Geographical Location & Background Information


Geographic Location:

Both ancient Mayan and today’s modern Mayan culture occupy central America: the Yucatan Peninsula in southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The Mayan civilization was split up into three general areas, Central Maya Lowlands, Northern Yucatan Peninsula, and the Guatemalan Highlands. Central Maya Lowlands is where the core values of Mayan culture originated. Central Maya Lowlands flourished during the classical period of Mayan society before the decline around 900 CE. The cities of Tikal, and Palenque were located in this area, which is located in what is now known as Guatemala. The Northern Yucatan Peninsula had their best times in the post-classical period, after the collapse. Like the name sounds, this region is located on the Yucatan Peninsula in modern day México. The largest cities in this area are Chichen-Itza and Uxmal. The third region, the Guatemalan Highlands, is located in the mountainous region and expands to the western coast of Guatemala. This area flourished during the pre-classical period of Mayan society.

Background Information:

Throughout schooling most students are taught that the Mayans of Central America went extinct. That is not entirely true. The Mayan culture which started in around 2000 BCE still exists today, but not to the same strength that they had in their peak. Around 900 CE there was a great collapse where we began to see a noticeable decline in the population and the fall of several of their most prominent cities. But this fall was not noticed in all Mayan cities. Several cities on the Yucatan Peninsula and in modern day Guatemala actually flourished in the decline of their countrymen. When the Spanish arrived in the Americas in the 1500’s, with disease and superior technology, is when we see the next large decline in Mayan culture. After the Spanish conquest the Mayans and the other indigenous groups of Latin America were oppressed by the their conquerors and non-natives. Mayan history is split into three distict periods, Pre-classical period(2000BCE-300CE), the Classical period(300CE-900CE) and the Post Classical period(900CE-1200CE). As mentioned earlier, each specific region had more prominant periods in history. The Guatemalen Highlands had the Pre-classical period, the Central Maya Lowlands had the Classical period, and the Northern Yucatan Peninsula had the Post-classic period. The last big cites of the Mayan civilization were conquered at the end of the Post-classical period. After that what remained of the Mayan civilization was independently runned villages.


References:

Leventhal, Richard M., Carlos Chan Espinosa, Cristina Coc. (2012). “The Modern Maya and Recent History.” Expedition 54 (1): 46-51.

uidaho.edu. “Mayan Geography.” Retrieved September 22, 2015 (http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/arch499/nonwest/mayan/geography.htm)

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Religion and Rituals

               The religion and rituals of the Mayans are not unlike any other aspect of culture; they have changed over time. The Mayans have gone from being a culture which believes in many gods to one with the influence of Christianity coming in the 1500s. Although the Mayans still carry an influence from Christianity and Catholicism, they have come to develop a type blended religion all their own by still practicing the rituals of their ancient culture. They have adopted the Catholic saints in their religion as well as the use of the cross; however the reason they use the cross differs from Christianity. The Mayans do not have a desire to include Jesus Christ in their religion or the crucifixion story. Men are more involved with the pagan gods (such as the rain gods and the soil god) as they are involved more with agriculture and call upon pagan gods in times of war. Women more involved with the Catholic saints as they are at home in the village.  Even with intermingling religions a Mayan still “regards himself as a true and orthodox Catholic” (Thompson 1970:165)
            Tobacco has always been a big part of rituals in Mayan culture. While they used tobacco for the same reasons we United States (they even made the first form of chewing tobacco!); they also believe tobacco holds a medicinal quality, used to initiate new rulers, and as an offering to the rain gods. The rain gods, called Chacs were often depicted as heavy smokers. It is believed when the Chacs’s cigars are the reason we have rain. The smoke from their cigars goes into the clouds turning them black and then inducing rain. Lightning and thunder are said to be the result of them lighting their cigars. After the influence of Christianity, the Chacs became merged with the idea of the four horsemen and are not depicted on horseback with each of them in a different color.  
           The Mayans, like our own Native Americans, also believe in animism which is the belief that everything is alive and has a soul not unlike our own. Mayans would apologize to the trees they needed to cut down. Some even believed those trees go to heaven and then complain about needing to be used and being “killed.” The Mayans believed their maize was afraid of the earthquakes they experienced and attempted to reassure it when the earth began to shake. They also forbid testing the ripeness of their maize with their fingernails as it would hurt the maize the same way it would hurt a human being. Additionally, they would make excuses for needing to kill animals for food. Even though they knew the use of trees and animals is necessary they continue to feel guilty for having to take their life in order to do it.
        Seemingly contrary to the animism belief Mayans hold, they also participated in ritual sacrifice. Sacrifices did not always have to be in blood, they could involve inanimate objects as well. Blood sacrifices were more common since taking blood from one’s own body was a form of penance. They would use obsidian knives or thorns, and sometimes the tail of a stingray to cut themselves. Blood was taken from all different parts of the body; ears, tongue, arms, and even the penis. They then let the blood collect on paper or in bowls then it was offered to the gods.
        In more ancient times the removal or a sacrificial victim’s heart was more prevalent. Human offerings were often painted blue which was a color associated with sacrifice. Then they were laid on a sacrificial slab and held down by two to four chacs (unrelated to the rain gods of the same name) or tied to a stake then their heart was cut out of their body. Then they sometimes would engage in p’a chi, which translates to “to open the mouth,” this was the practice of wiping blood or the sacrificed heart on the idol’s mouth. These practices were still happening after the Christian influences reached the Mayans. There is a recorded instance in which two girls are crucified as Christ was. The priest was even noted as saying “Let these girls die upon the cross, as Jesus Christ died, He who they say was out lord, although we do not know that He was.” (Thompson 1970:177) The girls were then taken off the cross, had their hearts cut out and thrown into a pit.
           In short, the Mayans have many rituals and traditions they from their ancient times which they still practice today. The influence of Christianity and Catholicism has only enhanced their preexisting religion and given them a more blended eclectic set of beliefs to follow.

References:
Thompson, James Eric Sidney. (1970). MAYA HISTORY AND RELIGION. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.

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2 comments:

  1. UnknownOctober 25, 2015 at 9:47 PM

    I find it interesting that the Mayans have an explanation for the lightning and thunder similar to things I was told as a child. Instead of being something that may scare or startle children they explain the thunder and lightning is just the rain gods smoking to get the clouds ready for more rain. When I was young, I was told the thunder was angels bowling. Obviously, my situation was not something that I officially believed as part of my religion, I liked finding out how another culture explained that phenomena.
    At first I thought the idea of believing in animism and participating in human sacrifices seemed a little contradictory. I am a believer in animal rights and a vegetarian, so I understand the desire to treat things as they have a soul. However, I do not understand why this belief would not transfer over to the same species. Admittedly, this is a fairly ethnocentric view of mine. In this regard I should be looking at this with a more culturally relative type of mind.
    Finally, I like how the Mayans view on religion has evolved. I personally have my own view on religion and my own beliefs which do not really fit into any one belief system. I was raised in a Christian church and still hold many of those beliefs. However, there are things I do not agree with or believe are true and this may make me more of a non-traditional Christian. I feel like this is sort of like the Mayans. The Mayans have taken the influences around them and kept their own beliefs, this reminded me of myself and my belief system.

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  2. UnknownOctober 27, 2015 at 1:23 PM

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