8 Batz Ceremony, Momostenango, Guatemala

The Maya, Supreme Keepers of the Sacred Fire

Momostenango is in Quiche country, a village way up in the highlands where Don Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj was born and where Barbara and Dennis Tedlock were initiated as Daykeepers. Momos has become known as the place where ancient Mayan traditions are lived most purely.

on the way to Momo

Every 260 days, the Mayan sacred calendar, the Tzolkin, completes a cycle. On 8/Batz (monkey, weaver of time, this year held Feb 4-6) very important ceremonies take place in Momos. Mayan Daykeepers are initiated at this time, performing fire ceremonies at 5 different locations, located at the top of the mountain all the way down to the fire pit, right in front of the Catholic church and next to the market. Thousands of Maya come from all corners of Maya-land, but Westerners had not een openly invited until recently. As it turned out, only 11 Westerners were present at this ceremony which was so expertly performed by Don Rigoberto and wonderfully filmed by Jim Reed, of the Institute of Mayan studies.

Have a look at this video to realize that the Maya are supreme keepers of the sacred fire.

In Lak'ech,

bjs