Chicago, 19 December 2012

Popol Vuh is a sacred book written by the Mayas. Both spiritual and psychological, it explains how gods brought life on Earth and how they later destroyed the humans they had made of wood and clay to praise them — since they weren’t able to procreate.

“Before the creation of the Earth, there was only silence and darkness, only the sky and the sea until the Tepeu and Gucumatz gods created trees, animals and man” says Popol Vuh, also called “Book of Advice” or “Book of Community”. Its origin remains a mystery and its existence was not known until 1701. Historians do not know the author of the original version, but it is thought to have been first written in Quiche language by Christianised Indians, in the middle of the 16th Century. Later on, Spanish priest Francisco Ximenez translated it into Spanish in 1701. The manuscript is currently exhibited at the Newberry Library in Chicago.

Popol Vuh is considered a source of Maya identity, through the themes of religion, mythology, history, astrology, customs and legends. Because of its great importance for the civilisations of Central America and Mexico, Guatemala declared it a piece of intangible national culture heritage — a significant measure, since the 21st December 2012 was supposed to mark the end of a 5,200-year era, according to the Maya calendar. That very date was perceived as a celebration day for some, while it was deemed the day of the Last Judgement by others…