Maximon

Last week, for Spanish class, my teacher took us to a small town outside of Chimaltenango to visit Maximon, the renegade Mayan spirit/historic figure/demon/Catholic saint-- depending on who you ask.

Maximon (pronounced Mash-ee-moan) has a very prominent presence in Guatemala, although not every quite approves. Legend has it that he was a Mayan fighter that resisted the Spaniards, and that he promised the people that if they always remembered and paid homage to him, he would protect the Mayan people. He is considered by some to be a Nuhal, a spirit that represents certain qualities and energies in the Mayan world-view. Some consider him a representation of Saint Judas (the one that betrayed Jesus) from the Catholic religion. Many Evangelicals consider him to be a demonic figure. But all agree that when you visit Maximon, you´ve come to ask for something-- be it love, wealth, or harm to someone you know.

There are a few "Maximons" scattered throughout Guatemala that people visit to make their requests. The one we visited was in a fairly normal Guatemalan town, only distinguished by the various stores selling special candles, incense and relics. We went up a side street and entered a non-distinct door into a large courtyard where several fires were burning.

I had the strange sense of entering onto a pirate ship. Rough looking men wearing baggy white shirts tucked into trousers, long bandanas and heavy necklaces with crosses were circling the fires, muttering incantations. Women wearing tight-fit revealing clothing sipped bottles of liquour or chain-smoked large cigars to feel closer to the presence of Maximon. Singers with guitars would strum an ode to Maximon for the pricey cost of Q10 per song and dusty little boys tried to sell strings of beads or shine your shoes. Street dogs (chuchos) slinked furtively around, trying to lap up the remnants of the sweet sacred fires that had burned out. Surprisingly, after our near-celebrity status as gringas almost everywhere else, no one paid us much attention as we sat and observed for a while. Eventually, we entered into the dark temple where Maximon was housed.

The plaster figure of Maximon sat encased on a pedestal, clothed in a black suite and sombrero, holding his rifle, surrounded by flowers, candles and bottles of liquour. Tables below him were covered with lit candles, each representing a request, and a long of people was formed, waiting for their turn to approach Maximon. In groups of two or three, they went up to his pedestal, murmured their prayers, dipped their hands in liquor and wiped it on their hair and skin, and left him fistfulls of bills and bottles of liquor. To the right of Maximon was another incased figure of the classic robes of a saint that I assume to be Judas (but no one paid him more than a glance). The walls were all covered in plaques from people thanking Maximon for the good fortune he had given them.

After a while, we went back out to the courtyard and watched an entire family prepared an elaborate sacred fire of sugar, incesnse, sweet wood, candles, chocolate, liquor. They chanted their prayers relentlessly as they added more and more treasures to the firest. They must have spent a fortune. We also noticed a large red chicken waiting in a crate, and we knew what was coming. Finally, it came his turn, and the father lifted the live chicken by the feet and passed it-- squacking-- up and down the bodies of his family members. Finally, with the help of his wife, he pulled the head off with his bare hands and laid its still wriggling, splurting body into the flames. Whatever they were asking must have been a big request. If they're lucky, it will result in another plaque on Maximon´s wall.