Research Guide: Los Aztecas, Los Mayas, y Los Incas: Los Mayas

The Mayans, sometimes known as Mayas, Quiches, Tzeltals, or Tsotzils, are a Native American ethnic group living in southern Mexico and northern Central America. Outside this region there are sizable Mayan communities in other parts of Mexico and in the United States, particularly in California. The name Mayan or Maya is a collective name for the peoples of the region who share cultural and linguistic ties but have their own particular traditions, historical identities, and cultures. The estimated 7–10 million Mayans mostly speak Spanish though some traditional groups often speak one of the Mayan languages as their primary language. Most Mayans are nominally Christian, with a Roman Catholic majority and a growing Protestant minority, though Christian beliefs are often blended with the earlier Mayan belief system.

Ancient Maya government was formed on the basis that rulers were thought to have been god-like. To some, that might suggest one unified country. But most experts believe each major Maya city remained independent. That means each one had its own struggles for political power. The Maya belief in god-like rulers also made it important to keep the line of power in the family, which would occasionally include a woman ruler.

Through systematic observations conducted over thousands of years, Maya skywatchers developed complex and accurate calendars that continue to mark agricultural and ceremonial cycles today. Join us in an exploration of the Maya Calendar system and its intricate cycles. Hear the voices of contemporary Maya people as they weave their past and present together, and share with us their living traditions of Maya time.

Of Guatemala’s 14 million inhabitants, approximately half have indigenous roots, including Maya, Garifuna and Xinca peoples. Throughout the centuries, indigenous communities have endured much turmoil, from the Spanish conquest to a 36-year civil war that resulted in more than 200,000 deaths where more than 80 percent of those were Mayan, according to a U.N.–based report. But what's remarkable is that despite violence and death, these communities' ancient practices have prevailed.

This origin story was told by the Maya, who flourished in Guatemala and in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico from around 250 to 900 CE. It’s the beginning of a long, complex story called the "Popol Vuh" which means “council book.” It was first translated into alphabetic text from Mayan hieroglyphics in the 16th century.