Floricanto names a Chicano/a poetic expression that often meant to be performed and that merges forms of traditional oral expression with a revolutionary message. The poetry supported Chicanismo, a cultural affirmation movement that sought to create a transnational, neb-indigenous, independent, and liberated Chicano identity. An Aztec term for poetic expression that brings together two images (flower and song) to create a third meaning, floricanto poetry highlights the creative and transformative power of language to engender change. The poetry often employs Aztec religious iconography to comment on contemporary Chicano/a experiences and represent a shared sense of belonging. The invocation of indigenous identity as central to Chicanismo at its extreme fetishizes Aztec culture and immobilizes an engagement between Chicano/a and Native American identities. Its male-centered heterosexism also alienated Chicanas whose perspectives on gender and sexuality were often seen to challenge the goal of complete Chicano unity, giving rise to new Chicana poetic voices.