B’alam was pretty excited to go with his grandfather to the mountain. They left very early in the morning, to the Sacred Mountain of Alux, to pick some Tz’ite’. These are the red beans used to communicate with Chuchqajaw (Mother and Father of the Universe). B’alam went to bed early so that he would wakeup as
For 5,000 years the Maya have simultaneously used 20 different calendars for various purposes: agricultural, sacred, and predictions, amongst others. The Hab’ is one of these Maya calendars. It has 18 months of 20 days each, plus a small month of 5 days, totaling 365 days. The Hab’ is the most accurate calendar of
Ixkotzij (flower woman) and her sister went with their mother to visit their grandfather, Kawoq. They visited him every 13 days, since he lived far away. The two sisters were very excited to see him. He was often smiling, as he liked to tease them, and he always answered all
In order to keep the long-standing tradition, Ixkab’ (woman of honey) finishes the third and final cloth used to make a huipil (blouse) for her youngest daughter. Her heart is joyful, she has woven all the necessary cloths to make her husband’s, daughter’s and her own clothing. Early in the
“The light is within us; let us work for our destiny-our destiny to better the human race. Let us become more aware of our actions; let us be more compassionate to our fellow human begins and to ourselves.” This is a call for us to listen to our Mayan Elders.
“We sell ourselves to be able to buy that which doesn’t serve us, and when what we really need comes before us we no longer have the means left to acquire it” Absalon Uyawayaska, Wise Man from the Amazon Today, I have been contemplating life and the good fortune of
From the depths of the Andes, From the heart of the Quechua, Aymara, Amazonian nation of Peru, I send this message to you, children of the north, of the United States.Greetings, from one of the many natural representatives that are here in the region of the south. Together, with our
Mayan Ajq’ij Carlos Barrios talks with Joshua Samuelson about his first contact with the Mayan tradition, the meaning of Ajq’ij, his teachers and the dangers and climate in Guatemala during the civil war. We are greatful to Joshua for authoring and sharing this article. Carlos, what is an Ajq’ij? Ajq
Manuel Pan Ju Lux is a Mayan Ajq’ij, or priest that comes from the village of Chichicastenango in Guatemala. Saq’ Be’ sat with Manuel while he spoke of his life and struggles upon his path that led him to becom an Ajq’ij and member of the Cofradia. (Dictated to Saq’
This is a story dictated to Saq’ Be’ directly from Mayan Ajq’ij Manuel Pan Ju Lux concerning the history and traditions of his home town of Chichicastenango in the Homelands of Guatemala The story of the Church of Santo Thomas in Chichicastenango, Guatemala; Pascual Abaj; the story of the town
