Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Modern Maya Rituals
Many sites of ancient Maya ruins - among them Tikal, Kaminaljuyú and K'umarcaaj - still
have altars where prayers, offerings and ceremonies continue to take place today. Fertility
rites, healing ceremonies and sacred observances to ring in the various Maya new years are
still practised with gusto. These types of ceremony are directed or overseen by a Maya
priest known as a
tzahorín
and usually involve burning candles and copal (a natural incense
from the bark of various tropical trees), making offerings to the gods and praying for
whatever the desired outcome may be - a good harvest, a healthy child or a prosperous new
year, for example. Some ceremonies involve chicken sacrifices as well. Each place has its
own set of gods - or at least different names for similar gods.
Visitors may also be able to observe traditional Maya ceremonies in places such as the
Pascual Abaj shrine at Chichicastenango, the altars on the shore of Laguna Chicabal out-
side Quetzaltenango, or El Baúl near Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, but a lot of traditional
rites are off-limits to foreigners.
