A
Student Example
N. Jackson
HUM 1020
Summer 2012
The Mayan Popol Vuh
The Mayan legend the Popol Vuh is an application of k’ exoj to an entire culture. It is a text that
is made to promote rebirth within the Mayan people. K’ exoj is the rebirth of something into something
new, the transforming of a people into something better. This text was written or recorded in a very
rough time. In the 1500s, the Spanish were destroying the culture of the Mayans, making the copying of
and preservation of this text very important. This text outlines the re-creation of humans three times,
each more glorious than the first. The mud people, then the wood people, and finally the maize people.
This shows the idea of k’ exoj very clearly, that people are reborn out of the terrible ashes of an
oppressive, tyrannical destruction. This terrible destruction of the Mayan culture in the 1500s calls for a
k’ exoj of the Mayan people. It tells them that they can rise out of the ashes, they can be reborn as a
stronger, more resilient, more beautiful people group. The Popol Vuh is an encouragement to people
everywhere that k’ exoj is possible, new life comes out of destruction.
Students are introduced to the pre-Columbian text the Popol Vuh in class and are given excerpts of the
creation myths inside that text along with the definitions of two Mayan terms k’ex and k’exoj. After
which they are asked to interpret the Popol Vuh in the classroom using the six-part humanities format:
Topic, Definition, Context, Example, Interpretation, and Relationship.
B
Student Example
N. Jackson
HUM 1020
Summer 2012
The Mayan Popol Vuh
The Mayan Popol Vuh is a pre-Columbian legend that discusses the final creation of man (man
made of corn), and the gods mistakes before this creation. It is pre-Columbian because it pre-dates
Columbus coming to the Americas. The Popol Vuh was written by the Mayans in the 1500s to retain their
culture and beliefs of how they came to exist. In the text there were three different creations of man,
animals, men from mud, and men from wood, before the fourth creation of men from corn. The first
three creations all had a common flaw that they could not praise their creators. The animals could not
speak to praise the creator therefore condemned to be eaten by the next creation. The men of mud
could not reproduce future generations to praise their creators, but also they were not strong and their
flesh melted away. The gods asked “What shall we do to perfect it, in order that our worshippers, our
invokers, will be successful?” Then the gods created the men of wood. This creation was perfected in
every way, they could speak, they were strong, and could reproduce, but they forgot their creators, and
were destroyed by a great floods. The Mayans believed that they were the fourth creation made of corn.
They were perfected in every way therefore the gods obscured their vision so the men would not be
perfect. The Popol Vuh was written and kept as a remembrance that if man fails to remember and
worship their creator, the gods will destroy them for another creation.
Students are introduced to the pre-Columbian text the Popol Vuh in class and are given excerpts of the
creation myths inside that text along with the definitions of two Mayan terms k’ex and k’exoj. After
which they are asked to interpret the Popol Vuh in the classroom using the six-part humanities format:
Topic, Definition, Context, Example, Interpretation, and Relationship.
C
Student Example
N. Jackson
HUM 1020
Summer 2012
The Mayan Popol Vuh
The Mayan Popol Vuh is a text about a pre-Columbian legend, written in the 1500s, describing
the civilization dating before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. Pre-Columbian literally means from
or relating to indigenous population of America before the arrival of Columbus. Popol Vuh is the story of
how man was created. There were four attempts of the process. The first attempt resulted in the
creation of animals. The gods weren’t satisfied because animals couldn’t worship them. The second
attempt resulted in clay men. Gods were once again not satisfied because they were flimsy and easily
disintegrated. The third attempt resulted in wooden men. Although they were functioning as the gods
had wished, these men did not have a memory and thus could not remember anything, including
worship. The fourth attempted in man, made of corn, perfected and clear-thinking. Their sight was so
clear that they saw whatever the gods saw, so their vision was then clouded. An example of these
attempts is as follows: “At first they spoke, but their face was without expression; their feet and hands
had no strength; they had no blood, nor substance, nor moisture, nor flesh.” That example is a quote
relating to the third attempt, and how the gods felt that man was still yet imperfect. It shows how the
gods realized they had made a mistake not once, but for the third time. The example also connects to
the overall theme because the Mayan gods were as imperfect as their creation since it took four
attempts to create man, and the fourth attempt’s product had to be altered because it was ‘too’ perfect.
Students are introduced to the pre-Columbian text the Popol Vuh in class and are given excerpts of the
creation myths inside that text along with the definitions of two Mayan terms k’ex and k’exoj. After
which they are asked to interpret the Popol Vuh in the classroom using the six-part humanities format:
Topic, Definition, Context, Example, Interpretation, and Relationship.
D
Student Example
N. Jackson
HUM 1020
Summer 2012
The Mayan Popol Vuh
A pre-Columbian Mayan myth explaining why things happen in the world and it is about their
flawed creator who was not perfect in his first attempts with the perfection of man. The pre-Columbian
myth was written down in the 1500’s while the Spanish were conquering, but the myth was there before
Columbus came to the Americas. Their creators first created animals, but they could not honor or
worship their creators because they did not speak. Then the creators told the animals they may stay
with their food, homes, and nest, but the next creation who will be obedient will eat the animal’s flesh.
Then they made men of mud, but it was not good. It melted away, it was weak, soft and its sight was
blurred. It spoke, but could not think and then the creators tried again. They made man out of would
who had no memory of their creator and did not worship so the creators punished them and destroyed
them. Then the creators made a man out of corn who was flesh understood everything and was
obedient and worshipped but they blurred their sight a little so they could work for the extra things they
wanted to understand. This is like the bible, but with a god that makes mistakes, but still wants to be
worshipped by his creations and also not let them understand everything the creator knows himself.
Students are introduced to the pre-Columbian text the Popol Vuh in class and are given excerpts of the
creation myths inside that text along with the definitions of two Mayan terms k’ex and k’exoj. After
which they are asked to interpret the Popol Vuh in the classroom using the six-part humanities format:
Topic, Definition, Context, Example, Interpretation, and Relationship.
F
Student Example
N. Jackson
HUM 1020
Summer 2012
The Mayan Popol Vuh
In the Popol Vuh made by the Mayans, it shows that Gods can actually be very humanlike. To be
humanlike means that you can be perfect but are not, at all times. You can make mistakes and better
them in the future. This is what the Gods did while trying to create a human. In the Popol Vuh the God’s
attempted to make mankind but kept failing. 1st Animals, and man made from mud 3rd man made from
wood and the 4th man made from corn. A quote that reveals that the Gods are not perfect is “They … did
not speak with their creator, their maker. And for this reason the Gods gouged their eyes out… cut off
their heads and devoured their flesh.” This shows that the Gods aren’t always perfect and canno’t form
something perfect on the first try. Gods can be almost perfect but are not. The Popol Vuh shows this
exactly.
Students are introduced to the pre-Columbian text the Popol Vuh in class and are given excerpts of the
creation myths inside that text along with the definitions of two Mayan terms k’ex and k’exoj. After
which they are asked to interpret the Popol Vuh in the classroom using the six-part humanities format:
Topic, Definition, Context, Example, Interpretation, and Relationship.