The Creation Story of the Maya

Summary

This narrative describes the creation of the Earth and its inhabitants in Maya mythology. The story begins with a primordial world of stillness, water, and silence, where six deities, including Tepew, Quetzal Serpent, Xpiyacoc, Xumucane, and Hurakan, shaped the Earth. The deities created life, starting with plants and animals, but failed to make humans who could worship. After several attempts, they succeeded by crafting humans from corn, symbolizing the enduring essence of humanity. Alongside this, the Hero Twins, Hunajpu and Xbalanque, defeat the false sun, Seven Macaw, and bring balance to the world, establishing the sun and moon in the sky.

Takeaways

• 😀 The world began in a state of stillness, silence, and water, with no land, light, plants, animals, or humans.
• 😀 Six deities, including Tepew, Quetzal Serpent, Xpiyacoc, and Xumucane, helped Heart of Sky (Hurakan) create the Earth.
• 😀 Hurakan created the Earth by planting a ceiba tree to separate the sky from the Earth, which connected the nine levels of the Maya Underground and the thirteen levels of the Maya Upperworld.
• 😀 Plants were created to live on Earth, followed by animals, though animals couldn't speak or worship.
• 😀 The deities attempted to create humans from mud, but these early humans lacked souls and were destroyed in a great flood.
• 😀 A second attempt involved creating humans from wood, but these wooden beings couldn't worship either, leading to their destruction.
• 😀 The survivors of the wooden humans were transformed into monkeys living in the trees.
• 😀 The Sun and Moon were missing from the sky, and a vain bird named Seven Macaw falsely claimed to be both the sun and the moon.
• 😀 The Hero Twins, Hunajpu and Xbalanque, defeated Seven Macaw with darts and brought balance to the sky.
• 😀 The Hero Twins were conceived after their mother, Ixkik’, spoke to their father’s decapitated head, which spat on her hand, creating them from the cacao tree.
• 😀 The Hero Twins challenged the Lords of Xibalba, the Underworld, to a ballgame, survived trials, and resurrected their father, Hun Hunahpu, as the Maize God.
• 😀 After their victory in the Underworld, the Hero Twins ascended to the sky, becoming the Sun and the Moon, bringing light to the Earth.
• 😀 The final creation of human beings was made from white and yellow corn, which represented the true, enduring form of humans.

Q & A

What was the state of the world at the beginning of the story?

At the beginning, the world was a place of stillness, silence, and water. There was no land, no light, no plants, no animals, and no people.

Who were the deities involved in the creation of Earth?

The deities involved in the creation of Earth were Tepew, Quetzal Serpent, Xpiyacoc, Xumucane, and Hurakan (Heart of Sky).

What role did Hurakan play in the creation of the Earth?

Hurakan, or Heart of Sky, helped the deities create the Earth by giving it creative energy through their spiritual essence and power.

What was the purpose of the Ceiba tree in the creation story?

The Ceiba tree was planted to separate the sky from the Earth. Its roots reached into the nine levels of the Maya Underworld, its trunk stood on the Earth's surface, and its branches extended to the thirteen levels of the Maya Upperworld, symbolizing a connection between these realms.

What were the initial attempts to create humans, and why were they unsuccessful?

The deities first created humans from mud, but they had no souls and were not capable of worshiping, so they were destroyed in a great flood. Then, humans were made from wood, but these wooden beings also could not worship, so they were destroyed as well. The survivors of the wooden people are said to have become monkeys.

What was the significance of the Sun and Moon in the story?

The Sun and Moon were not initially present in the sky. A vain bird, Seven Macaw, falsely claimed to be the Sun and Moon, but was defeated by the Hero Twins, Hunajpu and Xbalanque. After defeating Seven Macaw, the Hero Twins became the actual Sun and Moon.

Who were the Hero Twins, and what was their story?

The Hero Twins, Hunajpu and Xbalanque, were conceived when their mother, Ixkik’, spoke to their father's decapitated head. They were skilled ball players and challenged the Lords of Xibalba, the Underworld, to a ballgame. After surviving dangerous trials, they won the game, which allowed their father, Hun Hunahpu, to be resurrected as the Maize God. They later became the Sun and Moon.

What was the significance of the Maize God in the story?

The Maize God, who was resurrected through the actions of the Hero Twins, represents the fertility and importance of maize (corn) in the lives of the people. His resurrection marks a key moment in the creation and sustaining of human life.

Why were corn and its creation important to the development of human beings?

Corn was considered a precious substance and was used by the deities to create the final, true form of human beings. Unlike earlier attempts with mud and wood, humans created from corn were able to endure and truly 'keep the day,' making them the proper humans in the creation myth.

How did the Hero Twins' actions affect the creation of the world and humans?

The Hero Twins' actions were pivotal in bringing light to the world, as they became the Sun and Moon. They also played a role in the resurrection of their father as the Maize God, and their victory in the Underworld helped establish the conditions for the creation of true human beings from corn.