A poor fisherman, blessed by the Mam for his devotion, is chosen as the “master of ceremonies” for a village fiesta. Lacking resources, he prays for help and is taken to the Mam’s house, where he receives fish, supplies, and clothing for the event. After leading the sacred dance, a powerful wind carries him and four divine messengers away to the mountain Tzunceh, fulfilling his spiritual destiny.
Source
Ethnology of the Mayas of
Southern and Central British Honduras
by John Eric Thompson
Field Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Series, Pub.274, Vol.17.2
Chicago, 1930
► Themes of the story
Divine Intervention: The Mam, a deity, directly aids the fisherman by providing him with resources and guidance for the village fiesta.
Sacred Spaces: The fisherman’s journey to the Mam’s abode and the mountain Tzunceh highlights locations of spiritual significance.
Sacrifice: The fisherman agrees to leave his life and wife behind to reside with the Mam, demonstrating personal sacrifice for a higher calling.
► From the same Region or People
A very poor man used to go fishing in a river near a high hill. He always used to burn copal before he did so, and as a result he always caught plenty of fish. The village where he lived decided to make a fiesta, and he was elected nohoch priosti (“master of ceremonies”). He could not refuse, as that is not the custom; but as he had no good clothes or money to make the fiesta, he decided to get some fish and sell it to get the money. Next morning before dawn he arose and burnt copal to Xulab, and when he reached the river, he burnt copal and prayed to the Mam. Suddenly he saw a boy, who asked him what he wanted. The man answered that he was praying for plenty of fish.
► Continue reading…
“My father sent me to call you,” said the boy, and bade him shut his eyes. When he opened them again, he was in the big house of Mam. The Mam asked him what he wanted. The man told him how poor he was and how he had no means of making the fiesta, and he thought that by obtaining fish he could sell them and have money for all the expenses.
“All right,” replied the Mam. “I will give you plenty of fish, and if you agree to come and live with me here after the fiesta, I will supply you with clothes and everything necessary for the dance.”
The man went away and caught plenty of fish. The next day he again came into the presence of the Mam. The Mam told him that he would give him two peccaries and two curassows, and when the feast was ready to come to him for clothes. The eve of the feast the Mam gave him clothes and sent him four of his messengers to take part in the Cortez dance. The man was the Coxol, the leader of the dance, and the four messengers were the Caxancatzal, Cutuncatzal, and Chanal, meaning the second, third and fourth mayordomos, the name of the fifth not being known. They were called Quiches because they came out of the mountain. The Mam told the man to teach the people the dance, as at the end of three days he was going to send a strong wind to carry off the man and his four messengers. The Mam told the man to let his wife know that he was leaving her forever and that at the end of three days she must pray to Xulab. At the end of the fiesta a great wind came and whirled the man and the four messengers up into the air and carried them off to the mountain called Tzunceh, and they were taken inside. The woman prayed, as she had been bidden. The boy came to her and told her that she would not be allowed to see her husband, but she was given presents.
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Dreamtime Whispers 