The traditions and celebrations of the Mayas Reflect the transcendence that until today has had one of the most powerful Civilizations of Mesoamerica .
An empire that has been extended for more than 3000 years, encompassing the territories that today constitute Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador and all of Southeast Mexico, located in states such as Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Yucatan.
Having created hundreds of dialects and having a world-renowned scientific and astronomical legacy, the Maya built great religious monuments and politicians Which give proof of their incredible economic and social development.
Performed Big steps In the field of writing, mathematics, architecture and medicine, coming to support a great and rich empire thanks to his dedication to agriculture, trade, hunting and fishing.
The Maya served as an example for the various cultures that later emerged in Mesoamerica, leaving sophisticated water distribution systems and large corn, tubers, beans and cotton crops behind them.
In addition, they created one of the Calendars More precise and contribute to modern science, such as the creation of the number zero, fundamental to the current numerical system.
His descriptions of the position of the stars, the sun and light, coupled with their beliefs and customs, make them a civilization that, despite time, has managed to remain in the cultural roots of all of Central America and its interesting traditions and celebrations Are proof of this.
Major Mayan traditions
1- Making human sacrifices
For Mayan culture, these rites were necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the universe, the passage of the seasons, the growth of maize and the development of time.
They were intended to protect the lives of human beings and to keep alive the existence of the gods.
According to their beliefs, human blood is the bond that unites the gods and the human being, hence the sacrifices were fed to the gods and paid the debts that humans have with them.
And it is that the Maya believed that they owe their lives to the gods , And the way to please them was to offer tobacco, incense, food and the blood itself was the way to prove them.
2- Practice of Mayan ball game
Also called"Pok a Pok", by the sound produced by the ball being hit against the walls of the courts or the arms and hips of the players.
The Maya used to play ball, and the existence of different old ball courts in the Yucatan peninsula proves this.
The Mayans considered this game as divine, where the main objective was to shoot the ball into a stone rings arranged for it.
It was believed that the game was a constant struggle between light and darkness, hence the winning team represented light and its strength over the darkness. Generally, the losing team was sacrificed and offered to the gods.
3- Adoration of cenotes
The cenotes are natural water wells of great beauty, being the largest along the entire Mayan Riviera. They are geomorphological forms, like small caves, that contain in their interior great underground rivers.
The Mayas gave a sacred and divine character to these wells, seeing them as the ideal place for the realization of human sacrifices and worship of the gods.
According to Maya belief, the cenotes were the space where the road to"Xibalba"began, the place where the souls of the dead travel to paradise. The cenotes were doors to another world of happiness and eternity.
Important traditional celebrations
4- Hanal Pixan Festival
Also called"Day of the Dead"is currently merged with the traditional Christian celebration of"All Saints' Day". This tradition, still held in Mexico, was intended to honor the dead.
The Maya believed that death was something completely natural and that the dead had life so honoring and remembering them was fundamental. It was customary to hold a festival with food, incense and music, where the death of ancestors was celebrated.
5- Ceremony of Pa Puul
Whose meaning in Mayan Yucateco is"breaking crockery,"it consisted of a traditional festival that was held with the goal of asking for rain and continues to be held every June 24 in Mexico.
The festival began at dawn with the children collecting animals, usually aquatic reptiles, and then introducing them into different vessels.
Subsequently, the containers are broken since the noise that is produced is similar to that of the thunder. It was believed that this ceremony led to rainfall on the crops and allowed to celebrate the annual cycle of rain, growth and renewal of the land.
6- Sac Ha Ceremony
It continues to be celebrated by farmers every year with the aim of growing corn crops.
Signifying"white water"in Yucatecan Mayan consisted of making a sacred drink prepared from ground boiled corn mixed with water from the dew or from the depths of some cave.
This drink was presented in a special altar, being considered a powerful tradition in charge of conserving the balance of the earth.
7- Ceremony of Wajxaquib'B 'atz"8 of the monkey"
Ceremony that is realized every 260 days and that continues being carried out between the Mayan people quiche of Guatemala. The aim is to celebrate the new cycle of the Tzolk'in sacred calendar of the Maya.
During the ceremony a man or woman is chosen who will be the accountants of the calendar, and that will serve as spiritual and cultural guide to the community.
This rite of initiation was realized in caves, springs and mountains considered sacred because they are portals that connect the sky with the earth and the world of the ancestors.
8- Hetzmek Ceremony
It is a tradition that continues being carried out being seen as the"Mayan baptism". It aims to introduce the infants, in the case of children at four months of age and in girls at three months, to the whole community marking the beginning of a new stage.
The ritual consisted of the godfather lighting a candle and holding the baby on his left hip while receiving different objects that the master of ceremony gave him to help the baby to hold them.
Meanwhile, there were nine rounds at a table, and finally the godfather and the boy tried a little egg, pumpkin seeds, boiled chayo leaves and corn with honey.
These elements symbolize intelligence, reasoning, sensitivity and sweetness. Then the candle was extinguished and a small celebration was held.
9- Mayan Ceremony or xukulem
It is a ceremony to approach and communicate with Ajaw, the creator and creator god of the universe.
This ceremony is a liturgical celebration of Mayan spirituality, in which resins, candles and offerings are burned in different sacred places, making a bonfire accompanied by music and dancing.
People kneel in front of the fire, because it is believed that depending on the time that the person was kneeling more showed their gratitude to God. The goal was to bow with deep respect to parents and grandparents.
The Maya performed this ceremony to show gratitude and request petitions, healings and withdrawal of bad energies to the god. It was also carried out for divine counsel and abundance.
10- The Nan Patch Dance and Thank You Ceremony
It is a famous Mayan ceremony in which the nature is thanked for the corn harvest. The night before the celebration dolls are made with bodies of ears known as"queens or grandmothers"while reciting prayers.
The next day, they are placed on beautiful altars that are worshiped with music and dancing while drinking pine, a hot drink made from corn.
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