Song of the Hummingbird by Graciela Limon is about the fall of the Aztecs at the hands of Cortes and Spanish conquerors from the point of view most people never learn about--the Aztecs. The story takes place in 1582, when an indigenous woman, Huitzitzilin, also known as “Hummingbird”, recounts her story about the coming of Cortes and the Spanish to a young Spanish monk, Father Benita Lara. Father Benita Lara realizes that Huitzitzilin’s views on the events don’t aline with what was taught in Spain and he becomes intrigued by her version of what happened. Song of the Hummingbird emphasises several important topics: clash of cultures, strength, betrayal and acceptance, and the truth behind history. I enjoyed reading this book because it allows …show more content…
Huinitzinitilin is the perfect example to prove that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger because she has been through so much in her life and still managed to be strong and tenacious when times were tough. When the Spanish took over the native Aztec people, they gave them Christian names. When Benita asks for Huinitzinitilin’s Christian name because it’s necessary for him to know she has a Christian name, she says, “You mean you have to make sure that I have been robbed of everything, even my name.” This shows how the Aztecs had absolutely everything taken away from them that made them in-touch with their culture, including their names. Huinitzinitilin’s name means “hummingbird” in her native language, but she cannot even be called that because of the Spanish who renamed her. After explaining a hardship she went through, Huinitzinitilin says, “I was alive, and never again would this happen to me. When I opened my eyes, I realized that I would be free because pain had liberated me” because although she had felt weak, she came back to being the strong woman she was. Remembering that what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger has made me into a better person because I know that no matter what life throws at me, anything is possible as long as I