...The Mayan society is one of many complex, individual civilizations. In the Mayan society, there are multiple cultures and values. We learn multiple things from the Mayans and they helped start out many civilizations.There are many connections and value I learned from the Popol Vuh and the Mesopotamian Geography points. Some connections I can make relate to the Kente proverbs. One connection is to the Kente proverb “ It is the mother whose child has been eaten by a witch who best knows the evils of witchcraft” This relates to the Popol Vuh because the baller children were aware of how their fathers died and they went to avenge them. Another proverb that relates to this “A tiger does not have to show his tigerness” This relates to the twins because they did not have to dress as great warriors to beat the lords of Xibalba. One modern day connection is Karma. A lot of people believe in karma which is” when you do bad, bad will come back to you” I believe the Lords of Xibalba got Karma because they killed the hero twins fathers when they won which was cheating, so when the hero twins defeated them they got what they deserved. Some implications that are made are that there is always more than one story. This is true because the hero twins only knew their fathers as farmers when they were really great ball players. Another implication is that sacrifices are common in every society. Even in modern times, we make sacrifices, some sacrifices we make include paying money for food or electricity...
Words: 437 - Pages: 2
...World Mythology LIT 229 Dennis Flanders Professor Lee When we think of competition the first thought that comes to mind ids sports. Competition is relevant in many things. Spirts is not the only thing. Competition is engrained in our DNA from the day we are born and we all have a different competitive spirit within. Competition has no racial or gender bias. Competition within has bene around for ages. Competition has shaped many cultures and is an important social building block. Competition is defined as “a contest for some prize, honor, or advantage.” There is no real historical background on competition as it is ingrained within our DNA the day we are born. We are taught at a young age to win, not lose. This is echoed within every culture and seems to be a main similarity within all cultures. Learning the word competition and how to “win” a young age is not always a good thing. Teaching children that winning is the only way is not as helpful to their future as parents may be lead to believe. Competition is prevalent in many situations from test taking to elections. A debatable quote that one may hear is “If you aren’t first, you are last.” Obviously, this isn’t the most accurate picture we should be painting about competition and teaching children but it is what it is and is throughout all cultures. One glaring similarity in regards to competition throughout several cultures is that parents want their children to succeed at any cost and to be the best at everything...
Words: 2566 - Pages: 11
...myth shares this particular idea. Some believe that life came from either above or below of where they are standing, others believe that the Earth was covered in water and the land was lifted up. In some cases, humans and animals lived in harmony one with the other, but that was short-lived due to the sins that humans did against their creators, or the animals used or deceived humans and were punished for that. Some of these myths start with a birth, which represents life, also this relates to the idea of a figure either maternal or paternal, and we all can relate to this right? Such stories are almost infinitely varied in detail, but they tend to include some basic themes. Popol Vuh is the religious history or “bible” for the ancient Mayan civilization. The Popol Vuh has a polytheistic religion. The Popol Vuh contains a series of four efforts at...
Words: 1069 - Pages: 5
...Creation Tales The Popol Vuh strongly resonates with my belief of how the Universe was created, which meant that there was void and emptiness before people inhabited the earth. According to the Popol Vuh which states that “Only the Creator, the Maker, Tepeu, Gucumatz, the forefathers, were in the waters surrounded with light; they were hidden under green and blue feathers, and were therefore called Gucumatz. By nature they were great sages and great thinkers” (Fiero, 2011). This is similar to my belief that a supreme being a sole Creator Yahweh is responsible for creating the Universe rather than multiple Deities. The Popol Vuh further elaborates that “By nature they were great sages and great thinkers. In this manner the sky existed and also the Heart of Heaven, which is the name of God and thus he is called” (Fiero, 2011). This statement demonstrates a similar belief held by myself...
Words: 482 - Pages: 2
...Popol Vuh and Genesis are both theories on how the world was formed and human beings came to be. Within the story Genesis, god created humans not because he was lonely, or need worshipers but because of his love for creativity. “God is love (1 John 4:8), and because of that love and his wonderful creativity, he made us so we can enjoy all that he is and all that he's done.” The creation story Popol Vuh is based off of the gods needing worshipers and people to admire what they have created. The reason for creating humans in Popol Vuh was a more selfish and greedy matter, rather than caring for the humans. Both of these creation stories are very similar and at the same time very different from each other, In both stories the gods create the...
Words: 581 - Pages: 3
...The Pre-Columbian peoples of the Mesoamerican area are a population that has since fascinated historians and archaeologists to this day. Exploration and investigation has brought to light the great advancements these civilizations made in the areas of art, technology, and even astronomy. By means of examining and analyzing the remains, the massive structures and artifacts left behind by the early people of these civilizations, we have come to know of their rich culture and traditions. One group that we know a great deal of, the Classic Maya, exhibited a culture that was not only sophisticated and ahead of its time, but also one of great art and rituals. What was of great significance to these people was the Mayan Ballgame. The ballgame will be analyzed throughout this text, signifying its importance to the Mayan culture as evidenced in various articles and how these articles contribute to our understanding of these people. Though these written articles differ in some aspects they are all effective in advancing our knowledge of Mayan history and civilization because collectively they communicate how the ballgame taught Mayan values and proper behavior, was crucial in Mayan ritual and civilization, and how it was used as an interaction with other civilizations. How was this Mayan ballgame played? All the information historians have on the ballgame derived from visiting the actual sites in Mesoamerica where these games were played and the interpretation of various glyphs...
Words: 1522 - Pages: 7
...Extended Essay In World Religions [pic] “An Investigation into the Sacrificial Blood Rituals of the Maya Culture.” Abstract This essay focuses on the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Mayan civilization that spanned from the borders of present day Honduras up to Mexico, but which only a certain amount is truly known. The principal reason why I chose to focus on these people was to challenge myself to try and gain a greater understanding of why they engaged in such strange rituals as bloodletting and even human sacrifice? What prompted them to commit such acts? I proposed that the performance of these actions, as they seemed to be so entwined with their culture, must have had something to do with their religious beliefs but which ones exactly, and how did they originate? It was with this in mind that I conducted an investigation into the sacrificial blood rituals of Maya culture. Thus, from conducting library based research - using books, Encyclopedias and the Internet - I found out that the Mayans had created for themselves a complex Creation Myth and pantheon of gods. It was to supposedly sustain these gods, who were constantly fighting against one another, that the Mayan conducted bloodletting and human sacrifices, believing that in return the gods would provide them the water needed to grow their maize. The gods, replenished by this blood, were able to maintain the harmony of the universe by preventing any one group of...
Words: 8185 - Pages: 33
...This was a book created by the Quinche Maya of Guatemala during the sixteen century. The book starts with the meeting between the Plummet Serpent (sea main god) and Heart Sky (main god of sky), during this meeting they discussed about the creation of the Earth from the Sea; at the same time, it described how humans were originated: during the first trial they were disappointed since the “humans” they create were not able to communicate and offer their prayers. during the second trial they considered the idea of create humans with clay; however, during the creation process they were suggested by the old gods to create them from wood; this process failed and as a consequence, the monkeys were originated. Lastly, according to the Popol Vuh, humans...
Words: 333 - Pages: 2
...Importance of Speech Popol Vuh, written anonymously by Mayans and later translated by Father Ximenez, is a myth on the creation of humans through a process of trial and error. By examining the role of speaking and its relationship to humans in Popul Vuh, we can see that the ability to speak and reason defines humanity. Speech is first introduced as just existing when the world had just begun. Any form of life had not existed except for the sea. Then the myth illustrates the power of speech when the Gods create the earth from just their words after talking and pondering together. The ability to speak has great power and is something that the Mayans felt important in their culture. The story then goes on as the Gods create animals as the first living beings. . However, these living beings were incapable of human thought and the gods expressed their dissatisfaction by saying to the animals, “You shall be replaced because you were not successful.” This begins many experiments by the Gods for the perfect human being. After being disappointed in the creations of animals, mud people, and wood people, the Gods finally create human that are capable of human thought. These humans were created by maize and water which are the necessary nutrition to sustain life for the Mayans. However these humans become another “mistake” for the Gods when they are asked to speak. The relationship between speech and reasoning is distinguished when they rename the Gods as “grandmother” and “grandfather...
Words: 374 - Pages: 2
...For millennia the Maya lived in what is now the lowlands of Guatemala, Mexico, Belize and Honduras.For reasons still not full understood, around 900 AD their society collapsed and cities abandoned.While their social structure disappeared, the Mayans did not. | | 11,000 B.C. The first hunter-gatherers settle in the Maya highlands and lowlands. 3114 or 3113 B.C. The creation of the world takes place, according to the Maya Long Count calendar. 2600 B.C. Maya civilization begins. Olmec figurine 2000 B.C. The rise of the Olmec civilization, from which many aspects of Maya culture are derived. Village farming becomes established throughout Maya regions. 700 B.C. Writing is developed in Mesoamerica. 400 B.C. The earliest known solar calendars carved in stone are in use among the Maya, although the solar calendar may have been known and used by the Maya before this date. Mayan Calendar 300 B.C. The Maya adopt the idea of a hierarchical society ruled by nobles and kings. 100 B.C. The city of Teotihuacan is founded and for centuries is the cultural, religious and trading center of Mesoamerica. 50 B.C. The Maya city of Cerros is built, with a complex of temples and ball courts. It is abandoned (for reasons unknown) a hundred years later and its people return to fishing and farming. Teotihuacan 100 A.D. The decline of the Olmecs. 400 The Maya highlands fall under the domination of Teotihuacan, and the disintegration of Maya culture and language begins in...
Words: 4810 - Pages: 20
...I will tell you how similar and how different the Mayan religion is and one of the American religion. I will tell you what god’s or god they believed in. I will also tell you what they believed about their religion. I will also tell you some over thing about the Mayans and the Americans. Thats what im going to tell you about the American and the Mayan religion. The Mayan believed in the the Gods from their bible called the Popol Vuh one example of a God is the Sun God aka the God of Corn. The Mayan also did sacrifices to honor the Gods to keep the Mayan away from war, floods and over things to hurt the Mayan community which the sacrifices didn't help because all those things happened. They also did sacrifices to keep the sun rising because...
Words: 287 - Pages: 2
...James Tincknell Dr. Kenneth Reeds SPN417 – 01 9 de diciembre del 2013 El Malentendido de las Indígenas por Cristóbal Colón Las culturas indígenas que existían durante el tiempo de Colón quedan representadas en maneras distintas en la literatura del momento. Por un lado, Colón famosamente las retrató en sus cartas, quitándoles humanidad a los indígenas y dejando la impresión que él había conocido unas personas mansas, poco más que salvajes. Por otro lado, la poesía y escritura pre-columbina revela culturas desarrolladas y provee una cara humana y una voz, aunque difícil de oír por culpa de la traducción y distancia histórica – de esta gente que existía antes de la presencia colonizadora. En ambos casos la literatura revela una representación de la indígena y dentro del contraste entre estas versiones, se puede discernir la tensión que eventualmente sería la diversidad latinoamericana. Las indígenas eran personas espirituales. No tenían fe en un dio pero tenían fe en muchos dios. Ellos eran polígamos. Ellos combinaban fe y ambientalismo. Sus mentalidades ayudan para cultivar y vivir con todas las indígenas en la tierra. Las indígenas asignaban nombres al sol y la tierra. El sol era el padre y la tierra la madre. A juntos, ellos tenían cuidados por las personas que vivían en la tierra. (Churchill 60-62) Las indígenas eran famosas por la creación de escritura. Porque las indígenas eran separados del mundo, especialmente Europa, ellos creaban algunos sistemas para comunicar...
Words: 2065 - Pages: 9
...მ: კალენდარი და სამი კოდექსი. ესპანელმა კონკისტადორებმა ყველაფერი გაანადგურეს, როდესაც ინკების იმპერია გაანადგურეს და მათი ტერიტორია დაიპყრეს. მაგრამ მაინც გადარჩა სამი ხელნაწერი, რომლიდანაც მხოლოდ ერთი იკითხება და ინახება დრეზდენში. დანარჩენი ორი დამწვარ მდგომარეობაშია და შესაბამისად პარიზის და მადრიდის კოდექსები ეწოდება. აგერ კალენდრის სურათი: მაიას ტომმა თავიანთი ცოდნა Popul Vuh -ში აღწერეს (წიგნი, სადაც მათ მთლიანი თავიანთი ცოდნა აღწერეს). წიგნში საუბარია კალენდარზე, რომელსაც პირველ სურათზე ხედავთ. ამბობენ, რომ ეს კალენდარი ღმერთებმა დაუტოვეს მაიას ტომსს დედამიწიდან შორეულ ვარსკვლავზე გაფრენის წინ. (ამ კალენდრის საშუალებით შესაძლებელია სულ ადვილად მილიონებში დათვლა). ესე დაუბარეს, რომ როგორც კი დათქმული დრო მოვიდოდა (წითელი მონიშნუილები რომ ერთმანეთს დაემთხვევა), მაშინ დაბრუნდებოდნენ და რაც შექმნეს, იმას შეამოწმებდნენ. გამოთვლის მიხედვით ეს მოხდება 2012 წლის დეკემბერში.მაიას ტერიტორიაზე ნაპოვნია ორი კალენდარი: ერთი 365 დღიანი ციკლით და მეორე 260. პირველი ციკლი გასაგებია, მაგრამ მეორე ციკლი უცნობია მეცნიერებისთვის, რადგანაც ეს ციკლი არ ემორჩილება დედამიწის კანონზომიერებებს (ჩემი აზრით, ეს მეორე ციკლი გამოხატავს დროის მსვლელობას პლანეტა სირიუს ბ-ზე, სადაც გაფრინდნენ მაიას ტომისს მასწავლებლები). მაიას ტომს ჰქონდა მთვარის და მზის ციკლები, მაგრამ მათ არ ქონდა ის სისტემა, რასაც ჩვენ დღეს ვიყენებთ დღეების ნუმერაციისას (იგულისხმება ორშაბათი, სამშაბათი და ა.შ.) როგორც დრეზდენის კოდექსი გვამცნობს, მაიას ათვლის წერტილი იყო ღმერთის კუკულკანის (იგივე კეცალკოატლის ან კუკუმაცის) დედამიწაზე...
Words: 794 - Pages: 4
...TermPaperWarehouse.com - Free Term Papers, Essays and Research Documents The Research Paper Factory JoinSearchBrowseSaved Papers Home Page » Other Topics Historical Materialism In: Other Topics Historical Materialism INTRODUCTION "In the Marxian view, human history is like a river. From any given vantage point, a river looks much the same day after day. But actually it is constantly flowing and changing, crumbling its banks, widening and deepening its channel. The water seen one day is never the same as that seen the next. Some of it is constantly being evaporated and drawn up, to return as rain. From year to year these changes may be scarcely perceptible. But one day, when the banks are thoroughly weakened and the rains long and heavy, the river floods, bursts its banks, and may take a new course. This represents the dialectical part of Marx’s famous theory of dialectical (or historical) materialism." Historical materialism is a methodological approach to the study of society, economics, and history first articulated by Karl Marx (1818–1883) as the materialist conception of history. It is a theory of socioeconomic development according to which changes in material conditions (technology and productive capacity) are the primary influence on how society and the economy are organised. Historical materialism looks for the causes of developments and changes in human society in the means by which humans collectively produce the necessities of life. Social classes...
Words: 449 - Pages: 2
...CORN AND CULTURE: THE INFLUENCE OF ZEA MAYS ACROSS CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL BOUNDARIES BY GINNY MARIE MUELLER Undergraduate Thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the University Scholar distinction The University of Montana Missoula, MT May 2011 Approved by: James C. McKusick, Dean The Davidson Honors College Kathleen Kane, Faculty Mentor English David Moore, Faculty Reader English 1 Mueller, Ginny, B.A., May 2011 English Literature Corn and Culture: The Influence of Zea mays across Cultural and Historical Boundaries Faculty Mentor: Kathleen Kane Second Faculty Reader: David Moore Corn's status as a critical food crop, and its location within indigenous new world cosmographies, illustrate the important sociocultural role the plant has played for millennia. However, modern society has elevated Zea mays far above the status of mere plant, fashioning it into a commodity intimately connected to systems of control and capitalism. Consequently, corn has played an essential role in colonization, industrialization, and the advent of overproduction. The beliefs and literature of numerous new world cultures, along with the literatures of modern Western cultures, offer a striking analysis of corn's current position in western society. The far-reaching impacts that corn has on our socioeconomic and subsistence systems reveal a great deal about globalization, commodification, and dominance. This paper examines corn through a cultural studies lens, documenting...
Words: 5170 - Pages: 21
