Living Maya

Centuries ago, in what is now known as the Classic period, the Maya people created a unique and magnificent culture. Pyramid temples and palace complexes soared above densely populated cities, and their brilliant art forms, sophisticated knowledge of astronomy, and intricate writing system were the most highly developed in the New World. Then, suddenly, and mysteriously, Classic civilization collapsed.
The Maya themselves, however, did not disappear. There are today some four million Maya living in the starkly beautiful Highlands and the jungle-choked rain forests of southern Mexico and Central America. Now, for the first time, Living Maya brings to light, through a vigorous, personal text and a photographic essay of unusual drama and grace, the spirited story of these remarkable survivors, people of a culture that is both ancient and vital.
Concentrating on the area of Chiapas, Mexico, where the Maya, relatively isolated from the upheavals of the Spanish Conquest, are most closely tied to the traditions of their ancestors, the book captures the essence of the Maya today. Their simple homes, surrounded by cornfields; the daily rituals and structure of their society; the folk art and religious ceremonies of the various communities—all presented here in 125 vibrant, full-color photographs—afford important insights into the glorious Maya culture as preserved since ancient times.
Owing in part to their many years of working and living with the Maya, the authors enjoy a privileged access to the people. They take us to the sacred mountain caves of the Chiapas Highlands, where Maya pray to their Holy Ancestors, and allow us a rare, intimate look at a shamanistic curing ceremony. We learn how the old ways still guide the people, who go about their daily work as farmers, shepherds, and craftsmen, and we participate in the strange and moving festivals, in which entire communities make offerings of music, skyrockets, and incense to Catholic saints and ancestral gods. We see links with their splendid heritage in the myths, legends, and songs handed down for generations—and especially in their weaving, the one art form to have persisted virtually intact throughout the last two thousand years. Line by line, with designs symbolizing the Earthlord, his servants and musicians, and the path of the sun across the sky, a woman weaves the design of the universe into Maya cloth.
In addition to the stunning photographic sections, each chapter is enhanced with numerous line drawings. Together, the expert yet anecdotal text and the superb illustrations of Living Maya present a complete and sympathetic portrait of a dignified and noble people.