Elk Guardian (Tupi)
The Elk Guardian from Tupi tradition, as preserved in Mexican indigenous communities, represents the blend of Brazilian Tupi water guardianship with Mexican lake traditions such as those of Lake Texcoco and the Xochimilco canals. This spirit adapted from the Amazonian wetlands to the highland lakes of central Mexico through the movement of peoples and the exchange of spiritual knowledge along ancient trade routes. It guards the remaining freshwater lakes and chinampas (floating gardens) that are vital to traditional Mexican agriculture