Mayan Wedding on the Sacred Hill

Early into my stay in San Marcos, I had the privilege of attending a Mayan ritual up on a sacred hill over looking the lake.  I don´t remember anymore how I found out about it, but I was told it would be a ritual to heal the lake and that it was open, so my friend (and fellow Cortesian) Barbara and I wandered up. 

It was definitely an interesting day.  The Sacred spot is up a steep hill, behind a hostel called Xamanek (pronounced Shamanek).  The climb to Xamenek alone is a good one . . . challenging enough for one as not-so-fleet footed as me . . . the hill beyond was work.  When Barbara and I wandered up, we didn´t really know where we were aiming for . .. we just knew it was up the hill somewhere.  When we got up to the hostel there was no sign of any ceremony and no people around . . . and the one woman working at the hostel was less than forthcoming or helpful  (I think she was having a rough day).  Stymied, we hung around for a little while . .. explored a little around the hostel and then decided to head back down, surrendering that we weren´t meant to go.

So we got about a third of the way back down the hill when we had to move aside for three men carrying a marimba up the hill.  Yes - a full size marimba up a steep foot path, I kid you not.  The marimba was preceded by a man I instinctively knew was the Mayan Shaman . . . .not certain how I knew, but I did.  Barbara and I stared at each other for a moment, contemplated the climb back up and decided that if they could schlep the marimba, we could manage to follow them.  It was shortly thereafter we discovered the even steeper (mountain goat) path behind the hostel, making us wonder aloud several times how these men could climb it with a marimba . . . and yet they did.

The ceremony was slated to start at 10 . .. it was about 20 after when the set up really began.  It started with creating the fire pit.  The circle of rocks are a permanent fixture on the hill.  What they dress it with for the sacred fire is astounding.  The Shaman started by drawing a + in the circle, with white sugar, making it into a mandala.  Then each of the corners was filled in with little circle things made, I think, from peat.  These were followed by groups of taper candles, honey, . . . and so many other things, I´m sorry I can´t recall.  What was most astonishing for me was the incredible number of candles that went in.  While some were put in standing up so that their wicks could be lit in the normal way, there were also just clumps of small and large tapers positioned into the fire pit.

Once the fire was started, it built into quite a blaze . . . often billowing black smoke as the paraffin candles were consumed, whole, by the flames.  I´ve never seen anything quite like it.


As it turned out, although it had been originally slated to be a ceremony for the lake, a couple´s yearning to be married by a Mayan Shaman had taken precedence and so we had the privilege of witnessing that. The ceremony went for well over 4 hours . . . although Barbara and I left after about 3 or so.  We hadn´t prepared sufficiently for the conditions - intense sun, intense heat . . . . sitting / standing for that long.  We just didn´t know. 

What we saw was beautiful and intense.  Much of it was translated into English, though with the marimba playing behind me I had trouble hearing much of it.  Prayers, invocations and gratitude spoken by the Shaman or one of the other circle leaders (not sure - assistants, other shamans . . . . apprentices???) alternated with ceremonial tossing of things into the fire.  Corn, rice, more candles . . . etc.  Generally whatever was being offered to the flame was passed around first to all of us so that we could put our own blessings / intentions into the items and then everyone had a turn offering their items to the fire. 

Again, while I missed much of the verbiage, there were a few things that stood out for me.  One was that the Shaman explained that before they had even been allowed to come up to the hill to be married in the ceremony, the Shaman had spent an entire day with the couple grilling them on their hopes, dreams, expectations and commitments for this marriage. During the ceremony itself they were also asked WHY they had opted for a Mayan ceremony - what it meant to them - and what their commitment was to this marriage, this process . . .etc.  They were then expected to answer in front of the circle of witnesses.  These were not rhetorical questions. 

The other thing that stood out for me was the level of devotion, passion, spirit that was brought to the ritual by those participating / facilitating.  I didn´t need to hear or understand the words being spoken to feel the love, the reverence, the beauty of what was being created and celebrated. I couldn´t hear the words of commitment spoken by the couple, but I could see it in their faces and feel it from their hearts.  Truly it was beautiful.

When Barbara and I decided to leave, I found I felt really ok to go.  While it would have been lovely to witness the remainder of the ceremony, I felt like I had been gifted already with all that I had experienced, and I knew that my body needed shade and lots more water.  It was truly a privilege to have witnessed as much as I had . . . and I trust there will be other ceremonies here if/when I am moved to attend again.  It´s that kind of sacred place here.