The Sacred Mayan Journey 2010
"The transition toward a new era"
The Maya, wonderful astronomers, skillful architects, sailors and tradesmen, talented artists and zealous caretakers of their gods, developed one of the most important cultures in Mesoamerica before the Spaniard conquerors arrived to this land.
The Mayan thought there was nothing static; everything is in constant movement and change, thus, their gods and their influence over men and their surroundings were also different in every era.
The Maya of the Postclassic era considered the sea as a source of food and a navigable resource but it was also the cause of devastation and death, as the marine world was linked to the Xibalbá or underworld. And so, a sea crossing meant a transition to the afterlife or a rebirth.
Ports like Xamanhá, today´s Playa del Carmen, and mainly Ppolé, modern day Xcaret, served as the starting point for the pilgrimages that came from the most remote cities of the Mayan world on their way to the sanctuary of the goddess Ixchel in the island of Cuzamil, today’s Cozumel.
The Spaniard conquest, the evangelization of indigenous cultures and the punishment for the worship of idols, among others, were the reasons for this kind of ritual to fall into disuse.
On the 5th Anniversary of the Sacred Mayan Journey, we want to keep on reenacting this ritual of the ancient sailors with your participation. Dance, ceremonies, commerce and the physical effort of the oarsmen are key elements of the pilgrimage toward Cozumel in search of the message that stems from the oracle of Ixchel; goddess of the moon, the tides and floods, medicine, pregnancy, weaving and regeneration cycles. An appreciation for the rich culture left by the Maya as a legacy is what brings us together once again.
On 2011, come and celebrate your journey toward rebirth.
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