Xurt'an
The End of the World and Other Myths, Songs, Charms, and Chants by the Northern Lacandones of Naha'
Will be published approx. on 1. August 2019
Book
Hardback
536 pages
978-0-8032-7155-5 (ISBN)
Description
Xurt'an (the end of the world) showcases the rich storytelling traditions of the northern Lacandones of Naha' through a collection of traditional narratives, songs, and ritual speech. Formerly isolated in the dense, tropical rainforest of Chiapas, Mexico, the Lacandon Maya constitute one of the smallest language groups in the world. Although their language remains active and alive, their traditional culture was abandoned after the death of their religious and civic leader in 1996. Lacking the traditional contexts in which the culture was transmitted, the oral traditions are quickly being forgotten.
This collection includes creation myths that describe the cycle of destruction and renewal of the world, the structure of the universe, the realms of the gods and their intercessions in the affairs of their mortals, and the journey of the souls after death. Other traditional stories are non-mythic and fictive accounts involving talking animals, supernatural beings, and malevolent beings that stalk and devour hapless victims. In addition to traditional narratives, Xurt'an presents many songs that are claimed to have been received from the Lord of Maize, magical charms that invoke the forces of the natural world, invocations to the gods to heal and protect, and work songs of Lacandon women, whose contribution to Lacandon culture has been hitherto overlooked by scholars. Women's songs offer a rare glimpse into the other half of Lacandon society and the arduous distaff work that sustained the religion. The compilation concludes with descriptions of rainbows, the Milky Way as "the white road of Our Lord," and an account of the solstices.
Transcribed and translated by a foremost linguist of the northern Lacandon language, the literary traditions of the Lacandones are finally accessible to English readers. The result is a masterful and authoritative collection of oral literature that will both entertain and provoke, while vividly testifying to the power of Lacandon Maya aesthetic expression.
This collection includes creation myths that describe the cycle of destruction and renewal of the world, the structure of the universe, the realms of the gods and their intercessions in the affairs of their mortals, and the journey of the souls after death. Other traditional stories are non-mythic and fictive accounts involving talking animals, supernatural beings, and malevolent beings that stalk and devour hapless victims. In addition to traditional narratives, Xurt'an presents many songs that are claimed to have been received from the Lord of Maize, magical charms that invoke the forces of the natural world, invocations to the gods to heal and protect, and work songs of Lacandon women, whose contribution to Lacandon culture has been hitherto overlooked by scholars. Women's songs offer a rare glimpse into the other half of Lacandon society and the arduous distaff work that sustained the religion. The compilation concludes with descriptions of rainbows, the Milky Way as "the white road of Our Lord," and an account of the solstices.
Transcribed and translated by a foremost linguist of the northern Lacandon language, the literary traditions of the Lacandones are finally accessible to English readers. The result is a masterful and authoritative collection of oral literature that will both entertain and provoke, while vividly testifying to the power of Lacandon Maya aesthetic expression.
Reviews / Votes
"This is a very valuable piece of work for folklorists and linguists and is a huge contribution to scholarship in this area. I applaud Cook for including oral traditions recorded from Lacandon women. Lacandon women are largely ignored in the Lacandon ethnographic literature and archaeology, and until now I know of no compilation of Lacandon women's stories. This is an outstanding service to the field."-R. Jon McGee, professor of anthropology at Texas State University "You will be quickly drawn into this presentation of language texts contributed by skilled Mayan narrators working in multiple literary genres while covering topics ranging from the earthly to the cosmological. The author's attention to detail is unparalleled. The scope and quality of the narratives will take your breath away."-Barry Carlson, editor of Northwest Coast Texts: Stealing LightMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Lincoln
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
3 photographs, 1 illustration, 5 maps, 2 tables, 2 appendixes
Dimensions
Height: 167 mm
Width: 238 mm
Thickness: 60 mm
Weight
1228 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8032-7155-5 (9780803271555)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Suzanne Cook
Xurt'an
The End of the World and Other Myths, Songs, Charms, and Chants by the Northern Lacandones of Naha'
E-Book
11/2019
1st Edition
University of Nebraska Press
€49.49
Available for download
Suzanne Cook
Xurt'an
The End of the World and Other Myths, Songs, Charms, and Chants by the Northern Lacandones of Naha'
E-Book
08/2019
1st Edition
University of Nebraska Press
€44.49
Available for download
Person
Suzanne Cook is an adjunct professor of linguistics at the University of Victoria. She is a former project director and principal investigator of the Volkswagen Foundation-sponsored Lacandon Cultural Heritage Project and the author of The Forest of the Lacandon Maya: An Ethnobotanical Guide.
Content
List of Illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1. Lacandones
Origin
Language
History
Ethnography
Religion and Cosmology
Chapter 2. Northern Lacandon Oral Literature
Lacandon Literary Style
Lacandon literary genres
Narrative structure
Transcription Conventions and Procedures
Chapter 3. Myths
Birth of the Gods
Hachaekyum and Akyant'o' Create their People and Kisin Creates their Onen'
Hachaekyum makes the Ants and Snakes
Hachaekyum Makes the Sky
Ulu'ubir Ba'arka'an Umentik Petha' 'A Star Falls and Creates the Lagoon'
Hachaekyum yeter T'uup yeter Kisin 'Hachaekyum and T'uup and the Devil'
Hachaekyum yeter T'uup yeter Chaek Xib 'Hachaekyum and T'uup and Chaek Xib'
Xurt'an: Hachaekyum Uxatik Uche'ir Ukaar 'The End of the World: Hachaekyum Cuts the Mortals' Throats'
AEkiche'ex 'Our Eyes'
Nacimiento 'Birth'
Uyaehlehir Bah 'The Mole Trapper'
Xurt'an uburur 'The World ends with the Flood'
AEkyant'o' No Permite Uxurt'an AEkyant'o' Prevents the End of the World'
'AEhah
Ka'waets'aek uho'or Barum yeter K'ak' 'The Two-headed Jaguar and the Lord of Fire'
Mensaebaek yeter Hach Winik Tukinsah 'Mensaebaek and the Ancestor He Killed'
Kak'och yeter Uk'anir Hach Winik 'Kak'och and his Human Assistant'
Ak'inchob Takes a Human Wife
Chapter 4. Popular Stories
Maya Kimin 'The Mayan Death'
Chak Xok 'The Sirens'
Nukuch Winik yeter uti'a'ar yeter Ahya'axche' 'The Ancestor, his Son, and the Ceiba Tree'
Haayok'
Ko'otir Ka'an 'The Celestial Eagle'
Uyitber 'He at the End of the Road'
Kak'och yeter Uyitber 'Kak'och and the Yitber'
Want'ut'k'in
P'ikbir Ts'on yetel Kisin 'The Rifle and the Devil'
'Ayim yetel Chem 'The Crocodile and the Canoe'
AhSaay 'The Leaf-cutter Ants'
Aht'uur yeter Balum 'The Rabbit and the Jaguar'
Ch'aemaek yeter Balum 'The Fox and the Jaguar'
Hachaekyum yeter ahBaeb 'Hachaekyum and the Toad'
Pek' yeter 'Ayim 'The Dog and the Crocodile'
How the Toucan Got his Red Beak
Chapter 5. Songs
Uk'aay Barum 'Jaguar Song'
Uk'aay Box 'Gourd Song'
Uk'aay Kaekah 'Cacao Song'
Uk'aay Kaey 'Fish Song'
Uk'aay ti' Huuch' 'Song for Grinding'
Uk'aay ti' K'uuch 'Song for Spinning Thread'
Uk'aay Torok 'Iguana Song'
Uk'ayir Ma'ax 'Song of the Monkeys'
Uk'ayir Tok' 'Song of the Flint'
Uk'ayir Xux 'Song of the Yellow Jacket Wasps'
Chapter 6. Ritual Speech: Invocations, Chants, and Charms
AhHooch' 'Hooch''
Ahts'in 'Manioc'
An Offering Chant during the Preparation of Balche'
Offering Under a Tree
Ut'anil Balche' 'The Secret of the Balche''
Chapter 7. Descriptions of Meteorological and Astral Phenomena
'AExp'aeli' 'The Solstice'
Lu'um Kab 'The Rainbow Gods'
Saekber Akyum 'Our Lord's White Road'
Appendix 1. Lacandon Onen, Ceremonial Names, and Distribution
Appendix 2. Gods and Men in Lacandon Mythology
Bibliography
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1. Lacandones
Origin
Language
History
Ethnography
Religion and Cosmology
Chapter 2. Northern Lacandon Oral Literature
Lacandon Literary Style
Lacandon literary genres
Narrative structure
Transcription Conventions and Procedures
Chapter 3. Myths
Birth of the Gods
Hachaekyum and Akyant'o' Create their People and Kisin Creates their Onen'
Hachaekyum makes the Ants and Snakes
Hachaekyum Makes the Sky
Ulu'ubir Ba'arka'an Umentik Petha' 'A Star Falls and Creates the Lagoon'
Hachaekyum yeter T'uup yeter Kisin 'Hachaekyum and T'uup and the Devil'
Hachaekyum yeter T'uup yeter Chaek Xib 'Hachaekyum and T'uup and Chaek Xib'
Xurt'an: Hachaekyum Uxatik Uche'ir Ukaar 'The End of the World: Hachaekyum Cuts the Mortals' Throats'
AEkiche'ex 'Our Eyes'
Nacimiento 'Birth'
Uyaehlehir Bah 'The Mole Trapper'
Xurt'an uburur 'The World ends with the Flood'
AEkyant'o' No Permite Uxurt'an AEkyant'o' Prevents the End of the World'
'AEhah
Ka'waets'aek uho'or Barum yeter K'ak' 'The Two-headed Jaguar and the Lord of Fire'
Mensaebaek yeter Hach Winik Tukinsah 'Mensaebaek and the Ancestor He Killed'
Kak'och yeter Uk'anir Hach Winik 'Kak'och and his Human Assistant'
Ak'inchob Takes a Human Wife
Chapter 4. Popular Stories
Maya Kimin 'The Mayan Death'
Chak Xok 'The Sirens'
Nukuch Winik yeter uti'a'ar yeter Ahya'axche' 'The Ancestor, his Son, and the Ceiba Tree'
Haayok'
Ko'otir Ka'an 'The Celestial Eagle'
Uyitber 'He at the End of the Road'
Kak'och yeter Uyitber 'Kak'och and the Yitber'
Want'ut'k'in
P'ikbir Ts'on yetel Kisin 'The Rifle and the Devil'
'Ayim yetel Chem 'The Crocodile and the Canoe'
AhSaay 'The Leaf-cutter Ants'
Aht'uur yeter Balum 'The Rabbit and the Jaguar'
Ch'aemaek yeter Balum 'The Fox and the Jaguar'
Hachaekyum yeter ahBaeb 'Hachaekyum and the Toad'
Pek' yeter 'Ayim 'The Dog and the Crocodile'
How the Toucan Got his Red Beak
Chapter 5. Songs
Uk'aay Barum 'Jaguar Song'
Uk'aay Box 'Gourd Song'
Uk'aay Kaekah 'Cacao Song'
Uk'aay Kaey 'Fish Song'
Uk'aay ti' Huuch' 'Song for Grinding'
Uk'aay ti' K'uuch 'Song for Spinning Thread'
Uk'aay Torok 'Iguana Song'
Uk'ayir Ma'ax 'Song of the Monkeys'
Uk'ayir Tok' 'Song of the Flint'
Uk'ayir Xux 'Song of the Yellow Jacket Wasps'
Chapter 6. Ritual Speech: Invocations, Chants, and Charms
AhHooch' 'Hooch''
Ahts'in 'Manioc'
An Offering Chant during the Preparation of Balche'
Offering Under a Tree
Ut'anil Balche' 'The Secret of the Balche''
Chapter 7. Descriptions of Meteorological and Astral Phenomena
'AExp'aeli' 'The Solstice'
Lu'um Kab 'The Rainbow Gods'
Saekber Akyum 'Our Lord's White Road'
Appendix 1. Lacandon Onen, Ceremonial Names, and Distribution
Appendix 2. Gods and Men in Lacandon Mythology
Bibliography