RELIGION
In some Mayan videos or photos people are seen in places of worship, be it a church or a stone altar
on a mountain, swinging a receptacle from which a white colored smoke is seen leaving. The composition which is
burning is called "copal". This is a word used in both Central America and in Mexico. It translates
as "resin" (from a tree). I saw this done at the top of the steps of the catholic church in the
town of Chichicastenango. It was told to me that the people walk through this smoke (produced in a receptacle
on a chain, swung by the priest) in order to purify themselves before entering the church. Upon leaving the Catholic
church, many then ascend to a hill some distance from the church to do sacrifices to the Mayan god.
The major Celestial gods were Kin (the god of the sun), Uh (the god of the moon), Noh Ek (the god
of the planet Venus), and Xaman Ek (the god of the North Star).
Although the Mayans had a number of lesser gods such
as Ik (the god of the wind), Yum Chaac (the god of rain), and Yum Kak (the god of fire), they also believed in a supreme entity,
that was directly involved in the creation of the universe and of the Earth. Some
call his name “Hunab-ku’ “. In the Mayan language hunab means “only”, and ku means “god”. So, one can correctly assume that they believed in “one supreme god”,
followed by celestial and lesser gods. But Hunab-ku was the omnipotent god.
Some say that this is contradictory to the Popol Vuh (the “Bible” of the Quiche Mayas
of Guatemala), which names the gods Tepeu and Gugumatz as the creator of man,
animals, and plants. In reality, a third god was also named. The Popol Vuh refers to this godhead as the “Heart of Heaven” (Corazon del Cielo).
It is uncertain why this seems to be a question in their minds.
Why can’t Hunab-ku’ be understood in the same sense as “Jehovah”, signifying the center figure
of a godhead? The additional names of Tepeu and Gugumatz could then be
understood as a part of the godhead just as “the Son and the Holy Sprit” are
personages
of the Christian godhead.
Magaloni Duarte says, “We
can prove that Jesus was in Himalaya
for a long time. In a text that still exists in the Monastery of Hemis in Leh,
Cachemira (adjacent to Tibet), we find
the inarguable historical facts as to how and where Jesus spent his time during his historical absence. This text states , in part, that:
‘When Jesus left his homeland, he first
went to Egypt, where he studied the ancient
osiriana-maya religion. From Egypt, he went on to India, where, in many
cities, including Benares and Lahore, he studied the teachings
of Budda Gautama (who had studied the Mayan religion). Later, he entered the
monastery of Himalaya, where he studied the Maya and their cosmic sciences. After twelve years, he became a Teacher.’ ” Duarte states clearly that Christ learned the Mayan language. “There are many temples and monasteries in India
and Tibet that still have in their possession
writings which refer to Christ during that period of time.” He was never
called Christ; always Jesus. “In the monastery of Lassa in Tibet, there is a text which states the following: 'Jesus
became the most proficient Teacher ever in this land’. Today, the name
Jesus is more revered in this monastery than in any sect of Christian priests. (Duarte,
Op Cit.; pages 75-76.
“When Christ was crucified, his last words were HELI LAMAH ZABAC TANI. These words do not exist in any language of the old or new world other than Mayan. In Mayan, the ritual isiom of Christ (a historical proven fact), each of the words has a significance”,
claims Magaloni Duarte. “The phrase formed with all words joined is magnificently
coherent in Maya, and worthy of the crucified Master. In the Spanish-Maya dictionary
of Ticul (a city in the Yucatan), the significance of these
words can be found:
HELI now, finally, already
LAMAH to submerge, or immerse oneself
SABAC smoke, vapor, steam, or pre-dawn
TANI in front or in the presence of
The phrase,
thus organized, translates:
‘Now I immerse myself in the pre-dawn of your presence’.
Most people believe that this phrase, translated from the Hebrew, signifies: ‘God, why hast
thou forsaken me?’, but the above Mayan phrase also seems acceptable.
The book to which I am referring consists of 204 pages and contains observations and experiences
gathered during the author’s extensive studies. It gives the impression
that the similarities are not purely coincidental, and that it is possible to conclude that the Nagas, or Mayans, were civilized
groups which came from Ifdia to Yucatan, passing through China, Japan, and across the Bering Straight, especially since the
Mayan culture is relatively recent (in this hemisphere) compared with cultures if the Far and Middle East.”
Gualberto
Zapata Alonzo, An Overview of the Mayan World, Merida, Yucatan,
Mexico, pages 66-70
TOLTEC CULTURE
Understand that the Toltec was a culture and not a race of people.
The etimology of the word Toltec means “craftsman”, “artist”, “constructor” or
“civilizer”. It was from this culture that Quetzalcoatl came. Born in the town of Cuahuanahuac,
which today is known as Cuevnavaca, his name was Ce Acatl Topilzin.
His father, the
Toltec leader Mixcoatl, was assassinated before his birth. His mother, named
Chimalma, died during childbirth. Topilzin was reared by his grandparents. The usurper and assassin was later dealt with by Topilzin. He was later known as Quetzalcoatl. Later, pressured
by the Olmecs, the Toltecs moved their capital, first to Tulancingo, and finally to Tula. The Tula culture
developed rapidly, especially in the arts and sciences.
Topilzin tried to restrict and finally stop human sacrifices.
This caused a lot of friction, and Topilzin was forced to migrate to the southeast.
He passed through the states of Tlaxcala, Puebla, and
Veracruz. This
event occured in the year 987 A.D., which coincided
with the arrival of the famous Kukulkan (plummed serpent). For this reason,
it is generally assumd that Quetzalcoatl and Kukulkan are one and the same person. Others
argue to the contrary saying that this could not be, because it was Kukulkan who introduced the practice of human sacrifice.
(ibid, Zapata Alonzo,
pages 34, 35)
AZTECS
Upon leaving Azlan, the Aztecs began a long pilgrimage, settling in many places along the way, and
finally arrived in thge Valley of Mexico and settled in Coatlicamac, where they fought with
scattered groups of Toltecs for the land. The Aztecs celebrated the end of their
calendric cycle of 52 years with an important ceremony that involved the igniting of a new fire for the advent of the next
cycle. It was during this early time that thry changed their name from Aztecs
to “Mexicas”. (ibid, Zapata Alonzo, page 42)
The organized life of the Aztecs was relatively short. The
period from their foundation in 1345 until their conquest (by the Spaniards) in the year 1521, was only 176 years. (ibid.
page 47)
WHAT
HAPPENED TO THE MAYAS?
See The Ancient Mayan Civilization, page 4
The Oldest Ballcourt
The oldest ballcourt to date (2003) has been found in the ruins of
“Paso de la Amada” in Chiapas, Mexico. It was first discovered in 1995 by Warren Hill. It has been
radiocarbon dated at about 1700 B.C., some 500 years older than the earliest
court to date in Mesoamerica. It measures about 80 yards long, 23 feet
wide, and about 6 feet high. (American Archaeology magazine, fall 1998, p. 7)