Idea #710 – Making offerings in the Mayan shrine of Pascual Abaj
Pascual Abaj (also written Pascual Ab’aj), also known as Turcaj, is a pre-Columbian Mayan idol of Chichicastenango who survived the Spanish conquest of Guatemala, and who is still venerated by the local Mayan community. After the Spanish conquest, the stone stele was moved near the village of Chichicastenango on the hill. Far from the surveillance of the Catholic Church and the Spanish settlers, the inhabitants were thus able to continue to venerate their god.
The statue was described as a crude anthropomorphic figure, with a large head and a high, triangular forehead. She had two circular ears lined up with her mouth; his arms were crossed over his chest, his fingers extended. A rope was carved around his waist, to which was attached the image of an inverted human head cut. The stele was about a meter high. An observer in the 1950s noted that the stele appeared to have been buried in the past. Unfortunately, the stele was chiselled in the 1950s by members of the Catholic Action, which makes it unrecognizable.
Today, traditional Maya shamans regularly hold ceremonies in the shrine, day and night. The statue is placed on a small altar surrounded by offerings including pine branches, crosses, flowers, copal resin and objects made from stone. The sanctuary is now accessible to visitors.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
PascualAbaj, Chichicastenango, Guatemala