The Politics in Places: An Ethnographic Picture of Highland Maya use of Caves and other Landscape Voids in Guatemala

Summary

Caves and other sacred landscape features such as clefts in rocks and mountain voids embody special powers controlled by earthen, spiritual entities. To the Highland Maya that power personified by the earth owner needs to be maintained, appeased, and managed, even on a daily basis. This maintenance comes in the form of elaborate ceremonies utilizing a number of special items deemed suitable for pleasing the ancient entities. Mayan ritual specialists or daykeepers, who perform the ceremonies, are leaders in handling not only communication with earth owners, but also in coping with the politics of that leadership whether from the potent powers in the sacred space or modern challenges from communities, religious groups, or tourism. Our ethnographic work will present a case-study of contemporary Highland Maya use of sacred space, both below and above ground, and how daykeepers manage the challenges from competing powers within that space and their struggle to keep the balance of the universe despite pressures from outsiders. Insider pressures will also be explored, as use of these sacred spaces for "dark" side practices is contested by the "light" side practitioners. We detail a number of strategies invoked to curtail site pollution, both physical and spiritual.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Contested Caves: The Politics of Underground Places   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 15695