Cancún & the Yucatán - Monkey Max Music and File Download

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Part I: Introducing Cancún & the Yucatán
altar, and central retablo of the church at Oxkutzcab; the 16-bell belfry at
Ytholin; the baroque facade and altarpiece at Maxcanu; the cathedral at
Mérida; the vast atrium and church at Izamal; and the baroque retablo and
murals at Tabi.
Religion, Myth, and Folklore
Mexico is predominantly Roman Catholic, a religion introduced by the
Spaniards during the Conquest of Mexico. Despite its preponderance,
the Catholic faith in many places in Mexico has pre-Hispanic undercurrents.
You need only visit the curandero section of a Mexican market
(where you can purchase copal, an incense agreeable to the gods; rustic
beeswax candles, a traditional offering; the native species of tobacco
used to ward off evil; and so on), or attend a village festivity featuring
Gods and goddesses
Each of the ancient cultures had its gods and goddesses, and while the names may not
have crossed cultures, their characteristics or purposes often did. Chaac, the hooknosed
rain god of the Maya, was Tlaloc, the squat rain god of the Aztecs; Quetzalcoatl,
the plumed-serpent god of the Toltecs, became Kukulkán of the Maya. The tales of the
powers and creation of these deities make up Mexico’s rich mythology. Sorting out
the pre-Hispanic pantheon and beliefs in ancient Mexico can become an allconsuming
study (the Maya alone had 166 deities), so here’s a list of some of the most
important gods:
Chaac: Maya rain god
Ehécatl: Wind god whose temple is usually round; another aspect of Quetzalcoatl
Itzamná: Maya god above all, who invented corn, cacao (chocolate), and writing and
reading
Ixchel: Maya goddess of water, weaving, and childbirth
Kinich Ahau: Maya sun god
Kukulkán: Quetzalcoatl’s name in the Yucatán
Ometeotl: God/goddess, all-powerful creator of the universe, and ruler of heaven,
earth, and the underworld
Quetzalcoatl: A mortal who took on legendary characteristics as a god (or vice versa).
When he left Tula in shame after a night of succumbing to temptations, he promised
to return. He reappeared in the Yucatán. He is also symbolized as Venus, the
moving star, and Ehécatl, the wind god. Quetzalcoatl is credited with teaching
them how to grow cacao, harvest it, roast it, and turn it into a drink with ceremonial
and magical properties.
Tlaloc: Aztec rain god