Xibalba, The Place of Fear

Last post we learned about the family of Jun Ajpu & Xbalamqe from their fathers side. As we continue we will learn about their mother, Ixkik. For now let's travel along the black road to reach her land of birth: Xibalba…..

In the Popol Wuh, Xibalba is first introduced when Huh Hun Ajpu and Wuqub Ajpu are visited by a pair of messenger owls that summon the two brothers on behalf of the Lords of Xibalba for making too much noise playing their ball game.

Chabi-Tucur (Arrow Owl) , Hun Rracán Tucur, (One Foot Owl)

Caquix-Tucur (Spined Owl) and Jolom Tucur (Skull Owl)

Huh Hun Ajpu and Wuqub Ajpu first come across four roads: One white, one red, one yellow and one black. The road to Xibalba is the color black. Huh Hun Ajpu and Wuqub Ajpu walk along the black road and come across a river filled with scorpions, a river filled with blood, and then a river filled with pus.

The meaning of Xibalba

Xib’ (Sheeb)  -  Kiche root word meaning “fear,” or “fright”

B’al (Bal) -  Kiche suffix for “place of”.

B’a (Baah) - This is still being debated. It could just be an extension of previous B’al. It also has been suggested that it may come from the (Chontal) classic Maya word for “road”,  B’e’ This would make some sense since Xibalba has been associated with the astronomical celestial road also known as the Great Rift in the Milky Way.

Place of fright/fear

Xibalba is ruled by two principal Lords

Jun-Kame and Wuqub-Kame

Jun (hoon) - the number One, in Kiche

Kame (kah-meh) - root word for Death, in Kiche

One Death

Wuqub (woo koob) -  the number Seven, in Kiche

Kame (kah-meh) -  root word for Death, in Kiche

Seven Death

It is important to note that these names are also days from the 260 Cholqij.

The Maya count of days (Calendar)

Stay Tuned for that..

There are also other Lords, each assigned specific roles and given their own authority by Hun-Kamé and Wuqub-Kamé.

Xiquiri Pat (Flying Scab) and Kuchuma Kik (Gathered Blood): These caused the shedding of blood of humans.

Ajal Puj (the one who makes pus)  and Ajal Q’ana (the one who makes skin yellow) : They caused pus to sprout out of humans’ legs and make their faces stained with a yellow color (Jaundice).

Ch’amiya Baq (Lord of the Bone Staff)  and Ch’amiya Jolom (Lord of the skull staff): They were the constables (Police) of Xibalbá, whose canes were made of bone. Their occupation was to weaken humans until they become only bones (very thin). Later, they died.

Ajal Mes (the one who insults) and Ajal Toq’ob (the one who stabs): Their occupation was to bring disaster on humans, as they were going home, or in front of it, and they would be found wounded, stretched out, face up, on the ground, dead.

Xik (Hawk) and Patán (bundle/sack): They caused the death of humans on the roads (sudden death). They carried blood to their throats, pressing their necks, until they died vomiting blood.

These were the Lords of sickness and Death who dwell in the place of fear. They represent sicknesses that inflict death and or cause humans to fear. This is one of the many symbols of Xibalba.

It’s important to note that the concept of healing in Maya communities is not only healing from sickness but also from fear, fright, and sudden scares. This type of fear is better understood as trauma. Mental health is not a new concept and it was an important part of the healing process after surviving close encounters with death.

As we will learn, Xibalba was full of tests, designed by its lords, all made to kill Huh Hun Ajpu, Wuqub Ajpu and later on Hun Ajpu & Xbalamqe.  Symbolically, these can be seen as the way sickness is healed. A healer trying to cure has to pass these tests. They have to know what disease they are fighting first. This symbolism can be interpreted in the part of the Popol Wuh where a mosquito is sent ahead to Xibalba by Jun Ajpu & Xbalamqe to sting each lord. The mosquito helps to identify each lord by stinging them, causing them to cry out in pain, and forcing another lord to call the stung one by name.  This identity of each Lord was important to learn as Huh Hun Ajpu, and Wuqub Ajpu failed to do so and were ridiculed by the lords for not knowing who they were. Jun Ajpu & Xbalamqe greeted each lord by name, this was the first test.

Huh Hun Ajpu, Wuqub Ajpu failed even more tests after this. The lords of Xibalba would setup other tests and trails inside six deadly houses

The first was Dark House, a house that was completely dark inside.

The second Cold House, full of bone-chilling cold and rattling hail.

The third was Jaguar House, filled with hungry jaguars.

The fourth was Bat House, filled with dangerous shrieking bats.

The fifth was Razor House, filled with blades and razors that moved about of their own accord.

The sixth, identified in another part of the Popol Wuh, was Hot House, filled with fires and heat.

The purpose of these tests was to either kill or humiliate people placed into them if they could not outwit the test they would die.

These houses give us clues as to the physical locations of Xibalba with their association to caves.

All the houses described have characteristics in relation to caves.

Bats live in caves, there are cold caves and hot caves, Jaguars hide in caves etc.

Maya communities of today continue the ancient practice of giving offerings at the entrance of caves.

Ancient artifacts attest that ancient people also left offerings of ceramics, household items, incense, jewelry and sometimes human remains inside caves.

Next post we will learn how Ixkik journeys out of Xibalba with her Twins in her belly. Stay Tuned!!