[Aztlan] Popol Vuh and De Landa

[lahunik.62 at skynet.be]

There are some doubts that, the few who have translated the Popol Vuh, 

really have lived among the Indio's.

There is an old Unamuno saying that, "the language the blood is of the
mind".

It is very clear that you couldn't translate this manuscript only by using a
lexicon.

You had to live among the Indio's, feel the spirit in their gestures, 

and listen to timbre of their talks.

You had to learn to understand their way of thinking.

When a Maya says: "My hart is dry, takin kont'on", 

that is something totally different than: "I'm thirsty".

The Indian Spirit makes a very strong impression on everybody's mind.

That's what happened with another translator of the manuscript, 

de Reverendo Padre Francisco Ximénez Cura Doctrinero por el Real Patronato
del Pueblo de Sto.

Tomás Chichicastenángo, del Sacrado Orden de Predicatores.

Francisco Ximenez arrived in Guatemala in 1688, with a "shipload" of
clergymen, only 24 years old.

He became parochial administrator in Santo Tomás Chuila in 1701.

The conquest of the land, the strangling and living burning of Indio's just
happened 180 years ago.

Although he have learned a few dialects, although his status, he must had
have an exceptional character.

Some day the Indio's offered him their Holy Bible.

It could be doubtful because of the verdict of Cortés: "Acabar con el alma
del Indio".

Let's extinguish the soul of the Indio.

The Conquistadors just had exterminated systematically the Bearers of the
Culture, the royal families and their priests.

Temples were demolished, statues of Gods smashed in pieces and Holy
Manuscripts were burned.

Therefore it is very doubtful that the eldest of the community take him in
confidence and showed him their Holy Script.

Ximinez was a "bon catholique" and very probably strictly limited by the
conceptions of his time, 

but he could be, as a young catholic priest, deeply impressed by the Indian
Spirit.

Probably he thought that, in this dark period, he must bring the Light of
the Word.

Maybe he was amazed by reading the Quiché texts.

There was a Creation story of the Earth.

There was a great Flood.

There was a raven that shows the new land.

And there was a migration trough the sea like the children of Israel.

There was a lightening star, who Ximenez thought it was the star of Jacob, 

because it couldn't be the star of Bethlehem.

Is it possible that he have invented the whole story just there and than?

Ximenez' version is probably a exact copy, made in 2 columns, 

with the Quiché text on the left side, and a Spanish translation on the
right.

Remarkable was too that he had given back the Holey Script, 

that in fact must have been burned by the Inquisition.

Was it his moral duty that pushed him?

There he stood as a brainchild of the beginning 18th century, 

without help of his religion and of modern linguistics, against an unusual,
complex myth. 

He even knew the word and the understanding of the word "myth".

He was very conscious of what he was doing.

On the first page of his book is written in capital letters:

EMPIEZAN LAS HIS 

TORIAS DEL ORIGEN DE LOS INDIOS DE

ESTA PROVINCIA DE GUATEMALA


Here begins the story of the Indian origin in this province of Guatemala


ARE V XE OHER

That is the old saying


ARE V TZIHOXIC VAE

That is the message
     

 

Lahun Ik 62         

Baert Georges

Flanders Fields