The intricacies of the Popol Vuh

 Hello Readers!

Popol Vuh intro & Character breakdown

        The story Popol Vuh translated by Allen J. Christenson Ph.D was a sanctified story of the Maya. The Popol Vuh is text about mythology that took place in current day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras. The story follows an assortment of characters that have major key roles in Maya mythology. One Hunahpu, Seven Hunahpu, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, the Lords of Xibalba, Lady Blood, One Batz and Chouen, and also Seven Macaw. One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu and brothers. One Hunahpu is the father of two sets of twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque, and One Batz and Chouen. Both sets of twins are from different women. One Batz and Chouen are the oldest while Hunahpu and Xbalanque are the youngest. Lady Blood is the mother of the youngest set of twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque. Lady Blood's father is a Lord of Xibalba. Seven Macaw though he was special and really self centered. He was wealthy and extremely materialistic. This was seen as bad and made him a target. Hunahpu and Xbalanque were responsible for the defeat of him and his family.Both Hunahpu and Xbalanque had "desired the death of Seven Macaw, and they were able to to it. For them saw pride as evil and went to do these things according to the word of Heart of Sky" (Christenson 100). They took down Seven Macaw with the help of their grandparents.

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/hero-twins.htm  

The Hero Twins are speaking to the god that had their father's head

Decisions and Actions of the Hero Twins    

    Hunahpu and Xbalanque, aka the Hero Twins were knows for being mischievous and looking for trouble. They had done some things that were highly questionable but were so them. They had made a trip to the underworld and thought that they were invincible and that the Lords of Xibalba could not touch them. They told the Lords"'You cannot trick us with this. Do we not already know the means of our death, O lords? You shall surely see it?'" (Christenson 179). Later they both went into the pit oven and died. The Lords of Xibalba all celebrated the defeat of the Hero Twins. They rejoiced and were filled with content and glee. 

    The Hero Twins were not really dead. They had been resurrected but reincarnated into two orphan boys. As the orphan boys they caught the attention of the Lords of Xibalba by doing multiple sacred danced that were executed beautifully. All the  Lords of Xibalba could do was watch them in admiration. Once they found out about their ability to reincarnate just about anything the  Lords of Xibalba would be hooked on them. All while the Hero Twins were doing their the Lords of Xibalba had no idea that it was actually Hunahpu and Xbalanque that were the two orphan boys. The Lords of Xibalba were so intrigued with the boys abilities that they asked them to amuse them by killing different people or things and bring them back to life. They were so taken that they told them"'Do it to us! Sacrifice us!'" (Christenson 185). The twins agreed by saying "' Very well then. Surely you will be revived. Are you not death? For we are here to  gladden you, O lords, along with your vassals and your servants' they said therefore to the lords'" (Christenson 185). The twins were never really were outsmarted by the Lords of Xibalba, they knew all along that they would be able to trick the Lords of Xibalba and insight their revenge upon them. 

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/hero-twins.htm 

The Hero Twins are playing ball

Origins of the Maya people

The Hero Twins are directly responsible for the sun, moon, and the stars that the Mayan people needed to survive. While the Hero Twins were wanting to honor their father in some way they managed to create the sun, moon, and the stars. "' The child who is born in the light, and the son who is begotten in the light shall go out to you first. They shall worship you first. Your name shall not be forgotten.  his be it so,' they said to their father when they comforted his heart... Then they arose as the central lights. They arose straight into the sky. One of them arose as the sun, and the other as the moon. Thus the womb of the sky was illuminated over the face of the earth, for they came to dwell in the sky.The four hundred boys who had died at the hands of Zipacna also rose up to become their companions. They became a constellation of the sky."  (Christenson 191). As a result of Hunahpu and Xbalanque wanting to honor their father they managed to create something that was vital for Maya life or just human life in general. 

This is a really cute and easy to watch video about the Hero Twins and a bit of their background

Work Cited

Christenson, Allen J. Popol Vuh. O Books, 2003. 

De la Cova, Antonio Rafael. “The Maya Hero Twins.” The Maya Hero Twins, 2016, www.latinamericanstudies.org/hero-twins.htm.  

“The Story of Hero Twins - Mayan Collection - Youtube.” Edited by Myths&Legends, Youtube, 26 Sept. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jojLJNn87fU.