|
XUNANTUNICH RECLAIMED The New Dawn of the Masewal People by Phyllis Dart |
| SAN JOSE
SUCCOTZ, March 24, 1998-In a history-making event, Xunantunich was reclaimed by her people
and became, once again, the sacred ceremonial site that The Stone Maiden was meant to be.
Our local Masewal, along with an international group of some 60 initiates of the Maya
Mysteries gathered together to reopen and secure Xunantunich as the great portal of the
sacred feminine energy. A number of tourists visiting the site joined in, while others
looked on with curiosity and interest. The ceremony was one of several taking place at Mayan sites around the Yucatan in observance of, and in conjunction with, the Spring Equinox, March 21. This is a time when the spiritual energy is strong, and the sites’ energy vortices can more easily be opened again. The sites will again, as in the ancient past, be used for rituals and ceremonies of the Masewal - the original name of the Maya - while their culture is revived and the Masewal Renaissance begins. |
|
The group, initiates of the Maya Mysteries School in Merida, came to Belize at the
invitation of Angel Tzec of Bullet Tree Falls, and the Maya Institute of Belize. The
School’s coordinator and leader is the esteemed Mayan Elder and Daykeeper, Hunbatz
Men. The initiates were from many countries around the world, and the ceremony was
translated into six languages—both Mopan and Yucatec Maya, Spanish, French, Japanese
and English. President of the Institute, Fernando Tzib of San Antonio Village, Jerome Coc,
Araceli Garcia, Minerva Tzec and Angel Tzec all took part in the opening and welcoming
ceremonies, while another dozen men and women in the Institute served the sacred drink,
sakan, for the thanksgiving "Xuyukub" ritual. Special guest, Hmen Rick Acosta
from Xaibe, was the officiating High Priest, along with Quetza-Xah, Aztec shaman from
Mexico City. With humble dignity and grace, the entire Belize delegation served as hosts
to the group. Had their incensors and vessels for the sacred drink only been made of clay,
one could have easily envisioned a ceremony of the last millennia. Hmen Hunbatz Men, internationally renowned Mayan Elder, began reviving the ancient customs and rituals 30 years ago at Chichen Itza near Merida in Mexico. Today, approximately 65,000 people visit that site on the important ceremonial days. In an interview with The Cayo Trader, Hunbatz Men was clear about their purpose: "For us, the Maya, it is time to do rituals again, and we should do them in all the ceremonial centers. When we do the rituals, we have more respect for life, we have more respect for the land and the rivers. The Mayan Culture is bringing back this education. With love, harmony, ritual and respect, we can understand humanity." Hmen Hunbatz elaborated on the Mayan religious philosophy, calling it a "cosmic spiritual culture." He stated that the idea of many Mayan gods was false, and that they are representations or aspects of the One God, Hunab Ku, in the same way that rivers or trees are different aspects of nature. |
|
|
He sees no separation of God and Man, and believes All are One. This was clearly
observable, when at the beginning of the ritual in the blazing noonday sun, he silently
invoked the spirits of clouds and wind to join us. In what many would consider a
modern-day miracle, the skies became overcast and a strong breeze gave relief to all those
who were joined in opening the energy vortex in the plaza of Xunantunich. While chanting
the name of the Father Sun "OL" fourteen times, several brown jays chimed in,
and further into the ritual, a swarm of killer bees passed harmlessly overhead. Participants in the group were from all walks of life, but as one stated, "All are healers, and all were "called" to join in this event." Several mentioned the overwhelming personal growth and visions which came to them at the various sites, and one woman said that all were "remembering" things about spirituality that they "knew" but had "forgotten." In one ceremony, four women of various nationalities were given Mayan names: Lol Lun (flower of the earth), Itzel (goddess of the moon), Lol Kan (flower of the sky), and Xunan (maiden). Several times participants remarked that this training and knowledge is not something you can learn from books, but by being with, and learning from the traditional people themselves. It appears that the "New Age" quest is in reality the Ancient Wisdom of our indigenous Masewal people. This article was originally written for and published in the Cayo Trader newspaper... |