to the Olomeca killing an Itza warrior.
Concepcion Quezaltepeque, given its obvious Spanish and Nawat meanings, seems to be a colonial era name. However, it seems to be named by someone explaining the events of the massacre and this end point of the massacre to a Spanish official, who together with the indigenous person(s) gave it the name Concepcion to mark the beginning of the military precision of Itza campaigns throughout history - as the indigenous would have explained. It is paired with a village of Concepcion in San Isidro Labrador, a beginning point of this massacre. Concepcion Quezaltepeque is ko on tze ep si on k’er etz tza al te ep ek’ k’er and means “time of the blade of the several ancestors who observed under the stars those who previously separated to the upright trees, slashed those who separated from the slashing at the wetness.” “Several ancestors” - cion - refers to the Cho and Xinca ancestry of the Itza. The conception of the Quezaltepeque. A double meaning is “wall,” a nickname of the Itza stemming from the tsunami at Guija.
From El Llano Grande another Itza woman (or women) ran to the west toward El Rosario where one (or more) was caught by an Itza warrior. El Rosario is el ro os sar ri op/or/om or “dancing man from the foam (balsam) sets down the free woman beside the wall (cliff).” The wall (sar) is one of the nicknames of the Itza. At least one Itza offspring ran straight north from El Llano Grande toward Las Pacayas, where they were caught. Las Pacayas is la as pa ak ka ya as or “time of pain due to practicing on the body(ies) of beginner(s) who was/were tired of the practice,” indicating that the heart of the offspring was taken out. It also has a double meaning of “bones.” Pacayas is meant to rhyme with Maya to indicate who was responsible.
A different group of at least two - a woman and an offspring - arrived safely to Candelaria, two kilometers north of El Rosario. Candelaria is ka an te el la al ri ha and means “time of tired woman/women and beginner(s) run to trees beside the stream.” Given that this name was repeated by the Cuscatlan near Lago Ilopango, it seems possible that a Cuscatlan man met the survivors here to help them. Perhaps he survived the attack at Yurique and ran to this point seeking survivors. This name and the remainder from here on were made by the survivors not by the Itza attackers who named the previous names.
One kilometer northwest of Candelaria is Comalapa - k’om ma al la ap pa - “join those tired of the bad ones swinging at the bodies.” It was here that they joined the Ojos de Agua survivors, signifying that there were at least four survivors in total. Comalapa has double meanings of “the sea” and “rub” - indicating that hands were lain on the wounded to help them heal and the decision was already made to take them by ocean to a refuge far away from the Itza. Just north of Comalapa is El Morro: hel mo or ro or “women free of being trapped by the leaders.”
Three kilometers northeast of Comalapa is La Laguna, a second instance of this name. The survivors began to move northward together to reach safer territory deeper into the mountains. La Laguna is not near a lake or lagoon. Its name comes from Mi, the ancient language. La Laguna: la al la ak’ k’un nar, meaning “tired of the corn people, tired of points on the skin of the young ones.” It has a double meaning of “tender” indicating some of the survivors were injured. It has another second meaning of “disappeared,” which was probably a message for the Itza that they couldn’t be found. The name also indicates that some of the survivors heard the name La Laguna given by the Itza warriors earlier. The survivors used it again but with a different meaning, to link the massacre with their escape.
Four kilometers further northeast is Vainillas or ba in nil la as, which is “heal the bodies of the first born and those tired of the practice.” It has a double meaning of “see in the hills.” This name was likely given by the Olomeca who saw the survivors in the hills, helped them descend, and began to heal the injuries of the Itza women and offspring. Four kilometers to the east is El Carrizal, a name which may have been given as the northern group of Itza rebel survivors left La Trinidad. El Carrizal is hel k’ar ri is sal or “movement of the detained women beside wall.” “Wall” is a nickname for the Itza - the wall of wetness at Lago Guija. Carrizal also contains the destination of the women who had been detained: Cari or Cali - California.[3] For the Itza attackers, the phrase “movement beside” may have thrown them off - looking for the survivors in Honduras. [3] The ‘r’ and ‘l’ are interchangeable in the ancient language.
But for a few days the survivors did go to present-day Honduras. Potrerillos is one kilometer north of Vainillas. Potrerillos is pot tar re er ri il lo os or “see the arrival of the women, free from being set down, who were squeezed out by the paddlers.” Like Vainillas, Potrerillos was named by the Olomeca who happened to arrive there, probably after hearing about the massacre.[4] Two kilometers north of Potrerillos at the Sumpul River is Petapa. This name comes from the Itza survivors not the Olomeca. Petapa is pet ta ap pa and means “remains poured from the swinging at the bodies,” describing the horror of blood and body parts pouring out of the bodies attacked by the Itza. It has a double meaning of “covering” referring to the blood covering the ground. The Peta- prefix is unusual and would be repeated by the survivors once they reached their destination in California. [4] The syllable re would normally have been rep to describe Itza paddlers, however the Olomeca, and related ethnicities, alone among the Mesoamericans, used the syllable ren. Re was a suitable compromise for the Olomeca when speaking of the Itza. Later the Otomi, partially related to the Olomeca, used a similar approach when naming the state of Guerrero.
The survivors and those who accompanied them crossed the Sumpul River at Petapa and went three kilometers northeast to Olosingo. It appears that at least one of the Itza warriors still pursued the survivors because Olosingo means “blade to the man/men who set down many free first-born.” The Olo prefix tells us that it was the Olomeca who killed the pursuer. At this point the survivors and the Olomeca who accompanied them appeared to no longer have much fear of being pursued because they turned east parallel to the Lempa River and then eventually southeast to the Lempa.
Eleven kilometers east of Olosingo and slightly north is the village of Coyolillo. It is k’oy yol li il lo or “see those beside, free of the strikes of the chewers.” The chewers could refer to either the Kiche or the Cho (Itza) who were the two original tobacco users. In fact, this name references Coyolito, found on Isla Grande de Zacate right next to Isla Tigre where the early Mesoamerican people lived. Coyolito, from about 600 years earlier, speaks about the Kiche and Cho gaining tobacco from the Xibalba in exchange for a human sacrifice. Here, Coyolillo links the massacre in Chalatenango to the first human sacrifice in the Gulf of Fonseca. It also references Coyolar, the beginning point of the Las Vueltas portion of the massacre. Because Coyolillo contains the syllable for “beside”, it seems that it was named by people already at the location, not by the Itza survivors themselves. These may have been Lenca but more likely were Ulua (Cuzcatlan) from nearby Arcatao.
Tomala is two kilometers southeast of Coyolillo. Tomala is to om ma al la or “time of those tired of the evil sacrifices at the foam (balsam).” It has a double meaning of “open space of water” or “ocean,” indicating that there was already knowledge that the survivors were to be transported by ocean. At this point, 15 kilometers from the Ojos de Agua massacre, the survivors and their Olomeca companions turned to the southeast to meet the Lempa River. Tambla is one kilometer south of Tomala. Tambla is ta am bel la or “remnant of the harvesters tired of the spiders.” It has a double meaning of “boats on waterway to deep water,” again indicating that they were on their way to an ocean retreat. Tambla was meant to signal the name Tamanique, the home base of the Itza in the balsam hills of La Libertad, El Salvador - original home for both those who escaped and the warriors who pursued them.
San Francisco del Aceituno is three kilometers southeast of Tomala. It provides an indication where the Itza survivors were going to - San Francisco or what we now call northern California.[5] San Francisco del Aceituno is tza an bar ra an si is k’o ot te el as tze et it tu un no or “challenge of the women and children tired of the practice of the upright on the children at the large trees, who ran from many corpses from the blades and blows, movement to the boats.” The name references the first-born sacrifice practice at the balsam trees and the massacre in Chalatenango. The name has a double meaning of “tired of running on the stones of the uprights (steep hills),” describing the difficult journey through the mountains of southern Honduras. The name also makes two references to the Olomeca, indicating that they accompanied the Itza women and children. [5] San Francisco (California), would have been named later, when this group of Itza survivors arrived in the San Francisco Bay. Therefore, the name of San Francisco del Aceituno was named after news came back of the safe arrival of the Itza refugees to northern California, to a place they named San Francisco.
Gualcixe is four kilometers southeast of San Francisco del Aceituno. Gualcixe is wal si is che or wal si ik tze - the x can be either a k’, ch, or s. It means “Sky observe many who handled the movement uprights - hills.” Sky is an ethnic identifier meaning Ulua (Cuscatlan). It has a double meaning of “guides” or “Olomeca”. Valladolid is two kilometers south of Gualcixe. While it might be a colonial era name coming from Spain, its meaning fits here. It is ba al la at to ol li it or “time of being beside the bodies tired of the blows and sacrifices of the leaders,” with a double meaning of “loaded onto boats.”
Eleven kilometers south of Valladolid is Guajiniquil, seven kilometers east of Arcatao. It takes its name in part from Manaquil, one of the names of the river that flows through Arcatao. Guajiniquil is wa ach chi in ni ik’ ki il or “Sky see the dear ones and turtle beings in the large hills.” Turtle beings refer to pregnant women. Putting the qualifier “large” with “hills” is another indicator for the Olomeca accompanying the dear ones and turtle beings. The name recalls the Ulua’s own ancestral woman who escaped the Itza (Cho) of her day by the Manaquil River.
Less than three kilometers south of Guajiniquil is La Virtud. It is la ap pi ir tu ut or “see the companions tired of the swinging and the opened corpses.” This unusual name confirms that the Itza warriors dismembered bodies after they killed them. La Haciendita is four kilometers southeast of La Virtud. It takes its name from Hacienda near San Jose las Flores, so it may have been named a little later. It is la as si ir ren ti it ta or “see the (Olomeca) paddlers with the several remaining of those tired of the practice of opening by the blows.”
Finally, the Itza survivors together with Olomeca reached the Lempa River near where the Rio Mocal joins it. Mocal is mo ok’ Cal or “those trapped split for Cal (California).” K’al - “retained” - has basically the same meaning as mo - “trapped”, which indicates that cal is meant to be a geographic identifier. In addition, Mocal shares three of the same letters with Miwok, another clue who they became when they reached California. On the El Salvador side of the Lempa near the Mocal River is Santa Catarina, or tza an tak’ k’at tar ri in ha, which means “those who ran from the wetness and their firstborn crossed on dryness arriving beside the river.” To cross on dryness means that they arrived overland not by boat on the river.
Once the Itza survivors reached the Lempa River, they were likely taken by boat by the Olomeca downstream to the Pacific Ocean. At the mouth of the Lempa the Itza survivors, soon to become Miwok, were taken by sail raft, again by the Olomeca, up the Pacific Coast to the San Francisco Bay, where they would have been met by the Ohlone, relatives of the Olomeca.
The name that most links the Miwok to the survivors of the Ojos de Agua / Las Vueltas massacre is Petaluma, a Miwok village name near the center of the coastal Miwok area. Petaluma shares a prefix with Petapa, El Salvador, a village just northwest of Ojos de Agua. Petaluma is pet ta al lum ma or “the time of the bad ones pouring the remains on the ground,” nearly an identical meaning as Petapa, describing the massacre with the graphic phrase “pouring the remains.” In addition, Peta is a very rare indigenous prefix in the Americas, increasing the likelihood of a link between these two names. Petaluma has a second meaning which describes the way the tide comes up the Petaluma River all the way to the site of Petaluma, from pet tal lum ha or “arrival of the water pouring over land.”
Other names indicate the first arrival of the Olomeca and Itza survivors, now Miwok, into San Francisco Bay. At Sausalito they were greeted by the Ohlone who likely showed them where to settle. Sausalito is tza us sal li it to or “beside those capable under the blows and sacrifices of the Sal at the wetness.” Sal (“wall”) is a nickname for the Itza. Sausalito also describes the cliffs there. The Ohlone likely directed the Olomeca and Itza survivors to the San Pablo Bay and the Petaluma Bay. San Pablo is tza an pa ap lo or “wetness (bay) of those who ran, free of the swinging at the body.”
Towering above San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay is Mount Tamalpais. The name Tamalpais originated with this story. Tamalpais is ta am ma al pa is or “the time of moving from the remains of the bodies from the bad spiders.” The first syllable tam was meant to recall the Itza home in El Salvador, Tamanique, as well as Tambla, the name they gave a place in Honduras as they were fleeing Chalatenango and heading toward the Lempa River boats to freedom.[6] [6] Tamal might also be a much older name, referencing the Tamal of India and might indicate a similar flight by boat by their ancestors escaping the Tamal, perhaps to Burma, 45,000 to 50,000 years ago.
Olompali is a large hill on the west side of the Petaluma River, inland about five kilometers from the San Pablo Bay. Olompali obviously borrows from both Olomeca and Ohlone. It is ol lo om pal li or “boats beside those free from the leaders at the foam (balsam). Olo indicates that the boats were Olomeca. It has a double meaning of “the time of the crest beside those free of the bodies at the foam (balsam).”
Other Miwok names around Petaluma are consistent with this interpretation. Payran, a Petaluma neighborhood, is pa ar ra an or “time of those tired of running from the bodies.” The ‘y’ in the name gives it a partial rhyme with Maya, indicating who they were running from. San Antonio, a creek south of Petaluma, is tza an nan to on ni or or “hills of the women ancestors who ran from the sacrifices of the leaders at the wetness (balsam).” Kastania is two kilometers south of Petaluma. It is kas ta an ni ha, meaning “river of those who broke away running from the remains in the hills,” with a double meaning of “breaking away from practice on the beginners (first-born).”
The name San Francisco also originates with the Miwok. It is sa an bar ra an si is k’o and means “movement by boat of several who ran, tired of the blade, on the swollen current (Pacific Ocean).” It has a double meaning of “the cold” indicating moving to a colder climate than they were used to. Another double meaning is “harvesters on the waterway” San Francisco would become a buzzword name in El Salvador and Honduras for Itza women escaping to the west coast of North America.
At the Pacific Ocean at the Salmon Creek mouth is Pulyalakum, which has a double meaning. On one hand it is pu ul ya al la ak’ k’um or “at the rinse, time of explaining growing tired of the pain from the cutting the skin into pieces.” This describes their running away from the Itza guards. The second meaning describes the run of the salmon. It is quite possible that the Miwok named the salmon here. Salmon is sal mo on or “previously trapped by the Sal,” where Sal is an ethnic identifier for Itza. This name describes the Miwok situation. But Salmon also describes the movement of the salmon: sal mo on: “previously trapped by the wall.” The salmon jumps over the wall or barrier that it was previously trapped behind.
The Itza men did not just leave alone the Itza survivors (Miwok) at Petaluma. After some time - months or years - a group of Itza men sailed up the coast from El Salvador in search of the Itza women and offspring who survived the Las Vueltas / Ojos de Agua massacre. The first name that points toward the arrival of the Itza warriors is the name of a park, Big Sur. There is no convincing origin for the name Big Sur.[1] [1] For example, the wikipedia entry on Big Sur says that “the original Spanish-language name for the unexplored mountainous terrain south of Monterey, the capital of Alta California, was "el país grande del sur" meaning, "the big country of the south." It was Anglicized by English-speaking settlers as Big Sur.”
In Mi, Big Sur is bi ik’ sur or “foreign companions on the wind.” This indicates that the “foreigners” were sailing. It is interesting that they are called “foreign”. The Olhone, having arrived from Central America less than 200 years earlier, likely would not have called the Itza foreign. This likely makes the name have a Chumash origin. Further evidence of a Chumash origin comes from the syllable for foreign: sur. The Ohlone version of Mi would have used sun.
A few kilometers up the coast from Big Sur is Bixby. Bixby is bi is bi or “companions of the companions who moved.” I think that the first “companion” here means from the same ethnicity and maybe also partner. The second companion is a friendly way of referring to the Miwok. Given that this name also starts with bi, like Big Sur, I would guess that this is also a Chumash name.
Five kilometers north are the names Soberanes Point and Garrapata Creek. These names have a much more Mesoamerican sound to them, likely marking the change from Chumash to Ohlone territory. Soberanes is highly likely to be an Itza name that the Ohlone kept alive later. Soberanes is so ob ber ra an ne es or “dancers observing for the tail of the harvesters who ran since they were tired of the curves.” The use of the term harvesters is condescending and something the Itza men used to describe Itza women but that Ohlone would be unlikely to use. The syllable ran is a clue that the Itza were talking to Ohlone here since ran is an ethnic marker for Olomeca (and Ohlone). The “curves” relate to blades but could have a phallic double meaning. Garrapata is k’ar ar ra ap pa at ta is “time of the remnant in the bath (Pacific Ocean), here to detain those who grew tired of the swinging at the body.” Later this same word, double meaning of tick, was used by Poto women (relatives of the Ohlone) in Guerrero, Mexico, to describe Kiche men as part of the new Otomi ethnicity.
Further north is Point Lobos, which is lo ob bo os or “dancers in the hole (Pacific Ocean) to set down the free ones;” likely an Itza-given name. Carmel by the Sea is an usual name for the western U.S. It seems likely that is derives from an indigenous name given the consistent meaning with the remainder of this narrative. Carmel by-the-Sea or Carmel Bithese is k’ar mel bi ix che etz tze or “uprights observing for the companions who moved and that they (uprights) failed to handle detaining.” Uprights refer both to the sails on the sail raft(s) and to the Itza men. Carmel alone would be “failed to detain” - telling part of the story, but Carmel Bithese tells a more complete story and is likely the original name given by the Itza sailors.
More names along the Pacific Coast indicate that the Ohlone spotted the Itza search party and eventually detained them. Monterey is mo on te er re or “paddlers who previously trapped the women in the trees (balsam trees of Tamanique).” The Ohlone and the Itza used different syllables for paddlers but Monterey uses a neutral syllable re, consistent with the Ohlone seeing Itza paddlers. Further up the coast at present-day Half Moon Bay, the original name was San Benito. San Benito is tza an ben ni it to or “those who gave blows in the hills (Chalatenango) to those who ran from the sacrifices at the wetness (Tamanique).” It has a double meaning of “paddle to the lost harvesters,” indicating that the Itza were looking for the Itza Miwok, who were lost to them.
Continuing up the coast from San Benito (Half Moon Bay) is Miramar or mi ir ra am ma ar, “the time of seeing the bad cats tired from spidering.” The next name is El Granada or el k’ar ra an nat ta, meaning “tired remnant from a distance who detained the women who had run.” The name uses a syllable ran that is consistent with the Ohlone giving this name. In the hills above El Granada is Rancho Corral de Tierra. This is ra an cho ok’ k’o or ra al te et ti er ha or “time of the challenge in the water with the tired esteemed leaders who, in the trees, took the blade to the women who ran tired of the openings (injuries), then split.”
Above Rancho Corral de Tierra is Scarpet Peak. It is sak k’ar pet or “searching for those they had detained and poured.” This name reveals who the Itza were looking for - the pet - those “poured” were those who escaped through Petapa and found their way to Petaluma - the Miwok. Back near the coast a little further north the name Capistrano shows up. It is ka ap pi is ti ir ra an no - “No (Ohlone) see arrival of those who swing at the beginners and those who ran and moved, tired of the openings.” The no (“large”) syllable is one of the ethnic identifiers of the Olomeca (and Ohlone). The “swing-at-the-beginners” (double meaning “hold-in-mouths”) could refer to either the Itza or Kiche. This name has a double meaning of “women in the trees,” linking it to the events in Chalatenango.
Montara is a name along the coast just south of Pacifica and the name of a mountain about five kilometers inland. Montara is mo on tar ra or “arrival of those who previously trapped the tired ones.” The tired ones refers both to the physical state of the Itza survivors (Miwok) and that they were tired of the sacrifice practice. Montara was also known as Montoro originally. This name also fits the story. Montoro is mo on to or ro or “leaders who previously trapped those free of the sacrifices.”
San Pedro is located on the south side of Pacifica, where the story arrives to its climax. San Pedro is tza an pet tar ro or “arrival of those who poured those who ran from the wetness.” It has a double meaning of “women in the trees,” referring to the Itza women who were killed in Chalatenango. Nearby Linda Mar is li in ta am ma ar, meaning “time beside the remnant of spiders who were bad to the first born.” It has a double meaning of “one in the deep sea,” indicating that there was only one sail raft. The last two syllables of Linda Mar are tamar or tamal, referencing that the bad spiders were looking for those near Mount Tamalpais (the Miwok). Like Tamalpais, Linda Mar (Lintamar), with its middle syllable tam, also references the Itza home in Tamanique, El Salvador, where it is likely the Itza sailors came from.
Two kilometers further north in Pacifica is Calera or k’al le er ha or “retain the other paddlers in the water.” The use of “other” here means that by this time the Ohlone considered the Itza to be others or foreigners. The Calera Valley indicates where the Ohlone captured the Itza out in the ocean. The neighborhood a little inland here is called Vallemar. Vallemar is bal le em mar or “boat of the paddlers descended into the sea.” The Ohlone were able to submerge the Itza sailing raft and capture the Itza swimming in the water.
One kilometer north is Mori Point, a name that is neither English nor Spanish. Mori is mo or ri or “men (leaders) trapped beside,” with a double meaning of “mound (ridge) beside.” One of the main streets in Pacifica is Palmetto. In Mi it is pal mer re et to or “time of the sacrificers of the body failing the challenge of paddling” and a double meaning of “boats.” It indicates that the Itza could not out-sail or out-paddle the Ohlone. Lake Merced, a couple kilometers north, tells the same story. It is mer tze et or “upright (sails) fail in the challenge,” with a double meaning of “to slash.” Inland from Mori Point is Milagra Ridge, a name that sounds Spanish but would be Milagro. Milagra is mi il la ak’ k’er ra or “see the tired cats who slashed the skin of those who were tired,” with a play on “tired.” It has a double meaning of “detain,” indicating that the Itza were captured rather than drowned.
Names further inland indicate that the captured Itza were likely taken inland from the coast at Pacifica to the area near Serramonte and Colma, just south of present-day Daly City, perhaps because that is where the peninsula Ohlone leadership was located. Serramonte is ser ra am mo on te and means “bind the spiders who previously trapped the tired ones in the (balsam) trees.” Consistent with Mori Point, this name confirms that the Itza leaders were captured and bound and brought to Serramonte. Nearby Colma is k’o ol ma or “bad bladed leaders” with a double meaning of “transport the bad ones.” This seems to indicate that the Itza were tied to a lattice and carried that way. The syllable ma often indicates death so it is possible that the Itza leaders were killed here, ironic given Colma’s present status as a host of multiple cemeteries and almost no live people.
Finally, the name of the Ohlone on the peninsula indicates the fate of the Itza captives. The peninsular Ohlone are called the Ramaytush. This is ra am ma it tu ux or “corpses of the three bad ones who wished to give blows to those who were tired of the spiders (Itza).” By using the syllable may, the name indicates that it was three Maya corpses and the syllable it is associated with the Itza. The name also pays homage to the Rama of the Chibchab, relatives of the Ohlone, since both came from the Olomeca line. The Rama escaped from the Itza (Cho) at Isla Tigre about 600 years earlier. Tuch also has a meaning of “snub tail,” often associated with a rabbit, perhaps hinting at the form of death for the Itza.
The Miwok at Petaluma were no doubt afraid after the arrival of the Itza raft even though the Itza men were killed. They chose to move by boat to the San Joaquin Delta, by way of the Sacramento River, and the Sierra Nevada foothills. The former village name of Anizumne is located near the present-day town of Rio Vista on the west bank of the Sacramento River. Anizumne is an ni is sum ne or “move running to the hills on the winding tails.” The use of “running” indicates that they were pressured to move - the threat of Itza sailors. The syllable zum is a reference back to their ancestors who ran from Tamanique up to the hills above Rio Sumpul.
From there the Miwok did not go up the more obvious Sacramento or San Joaquin Rivers. Instead they chose the winding and more hidden Mokelumne and Cosumnes rivers. A very similar name to Anizumne is found at the confluence of the Mokelumne and Cosumnes, the village of Unizumne, which is un ni is sum ne or “move the children up the winding tail to the hills.” This name could not be any clearer about the reason that the Miwok moved up to the Sierra foothills from the coast - to keep the children safe from Itza threats. The use of the syllable zum again refers back to the massacre in Chalatenango.
Sakayak-unni on the Mokelumne River is sak ka ya ak un ni or “warriors pain in the skin search for the first born, to the hills.” The use of the syllables kayak reveals that the Miwok were transporting themselves by canoe or kayak and that they may have been the ones to invent the kayak, which would have been about 7600BCE. Mokelumne is mo ok’ k’el lum ne or “trapped and slashed ones split from the land (lum) for the tail.” Lum is mostly a geographic marker for Petaluma - they left Petaluma for the San Joaquin valley. Mokelumne also describes the river being formed after the Ohlone broke open the Carquinez Strait allowing the large lake to flow out of the San Joaquin valley. Mokelumne’s second meaning is “Tail after the constricted earth gashed and split open.” The downstream portion of the Mokelumne would not have existed if the Ohlone had not drained the central valley.
The Miwok also moved up the Cosumnes River to the Sierra foothills. Cosumnes describes the river coming down from the Sierra - ko os sum ne etz or “observe the winding tail setting down on blades (rocks). But the double meaning of Cosumnes also describes Miwok history: “observe the blades who set down the tails (first-born) at the Sum (Sumpul).” This indicates that they saw the Itza looking for them - most likely referring to Colma - and because of the Itza threat moved to the foothills. A village on the Cosumnes is Chuyumkatat. It is the most direct name describing the feelings of the Miwok toward the Itza. Chuyumkatat is chu yum k’at tat or “cross from the guards of the controlling (owner) father(s).” They crossed from Central America to northern California to get away from both the guards and the leader father(s) - describing a hierarchy.
An interesting name on the Cosumnes River, near the eastern border of present-day Sacramento County, is Michigan. While it is possible that it is a settler era name, it is likely that it is a name created here by the Miwok and later borrowed by their relatives, the Ojibwe, in Michigan (state). Michigan is mich chi ik’ k’an or “scrape the large yellow in the open air.” This would indicate that they were mining. Giver that this was in the middle of gold country, yellow likely indicated gold. Later in the state of Michigan it indicated copper.
The name Miwok uses the letter ‘w’ as a wild-card that is primarily an ‘r’ but with secondary meanings coming from ‘m’ and ‘p’. Miwok is mi ir ro ok and means “see the loose cats split open.” It matches the name Cosumnes in speaking about seeing the Itza warriors who sailed up from Central America looking for them. But Miwok is more specific in referring to the Itza who were captured by the Ohlone at killed at Colma. Using the ‘m’ and ‘p’ adds secondary meanings: “trapped in the hole (ocean) and blasted, the spirits.” Calling the Itza ‘loose’ means that they came up on their own rather than with a larger, organized group. Miwok is also an onamonapia - i.e. “cats wokked”.
The Miwok were just the start of Itza women and first-born escaping the Itza Maya of El Salvador to the west coast of North America, from the lower San Joaquin valley to Washington, between 7700 and 7400BCE. All the nations who speak a Penutian language, except the Ohlone, have their origin with escaping Itza women at this time. By perhaps 200 years later, by 7450BCE, the Itza finally stopped their practice of first-born sacrifice, likely in large part due to the resistance of the Itza women.
