The Hungry Woman

The Cihuatateo are figures from Aztec mythology, representing the spirits of women who died during childbirth, a death considered equivalent to dying in battle. These spirits were honored and feared, as they were believed to possess divine power. The Cihuatateo were associated with the goddess Cihuacóatl, who symbolized motherhood and fertility. In The Hungry Woman, Medea plays the role of Cihuacóatl, while the Cihuatateo play a more symbolic role. Since their actions are largely confined to the spaces between scenes, the Cihuatateo women operate on a different plane of existence from Medea, Luna, and other characters. They move between scenes, taking on different identities. The Cihuatateo were said to descend to Earth on certain days of the Aztec calendar, particularly at dusk and at crossroads, times and places considered liminal and spiritually charged. They perform a similar role in the play, appearing in the world at significant moments and taking on various identities. They were thought to bring both blessings, such as fertility, and dangers, including sickness or misfortune, especially to children. Their haunting appearance and eerie wails were believed to announce their presence. In the play, the Cihuatateo symbolize this cultural connection to the old world. They may not actually be part of the scenes in a traditional manner, but their presence is constantly felt in the same way that Medea and Luna are constantly aware of their cultural identity. The Cihuatateo represent the way in which these identities link events, stories, and people, shifting between worlds in an abstract manner to create a symbolic unity.

As well as creating a cultural unity between the characters, the presence of the Cihuatateo create a link between the various mythical ideas and cultures presented in the play. The Hungry Woman incorporates ideas from Aztec mythology, such as the Cihuatateo, but links these to Greek theater, modern Mesoamerican spirituality, and the narrative of the play. The Cihuatateo represent women who have died in childbirth, imbued with a warrior spirit. The traditional story of Medea, in which a woman kills her children, and the myth of La Llorona, which involves a spectral figure who drowned her children and was inspired by Cihuacóatl, are brought together in the form of the Cihuatateo. In the play, the Cihuatateo are four women who are joined together and then split apart. In a symbolic sense, they represent the unifying mythology of the play as it draws together many inspirations and fragments of cultural history into a cohesive whole. The tragedy and the violence, particularly as they pertain to women, are centralized in the symbolism of the Cihuatateo.

As well as mythological and cultural figures, the Cihuatateo symbolize women in a more universal fashion. The four women who make up the Cihuatateo are named according to the cardinal points of the compass: Cihuatateo North, Cihuatateo South, Cihuatateo East, and Cihuatateo West. They are women from across the world, spanning in every direction. When they leave their more abstract staging and enter the real world of the play, they take on new identities. They play the roles of nurse, border guard, and tattoo artist, as well as playing the roles of Jasón and Savannah. In this way, the Cihuatateo symbolize The Universality of Female Suffering in a Patriarchal Context. Women are everywhere, occupying every role in life, yet they are linked by the pain and tragedy of patriarchal oppression. The Cihuatateo can occupy different identities and different roles in the play; they can play individuals and a unified collective because they represent a universal ideal of women that can be understood throughout the world. The disparate identities are made whole through their connection with the Cihuatateo.