Whakawhanaungatanga:
Celestial Bonds Between Māori and Maya Cultures
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of journeying to Mexico with my whānau. Exploring indigenous cultures has been a significant focus for me in recent years, particularly as I grow older. This exploration is fuelled by a deepening connection to my Māori heritage, delving into the intricacies of my whakapapa and the stories of my tūpuna.
As a visitor to the Yucatan Region and Mexico City, my whānau and I had the privilege of immersing ourselves in the world of the Maya, and to a lesser extent, the Aztecs, and witness the echoes of their ancient civilisations.
The Maya are indigenous to Mesoamerica, with their traditional rohe traversing across Western Mexico and the Yucatan region, Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras. And just like te reo Māori, the Mayan language in the Yucatan is also going through a revitalisation with over 3 million people speaking Maya. This figure is growing year on year.
The Aztecs flourished in Central Mexico and were extremely powerful from the 1300s until the arrival of the Spanish in the 1500s. The Aztec Empire was based out of what is now Mexico City but while I was able to learn more about this powerful empire, connecting with Aztec whānau in Mexico City proved to be much harder to do.
Therefore, in this blog, we embark on a journey that connects the spirit of the Mayan people with the indigenous richness of Aotearoa, delving into the celestial bonds that potentially guided the voyages of our tūpuna from Mexico to the shores of Aotearoa, for there were far too many similarities for me to not think that our tūpuna once explored these distant shores.
The Yucatan Peninsula is a treasure trove of Mayan wonders, where the echoes of a mighty civilisation still resonate. From the majestic ruins of Chichen Itza to the mystical cenotes hidden in the jungle and throughout the rohe (region), the Maya have left an indelible mark on the landscape. In their art, intricate hieroglyphs, and time-honoured rituals, I found a deep respect for te taiao, a connection to te ao tukupū (the universe), and a profound sense of community - values that resonate strongly with me.
Ruins at Chichen Itza, Yucatán Peninsula
The beauty of the Ik Kil Cenote
As Māori, we have a deep connection to the natural world, and hold a unique worldview known as Te Ao Mārama, the World of Light In this worldview, celestial bodies are seen as tūpuna (ancestors), guiding lights in the vast tapestry of te ao tukupū. The sun, moon and stars are not just distant entities but living beings intricately connected to the land and its people. This celestial dance mirrors the Mayan reverence for the heavens, emphasising the spiritual harmony that exists between humanity and the universe.
In the ancient civilisation of the Maya, astronomy was not merely a scientific pursuit, but a sacred art deeply interwoven with their daily lives and monumental architecture. The Maya, renowned for their precise observations of the universe, crafted incredible structures aligned with their atua (gods).
Majestic ruins (not pyramids as locals will tell you) like those at Chichen Itza were positioned to capture the equinox sun, casting shadows that resembled serpents descending the pyramid's steps—an intricate dance between stone and light, a reflection of their profound cosmic understanding.
Similarly, the Aztecs, integrated astronomical and celestial knowledge into the very fabric of their society. The Templo Mayor, the main temple in Tenochtitlan, was designed with a meticulous awareness of celestial cycles. The Aztecs revered the moon, crafting a complex lunar calendar that guided their agricultural and religious practices. Their cities, adorned with astronomical symbols and aligning with cardinal directions, spoke of an intimate connection between earthly structures and the vast expanse of the night sky.
In both Mayan and Aztec cultures, the stars, moon, and sun were not distant entities but revered tūpuna, integral to the spiritual tapestry of life. The alignment of their structures with celestial events served not only practical purposes but also as a testament to their deep-seated belief in the interconnectedness of the earthly and celestial realms.
During an equinox at Chichen Itza, the serpent looks like it is descending the ruins. Mayan architecture genius.
As we delve into Te Ao Mārama, the World of Light in Māori culture, we find echoes of this reverence for the cosmos, a shared understanding that the celestial bodies are not just sources of light but living entities, guiding lights intricately connected to the land and its people. The dance between stone and sky in Mexico resonates across the Pacific, linking our cultures through the universal language of celestial wisdom.
As I explored the celestial bonds between Māori and Mayan, I drew parallels between Te Ao Mārama and the Mayan cosmology. Recognising the stars as ancestral guides and celestial storytellers, both seem to embrace the notion that the universe is not merely a backdrop to life but an integral part of our spiritual identity.
Artefact at the Mayan Museum in Merida
Rostros Antropomorfos, Mayan Museum in Merida
Despite centuries of challenges and change, both Maya and Māori, we have demonstrated remarkable resilience. Preserving our languages, traditions, and rituals, that stand as kaitiaki of our cultural heritage. As a Māori/indigenous communications agency, we understand the importance of amplifying these voices and stories, ensuring that the richness of indigenous cultures continues to thrive and evolve.
On our journey through Mexico, I found common ground with the values and traditions of the Maya. Their stories, intertwined with the narratives of their tūpuna, echo the themes of resilience, community, and a deep connection to atua and the whenua and mirror those of Māori. May this exploration serve as a reminder that, across oceans and cultures, we share a common humanity—one that celebrates diversity, preserves heritage, and fosters understanding.