The Mayan Hero Twins

    In the Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book Of The Maya, translated by Allen J. Christenson, we are old many stories of Mayan mythology. In these stories is the creation story of humanity itself. We are also told of One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu, twins who go through trials and die. And from the death of One Hunahpu, comes the birth of the Hero twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque. The skull of One Hunahpu spits saliva on Lady Blood, a Mayan princess. It states, “Straightaway her children were created in her womb the mere saliva. Thus was the creation of Hunahpu and Xbalanque” (Christenson 130). The Hero Twins are created and we see their differences from One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu. 

One and Seven Hunahpu

    Unlike the first twins, One Hunahpu and Seven Hunahpu, the second twins Hunaphu and Xbalanque survive trails thrown at them by the lords of the underworld. The first twins failed these trials, one, in particular, being the trial of the House of Darkness. They fail to sit in darkness throughout the night, as it states, "Therefore they were defeated. For they used up the torch as well as the cigars that had been given to them" (Christenson 124). This is when they were killed by the lords of the underworld, One Death and Seven Death. One Hunahpu would be made into a tree where his skull will spit on Lady Blood. Unlike the first twins, the second twins learned the mistakes of their father and uncle. Hunahpu and Xbalanque were not defeated in these trials as it states, "Thus they did not die in the trials of Xibalba. Neither were they defeated by all ravenous beasts that lived there" (Christenson 177). Instead, as One Death and Seven Death go to burn them, they turn into catfishes and are resurrected. They live and they eventually defeat Xibalba and its lords. 

Hunahpu and Xbalanque as catfish

    When they had defeated the lords of Xibalba, it is said that one twin arose into the sky as the sun and another as the moon. As they dwelled in the sky, it became a womb. It states, “This, then, is the beginning of the conception of humanity, when that which would become the flesh of mankind was sought” (Christenson 192). Here is where the twins discovered the flesh of humanity. From Hunahpu and Xbalanque comes the creation of humanity. From them becoming the sun and moon it best explains the origin of the Maya people. This symbolism shows how the twins represent opposites, such as sun and moon, light and darkness, life and death. It is from this philosophy of one cannot occur without the other, death cannot occur without rebirth, etc, that the origin of the Maya people is told. 

Here is a video where it shows how Hunahpu and Xbalanque tricked the gods:

Works Cited

Christensen, Allen J. Popol Vuh, The Sacred Book of the Maya: The Great Classic of Central American       Spirituality. O Books, 2003. 

Kerr, Justin. “A Fishy Story.” Mayavase.com - FAMSI - the Story of the Hero Twins as Catfish,   www.mayavase.com/fishy.html.

“Who's Who in the Popol Vuh.” Bowers Museum, 12 May 2016,   www.bowers.org/index.php/collection/collection-blog/who-s-who-in-the-popol-vuh.