The term was further refined by Nahuatl-speaking people in Mexico (Aztecs) during the 16th century. During this time, they were being colonized by the Spaniards and the concept of being "in between" was useful to describe how the experience felt. Some attribute the concept directly to the colonized Aztec, and others have attributed anthropologist, Miguel Leon-Portilla, as first describing the concept. Leon-Portilla further describes how indigenous people who were conquered by the Spanish created their own "in between" culture. They would leave behind aspects of their culture that they could not synthesize into the new culture.