Mayan Ceremonies - VII
The Lord Aj, the maize plant, is then invoked. Aj symbolizes the maize plant in the house of the grandmother of Hunajpu and Ishbalankej (twin heroes of the Popul Vuh legend). In the Popul Vuh story Hunajpu and Ishbalankej journey to the underworld, but before leaving they planted two maize plants in their grandmother’s house, saying that if these plants should dry up, it would mean they had died. When the plants dried up the grandmother was stricken with grief, but when the plants resprouted (when the twins were reborn from a fire in which they had perished) she knew they had triumphed in the end. The priest calls upon these twins (Hunajpu and Ishbalankej – the sun and moon) to protect humanity. Where the great-grandchildren have forgotten their traditional ways, Aj reminds them of their inheritance and culture – how to count the days and to remember their forefathers and their past. Then the count is made to thirteen: hun Aj, kwib Aj, oshib Aj, etc. to oshlahu Aj, and the participants make wishes and throw candles into the fire. Hish is the jaguar, who is the protector of the woods, the rivers, and the temples. The jaguar roams the earth and sees everything under his domain. Hish guides and protects the great-grandchildren and provides them with food and raiment. Hish represents strength and fertility, so clients seeking to have children might commission petitioning ceremonies on the day Hish. Then the count is made to thirteen: hun Hish, kwib Hish, oshib Hish … and candles are thrown into the fire.
Tzikin (bird) is the guardian and messenger of the supreme deity Tzul Taka. It is the nagual of communication between the Heart of Heaven and the Heart of the Earth, mediated by space, the air, light, clouds, the cold, and the heat of nature which gives us life. It is the Lord who brings money, wealth, livestock, and property. Anyone who suffers loss of property or possessions prays to Tzikin, or does a ceremony this day, to replace his wealth. The participants will approach the fire and wave their wallets or purses above it; and the head priest asks this nagual for abundance for his client. After counting to thirteen this time the head priest and participants each give the fire a handful of sesame seeds as an offering, since sesame is the food of Kawa Tzikin; then they wish for prosperity and throw their candles into the fire. Ajmak is the Lord of sinners. The head priest and participants now kneel down around the fire and call upon Kawa Ajmak to forgive them their faults; to pardon wherever they have made errors, wherever they have committed sins, wherever they haven’t done as they should. This is the nagual of restoration or retribution for every happening which has ever occurred since the beginning of the human race. The dead are a record of the past who guide the present and help to better that which will happen in times to come. The head priest and participants prostrate themselves, touching their foreheads to the ground and kiss the earth, and humbly beg forgiveness. Then the count is made to thirteen Ajmak and candles are thrown into the fire.
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