A tradition that our family has started in the the last couple years is to vacation in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. We have visited both Cancun and Riviera Maya. While I enjoy the tropical surroundings, I also enjoy the rich history of the area. It is the history of the Maya, one of the greatest ancient civilizations. We usually allot a day or two of exploring the ruins of the ancient cities and local culture. It is never enough time to truly understand this complex society. I hope in this blog to give you some insight that I have gathered by studying the Maya.
Below is a paper that I wrote for a Latin American history course at Elizabeth City State University:
The Maya Culture: Still Alive in the
Yucatan Peninsula
"We
are not myths of the past, ruins in the jungle or zoos. We are people and we
want to be respected, not to be victims of intolerance and racism." — Rigoberta
Menchú, 1992.
Historical
monographs suggest that after centuries of glory the Mayan people fled their
cities for reasons unknown and relocated to smaller villages. By the time the
Spaniard Conquistadors discovered these cities hundreds of years later, all
that was left were the ruins of this great civilization. Most of what we know today
about the ancient Mayan Empire has been from discoveries made by archeological
excavations and interpretations of hieroglyphics. However; the
Mayans did not disappear with the collapse of their empire nor during the
arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors. Today, the Mayans maintain sizeable
populations throughout Mexico and Central America and maintain a distinctive
set of traditions and beliefs that are a mixture of pre-Columbian and
post-Conquest ideas and cultures.
The
Mayan region was by no means homogenous in culture or in the distribution of
natural resources. While historical data suggests that the ancestral Mayan populations
started in a particular highland region of Central America, consequent
dispersal led to the formation of many differentiated groups in different
areas. These groups often interacted with each other through trade because of
the need for resources. Various groups often followed the same system of
agriculture and worshiped the same tribal gods. However, each tribe still had
its own specific culture and style. One of the largest areas of the Mayan
Empire and the region of my particular interest where the civilization reached
its maximum height is located in the northern Maya lowlands of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Chichen Itza is one of the greatest of Mayan cities that produced a multitude of
architectural styles that is representative of the great cultural diffusion of
the region.
Chichen Itza temple
Photo courtesy of Jessica L. Barnett
In
the northern Maya lowlands, Chichen Itza was major economic power at its zenith
between 900 and 1050 AD. By participating in the water-borne circum-peninsular
trade route through a port on its north side, Chichen Itza became a powerful
trading hub in the Yucatan. The city was able to obtain unavailable resources
from distant areas such as obsidian from central Mexico and gold from southern
Mexico.
Mayan
art and scientific architecture have made a lasting impression on modern humanity.
Achievements in art can be witnessed in sculptures, the remnants of Mayan
paintings, and the beauty of their pottery, stone, and jade preserved in both
their altars and historical monuments. Much of Mayan art is distinctly
different from that of European art and is easily recognizable. The Maya also
made great accomplishments in architecture in their terraced pyramids and the
detailed planning of their cities such as Chichen Itza. The Mayans were forward
thinkers in using engineering techniques in their building such as taking into consideration
factors such as stress and strain.
Scientifically,
the Maya were more progressive than any other civilization in this time period
and advanced far beyond their own personal needs. The calendar system the
Mayans invented allowed them to plot time for the next 400 million years and
predict occurrences such as the movements of the planets and the eclipses of
the sun and the moon to the nearest second. The Mayans calculated the days in
the year to add up to 365.2420 days compared to our actual value of 365.2422.
Their number system allowed them to make sums up into the millions and
comprehend the concept of zero ahead of any other culture.
The
last three centuries of this empire’s existence consisted of an increase in the
abundance and elaborate detail of art and building in these communities. This
all ended very suddenly and without any obvious explanation. One by one, life
in the cities ceased as no more monuments were erected and no more temples were
built. In many cases, work was actually stopped before completion which
suggests the deed of a sudden catastrophe. Several speculations have been made
as to what caused the collapse of the Mayan civilization, nevertheless
discrepancies have been found in each hypothesis. Many people have attempted
the decline of the cities on disease, but epidemics such as malaria and yellow
fever were only introduced with the arrival of the Spanish. Others blame it on
the Mayan agriculture procedure of cutting and burning the forest, and suggest
the lack of food as the reason for the empire’s end. However; good soil
fertility has been found to refute this explanation.
The
theory that makes the most sense is by historian, J. Eric S. Thompson. His theory is that the cities were not
actually abandoned with the end of cultural activities. Archeological excavation
has shown that burials and sacrifices were still made in cities even after
building had stopped. Most likely a series of peasant revolts against the upper
class of priests and nobles was the cause of the empire’s demise. As the demand
for labor in construction and food production grew at the peak of the
civilization, the underclass probably rebelled and drove out or killed the
ruling group. This would explain the abrupt cessation of art and monument
erection, along with the continuation of religious ceremonies. The buildings
presumably slowly began to deteriorate with the peasants half-heartedly tried
to keep their cities in shape and failing.
Pyramid El Castillo (The Castle) in Tulum
Photo courtesy of Jessica L. Barnett
The
Maya of today still live within the boundaries of their old empire in Mexico
and Central America. The region that makes up this area includes the five
states in Mexico and the modern day countries of Belize, Honduras, El Salvador,
and Guatemala. The Yucatan was one of the latter Mayan civilizations that still
have a very active Mayan population. Of the approximately seven million Mayas left
today, a large segment of the population in the region is Mayan or of Mayan
decedent. Chichen Itza, named a seven wonder of the world, lies in the eastern
portion of the Yucatan state of Mexico.
Despite
several hundred years of European dominance in their country, much of the
native and historical Maya tradition has remained with its people. When the
Spaniards arrived in Yucatan Peninsula around the early 16th
century, many of the indigenous people were living out in jungle. This kept
them isolated from the many Catholic missionaries eager to convert them to
Christianity, and it also allowed them practice much of their own culture.
Despite the repression they suffered due to the Spanish invasion, the Maya were
able to keep their Indian culture alive by their adaptability. Although their
culture could not help but be influenced by the invaders, it managed to keep
much of its traditional foundations.
A
very important part of this culture is associated with the Mayan language.
Although the official language of the ruling minority (sixty percent of
Mexicans are of Mayan descent) is Spanish, about a million people today speak
the indigenous language of the Yucatan called Yucatec Maya. Many of the Maya
today speak Spanish as a second language because of contact through trade and
tourism, but remain native dialect speakers.
In
religion, the Maya have also fought to keep much of their own tradition alive and
have blended it with Spanish influences. The result is that the Maya have their
own brand of Christianity which consists of characteristics of old tribal
religions and Roman Catholicism An example is a Catholic Maya performing a ceremony that have
obvious characteristics of shaman rituals. Chicken sacrifices and food
offerings are also witnessed in some churches. In addition, some Mayans still
worship old deities like the corn god for good luck with the harvest.
In
addition, other pre-Columbian traditions and customs have remained intact. Many
Maya continue to work in agriculture. The main crops are still beans and corn;
the fields are still prepared and cleared by cutting and burning as was done by
the ancient Mayans so long ago. After the arrival of the Spanish, Maya began to
work in other industries such as the cattle and henequen industries. Much of the
traditional clothing, textiles, and cooking is also still established custom.
However,
only ten percent of the Yucatan lives a totally Mayan lifestyle compared to the
sixty percent that have Mayan ancestors. Only a small population of the Yucatan
own land. As has been true since the arrival of the Spanish, the people of
Mayan descent lack basic human rights. Despite the fact that Mexico won its
independence from Spain in 1821, the Spanish invasion still greatly affects the
indigenous people. Much of the conflict dealt with indigenous rights and land
distribution. Many modern Maya live at or below the poverty level. The most fertile
land of the country is used for mass production of agriculture products which
leaves the indigenous population with the land scraps. The Maya were mainly
used as a labor force to work on the main plantations and are treated equal to
slaves. During the Caste War of the Yucatan from 1847- 1901, the native Maya
people revolted against Yucatecos, people of European descent who held both
economic and political control of the region. The war ended with occupation of the Maya
capital by Mexican forces. However, the Maya people still held hostilities
towards the Mexican government and refused to recognize Mexican laws for
several decades. In the preceding years, the political and economic situation
has improved in the area with people of Maya heritage being government offices
and the economy booming because of tourism.
Riviera Maya
Photos Courtesy of Jessica L. Barnett
The
Mayan people once had an ancient civilization comparable to that of the Greeks
in the Old World. While the empire crumbled and no longer exists, its people
still inhabit the area and have a heritage of great wealth. There is a large
majority of Maya that have integrated into Hispanicized mestizo culture, but
some continue to live a more traditional distinct life with Maya as their
primary language. Regardless, the Maya culture is still alive and well in the
Yucatan Peninsula!
Bibliography
Henderson, John S. The World of the Ancient Maya. New York:
Cornell University Press 1981.
Nelson,
Reed. The Caste War of Yucatan. Palo Alto: Stanford University Press,
1964.
Thompson, J. Eric S. The
Rise and Fall of Maya Civilization. University of Oklahoma: Oklahoma University
of Oklahoma Press, 1966.
United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization. Pre-Hispanic City of
Chichen-Itza. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/483 (Retrieved on November 10,
2011)
