Reading the Popol Vuh
I read the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, translated by Allen J. Christenson. Originally written in the Maya language, the Popol Vuh was translated by Allen J. Christenson to be more modern and overall help readers get a better understanding of the story. The book tells the story of how the Maya were established. However, the story is focused mainly on the Maya, and pushes aside their contact with the Spanish. The reason being stated in the book where Christenson says "the authors were traditionalists, in the sense that they recorded the history and theology of the ancient highland Maya people without adding material from European sources"(Christenson 35). This could serve as proof that the Maya were more concerned with learning about their history.
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The family tree of the Hero Twins |
A few of the main characters that the story focuses on include One Hunahpu, Seven Hunahpu, the Lords of Xibalba, Lady Blood, and The Hero Twins. Some of things that these characters do essentially become the origin and even the creation of Mayans. Looking at the Hero Twins for example, they play a major role in this story. The Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, were birthed by Lady Blood and the skull of One Hunahpu. When One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu were defeated by the Lords of Xibalba, the Hero Twins were then able to go to the underworld after playing a ballgame with the Lords of Xibalba. Because the Hero Twins knew just how dangerous the Lords of Xibalba were, "they passed over Pus River and Blood River. In their hearts, the Xibalbans had intended these as traps. But they were not troubled"(Christenson 160). The Hero Twins were witty enough to know about the Xibalbans and the tests that they would put them through. The Xibalbans were defeated by the Hero Twins again following the tests in the House of Bats, the house in which Hunahpu's head was cut off. Following the news, "the head was placed atop the ballcourt. Thus all Xibalbans rejoiced because of the head of Hunahpu"(Christenson 172). Xbalanque had taken Hunahpu's head back by replacing it with a squash, and they then come up with their plan to defeat the the Lords. The plan was to turn themselves in which would lead to their deaths in a fire pit trap. This would lead to the twins getting thrown in a river to later be revived.
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The Hero Twins Xbalanque and Hunahpu |
Following their revival, the Hero Twins begin destroying things only to bring them back to life like what had just happened to them. The Lords of Xibalba make their way to the twins and want to show them their talents after hearing about their revival. The Lords of Xibalba asked the Hero Twins to demonstrate, to which the Twins did, but they did not bring the Lords back. This then leads to the origin of the Maya. The Twins turn into maize, giving their grandma hope. During the creation of people, it "was found the food that would become the flesh. It became the blood of humanity. The ears of maize entered into their flesh"(Christenson 194). As I stated previously, the Twins had turned into maize, which later led to people, and finally concluded with maize being the main ingredient that people were made of.
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