Mayan Heroes and Afterlife

WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY…

  • Focus on: Afterlives and Otherworlds

  • Examining the Maya and the Popul Vuh

  • Discuss the Twins Journey

  • Identify Themes related to these topics

  • Participate in a Writing Activity on afterlives

KEY TERMS

  • Quiché kingdom: Indigenous kingdom located in highland Guatemala, known for its rich cultural heritage.

  • Popul Vuh: The creation myth of the Quiché Maya, detailing cosmology and creation.

  • The Hero Twins: Protagonists of the Popul Vuh, known as One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu, who undergo trials and adventures in the underworld, Xibalba.

  • Mayan Ballgame: A ritualistic game played with a rubber ball; significant in religious and social contexts.

  • Xibalba: The underworld in Maya mythology, literally meaning “place of fright.”

  • Blood Moon: A character in the myth associated with the creation of the Hero Twins.

  • Blood Gatherer: A figure in the Popul Vuh associated with sacrifice and the myth of the Hero Twins.

  • Hunahpu and Xbalanque: The names of the Hero Twins who play pivotal roles in Maya mythology.

AFTERLIVES AND OTHER-WORLDS

  • Examples thus far: Various cultural interpretations of afterlife.

  • Relationship between death, religion, and culture: Interaction between societal beliefs and rituals surrounding death.

  • Concepts of community and the self: Individual identity influenced by collective beliefs about afterlife.

  • Rites of passage: Civilization’s acknowledgment of transitions in life through rituals, emphasizing the concept of liminality.   - Unified vs. Divided: Explore if afterlife views create a cohesive understanding or varied interpretations (e.g., earth, sky).   - Nature of the soul: Discussion on whether the soul has continuity, ends, or rebirth.   - Ability to influence: How cultural beliefs might shape actions and perceptions of life and death.

  • Reference: Palgi, Phyllis, and Henry Abramovitch. “Death: A Cross-Cultural Perspective.” Annual Review of Anthropology 13 (1984), pp. 385–417. JSTOR Link.

THE MAYA

  • Earliest Villages (1500 BCE): Reference to early Maya settlements.

  • Cities c. 200 CE: Development of urban centers during this period.

  • Geographic Focus: Yucatán Peninsula (southeastern Mexico and Belize), significant for agricultural practices.

  • Slash and Burn Agriculture: Technique utilized for farming staple crops such as corn, beans, and squash.

  • Independent City-States with Dynastic Rulers: Each city-state had its own ruling class which led to significant cultural diversity.

  • Collapse c. 800 CE: Notable decline of Maya civilization in the Classic period.

  • Quiché (K'iche') Kingdom: A noteworthy political entity within Maya civilization.

  • Innovations: Development of an accurate calendar system; mastery in astrology, arts, architecture, irrigation, and agriculture.

MAYAN RELIGION

  • No Unifying Religion: Diversity in religious practices across various Maya societies.

  • Complex Rituals: Rituals intricately tied to geographical features and natural landmarks.

  • Sacrifice and Divination: Acts of sacrifice (especially of blood) seen as necessary offerings to the gods.

  • Multiple Souls: Belief in various components of humanity's essence, including shadow, breath, and bone.

  • El Castillo at Chichén Itzá: Ca. 8th-12th century CE, dedicated to the feathered serpent god Kukulcán, equivalent to Quetzalcoatl in other Mesoamerican cultures.

THE POPOL VUH

  • Meaning: Translates to “The Council Book” from the Quiché kingdom.

  • Oral Tradition: Initially told verbally, later transcribed around 1550 CE.

  • Mayan Codices: Early texts were recorded on bark paper.

  • Destruction by Diego de Landa Calderón: In 1562, he burned 27 books containing over 5,000 images.

  • Significance: Contains the most complete account of Maya creation, the flood narrative, the Hero Twins’ adventures, and the history of the Quiché people.

  • Oldest Surviving Translation: Translated into Spanish in 1701, showcasing there are Mayan glyphs still intact.

STORY TIME! YOUR TURN….

  • Story segments divided into three parts for analysis:   1. Sections 1-2.5   2. Sections 2.5-4   3. Sections 4-6

THE POPOL VUH: THE FIRST TWINS

  • Characters: One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu - renowned ball players.

  • Loud Reputation: Their noise attracts trouble with the 16 Lords of Xibalba (the underworld), particularly One Death and Seven Death.

  • Invitation to Play: Twins are invited to play a ball game in Xibalba.

  • Journey: They travel through cliffs and canyons facing challenges set by the Lords.

  • Trials: The twins encounter and survive a series of tests, representing their path to the afterlife.

  • Encounters: Scene includes meetings with Manikans and unusual situations such as sitting on hot benches.

ACTUN TUNICHIL MUKNAL

  • Definition: Known as the “Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre.”

  • Location: Located in Belize, approximately 3 miles long.

  • Cultural Significance: Considered an entrance to Xibalba, featuring modified cave formations.

  • Findings: Contains ceremonial pottery, potential burials, and evidence of sacrifices.

  • Conservation: Discussion on cave conservation and tourism impacts.

16 LORDS OF XIBALBA

  • Leadership: Rulers of Xibalba include One Death and Seven Death.

  • Other Lords: Scab Stripper, Blood Gatherer, Pus Master, Jaundice Master, Bone Scepter, Skull Scepter, Demon of Filth, Demon of Woe, Trash Master, Scab Master, Bloody Teeth, Bloody Jaws.

  • Representation: Imagery and depictions are taken from the Dresden Codex, dated ca. 11th-12th century CE.

BALLGAME

  • Game Details: Played using a rubber ball weighing around 7-9 lbs.

  • Teams: 2 teams, ranging between 2 to 6 participants each.

  • Playing Rules: Players cannot use hands, only hips, elbows, and knees to hit the ball.

  • Cultural Dimensions: Not merely a game, but a ritual involving sacrifice and significant societal roles.

  • Current Status: The game continues to be played today; reference to the Ball Court at Chichén Itzá.

TWINS IN XIBALBA (UNDERWORLD)

  • Entering Dark House: Twins receive a torch and cigars.

  • Condition of Items: They must return them unharmed, reflecting their struggles and survival.

  • Sacrifice at Ball Court: One Hunahpu is decapitated; his head is placed on a calabash tree, where it cannot be touched by anyone from Xibalba.

CREATION OF THE HERO TWINS

  • Background: Daughter of Lord Blood Gatherer, known as Blood Moon, encounters One Hunahpu.

  • Pregnancy: After an interaction which includes One Hunahpu spitting on her, she becomes pregnant.

  • Tension with Lord Blood Gatherer: He attempts to sacrifice her as he does not believe her story.

  • Rescue: She convinces messenger owls to intervene and substitute her potential sacrifice with the sap from Croton lechleri, known for its red color.

BIRTH OF THE HERO TWINS

  • Location: Blood Moon travels to Xmucane to give birth to the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque.

  • Symbolism: The twins represent dualities in nature—sun/moon, sky/earth, life/death.

  • Ball Invitation: The twins receive an invitation to play a ball game in Xibalba; they plant corn as a sign of well-being during their departure.

XIBALBA, TRIALS, AND BALLGAMES

  • Entering Underworld: Recreate the same path as previous characters with different objectives.

  • Spy Strategy: Twins send a mosquito ahead as a scout before traversing the dangerous land.

  • Victories: They face and conquer various entities: Manikans, hot benches, and navigate the Dark House using elements like a macaw’s tail and fireflies.

  • Ball Games: They participate in two matches, ending in a tie, thus showcasing the continuous trials they navigate.

MORE TRIALS AND VICTORIES

  • Final Challenges: Include Razor House, Jaguar House, and the House of Fire.

  • Animal Offerings: Twins must offer parts of animals to appease fierce guardians like knives and jaguars.

  • Head Incident: A bat steals the head of Hunahpu; however, he is not dead—Xbalanque creatively constructs a substitute head from a squash.

  • Reference Cruz: The presence of the Mayan Death God A’ in the context of the challenges faced.

FINAL BALLGAME & VICTORY

  • Clever Tactics: During the final ballgame, a rabbit, mistaken for the ball, creates a distraction.

  • Substitution of Heads: Xbalanque replaces Hunahpu’s real head with the squash-head, resulting in their eventual victory.

  • Xibalba Outcome: After triumph, the twins leave Xibalba, leaving behind a question of whether their journey is truly over.

WHAT DO THE HERO TWINS DO NEXT?

  • Post-Victory Plans: Decide to relinquish ball-playing to establish kingdoms throughout the lands.

  • Return to Xibalba: Aim to confront Death again; intend for their offspring to take on the same trials as they did.

RETURN AND VICTORY OVER DEATH

  • Disguise and Deception: The twins return in disguise, playing tricks to confuse the Lord of Xibalba.

  • Revival of Hunahpu: Their strategies lead to the sacrifice and subsequent revival of Hunahpu.

  • Confronting the Rulers: One Death and Seven Death's attempts to repeat the sacrificial process are thwarted; they cannot revive after being tricked.

  • Blood Substitution: They negotiate Xibalba's acknowledgment of using Croton sap as a substitute for human blood, thus ending the cycle of human sacrifices.

MAYAN RITUAL AND BELIEFS

  • Cyclical Nature: Exploring the Maya belief in death and rebirth as fundamental to their worldview.

  • God of Maize: One Hunahpu is often identified as a maize god associated with growth and cycle.

  • Solar Model: Concept outlines a vertical circuit involving directional symbolism: born in the east, traveling south, climbing north, and setting in the west into the south.

  • Ancestor Worship: Importance of ancestral figures for community continuity and belief in preservation for reincarnation.

  • Burial Practices: Includes tombs and household burials as forms for honoring the dead.

  • References: Gillespie, Susan. (2002). Chapter 4. Body and Soul among the Maya: Keeping the Spirits in Place. Archeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association, 11, 67-78. DOI:10.1525/ap3a.2002.11.1.67; Coggins, Clemency Chase. “Classic Maya Metaphors of Death and Life.” RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics, no. 16 (1988), pp. 64–84. JSTOR Link.

THEMES

  • Ritual and Sacrifice: Prominently featured within the narratives shared.

  • Death and Reincarnation: The pivotal concept of cycles within Mayan beliefs.

  • Heroic Figures: Examination of heroes and their archetypal journeys.

  • Charter Myth: Establishing foundational aspects of society and culture through myth.

  • Dying God Archetype: Frequently represented in the narrative.

  • Significance of Xibalba: Symbolizes ultimate challenges and essential elements of life.

  • Details of horrors faced: scab monsters, high-stakes ballgames, razor houses, rivers of blood, decapitated heads.

  • Image: Visual representations showcase these thematic elements.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT 6

  • Prompt: Consider living in a universe where the underworld is either close at hand or significantly distanced from reality. Reflect on how this would influence thoughts and feelings about existence in either scenario.