V. Garth Norman

Quiche Maya Blessing Garth Norman-Guatemala, June 2010

Click to view Video: Izapa Temple Restoration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXloZvW-f94

Western Guatemala’s POPOL VUH – Sacred book of the Quiche Maya originally written in Spanish ca. 1550 (Recinos 1950:5, 77-80)   “Preamble. . .This is the beginning of the old traditions of this place called Quiche, by the tribes of the Quiche nation. . . we shall bring it to light because now the Popol Vuh, as it is called, cannot be seen any more in which was clearly seen the coming from the other side of the sea and the narration of our obscurity, and our life was clearly seen.   Great were the descriptions and the account of how all the sky and earth were formed, how it was formed and divided into four parts, how it was partitioned, and how the sky was divided, and the measuring-cord was brought, and it was stretched in the sky and over the earth, on the four angles, on the four corners, as was told by the Creator of and the Maker, the Mother and the Father of LIfe, he who gives breath and thought, she who gives birth to the children, he who watches over the happiness of the people, the happiness of the human race, the wise man, he who meditates on the goodness of all that exists in the sky, on the earth, in the lakes and in the sea.” 

Quiche Maya Blessing Izapa - June 2010

 June 20-27, 2010 The Maya Conservancy (Georgeanne Johnson-President) sponsored a tour with 13 Quiche and Cakchiquel Maya “Day Keepers” accompanied by a study group, including archaeologists, Mayanists, historians  and scientists to witness Quiche ritual during the summer solstice week.  The objective was to bring the Quiche Mayan Elders to Izapa for the first time in perhaps a thousand years, to witness this important site as a possible ancient temple center of their ancestors.  Here it is believed the Maya calendar originated during the Late Preclassic formative period (c.a.400 B.C.).   The archaeological and calendrical record compiled by Garth Norman (who participated in the Tour), the New World Archaeological Foundation and other scholars, primarily Vincent Malmstrom, has brought considerable attention to Iaapa to learn the origins of the ancient Maya calendar.

Mayan Elder Kukulkan burning offerings at Atitlan-June 2010

Rigoberto Itzep Blessing Izapa-Birthplace of the Maya Calendar