The 10 best known Mayan traditions

The Mayan traditions they are part of the compendium of its cultural wealth. This Mesoamerican civilization was one of the most important in America, thanks to its deep knowledge and advances in areas such as writing, art, agriculture, mathematics, and astronomy..

The Mayan culture has a wide legacy, since its preformative stage is located 2000 BC. and evolves until after the Spanish conquest, where a large part of their traditions were erased, however their wisdom resisted and one can even speak of a persistence of the Mayan culture in many settings.

If you want to learn more about this exciting culture, today we will tell you a little about the Mayan traditions most representative.

Traditions of the Mayans and customs that you will love to know

Within the Mayan traditions We will find rites and customs that never cease to amaze us, some chilling and others quite special that help us understand the paradigms of this fascinating civilization.

1. Cenote worship

Cenotes are species of flooded caves through which underground rivers run. Their appearance is so imposing and wonderful, that it is not difficult to think that they are actually sacred places.

For the Mayans the cenotes were tnatural places where the energy of the gods flowed in a special way, This is why they used these places for worship rites and for some of their most special ceremonies..

2. Human sacrifices

Human sacrifice was one of the most impressive practices of the Mayans and other civilizations. The reason for the sacrifices is that blood was considered to be the fluid that connects us with the gods, and that is why pouring it out in their rituals was a show of reverence and a way to pay off the debts between human beings and divinity.. 

3. Hanal Pixan

Hanal Pixan, also known as the "Day of the Dead" is a celebration that survives today in Mexico and whose objective is to honor the memory of the deceased..

It should be noted that the Mayans considered death as something natural, and firmly believed that the dead continued with their lives on other planes and that is why it was necessary to remember them and celebrate their memory..

4. Pa Puul

This celebration is one of the best known Mayan traditions. The literal meaning of the expression "Pa puul" is: Break the dishes. This ritual festival was aimed at asking for rain and is still celebrated today on June 24 in some towns in Central America..

The ceremony consists in that from dawn lhe children collect animals, mainly reptiles, and put them in clay bowls and other materials that can break. At the time of the ceremony, the bowls are thrown against the ground, which produces a sound of lightning, and it was believed that this synchronization of sounds helped to call the rain. 

5. Pok a pok

Pok a pok is a Mayan ball game that gets its name from the sound that balls make when they hit the walls. This game was played on traditional courts and was used to have fun, solve problems and release tension.. 

The ball could only be moved with the hips, shoulders, and elbows until the ball was brought into hoops where it should be scored. This is considered one of the oldest sports in the world.

6. Hezmetk ceremony

This ceremony is equivalent to what we know as baptism. This celebration was held when the boys were 4 months old and the girls were 3 months old. It consisted in the fact that the chosen godfather had to hold the baby on his hip, while the master of ceremony offers him various objects with a positive connotation for his life..

7. Dance of Nan Pach

The Nan Pach dance was a ceremony of gratitude in front of nature for food and giving us vital sustenance. The rite begins the night before the celebration where the Mayans built corn dolls while reciting their prayers of gratitude for the favors received.. 

On the day of the celebration, the altars are decorated with various flowers and then the dolls are placed on these altars and they proceed to drink “pinol”, a typical drink made from corn.. 

8. Xukulen

This celebration is one of the most important Mayan traditions. Its objective is to enter into communication with Ajaw, creator god of the universe. Here, the Mayans created in a celebration in which they practiced different dances, rituals and fire was one of the main elements of the celebration, since different objects were burned.

Through this veneration of fire, it was sought to manifest the deep love for God and to make the requests of the people around abundance, health, prosperity, peace and love..

9. Assignment of names

The assignment of the names of the newborn children is given by means of a ritual in which each Maya had four names.. 

The first of them was known as "paal Kaba" and was chosen by the parents. In the case of men it had to start with “Ix”, and in the case of women with “Ah, the middle name corresponded to the last name. The third name was called "naal kaba" and was a mixture between the name of the father and the mother. The fourth name was known as "coco Kaba" and corresponded to a nickname that was assigned to it..

10. Beauty ideals

The beauty ideals of the Mayans differed somewhat from ours. On the one hand, eyes with strabismus were highly valued and that is why babies' eyes were dripped with a kind of resin that stimulated the effect.

In the same way, having elongated skulls was very important and that is why boards were put on the head to achieve this deformation of the skull.. 

Tooth ornaments made of corals and gemstones were also a hit, and tattoos were essential..

As you can see, the traditions of the Mayans are quite special and reveal their deep roots in the gods they believed in..

If you like to learn about Central America and its culture, this article will enchant you: 10 most surprising myths and legends of Mexico.