By Rebecca
This month’s Magical Buffet Mythology is chock full of Chacs…and Chac.
Confused? Welcome to the religious practices of the Mayans.
Chacs are minor rain deities. Initially there were four Chacs, one for each of the
directions, north, south, east and west. How many are there now? You tell me, I can’
t find two sources that can agree. Chacs appear to look like old men and animal
hearts were sacrificed to them during festivals.
The Chacs answer to Chac, the rulers of all the minor Chacs. That makes him THE
rain god and patron of agriculture. He is often shown wearing a mask and holding
an ax. During festivals humans, particularly children, were sacrificed to him to ask
for rain and to receive prophecy.
Yes, unlike my Tanit article where the sacrifice was unconfirmed, humans were
sacrificed to Chac. We all know that I’m not an expert. We all know that, don’t we?
Well, I am not, so take this as the uninformed opinion that comprises 98% of what I
write.
Is human sacrifice cruel? Yes. Should human sacrifice be practiced in modern
times? No. Were the Mayans a bunch of barbarous evil doers? Absolutely not.
Spiritual belief exists to provide people with answers. As the world grows smaller
and science makes advances spirituality exists to provide answers to internal
questions; questions of morality and a quest to understanding ourselves and the
divine.
There was a time when the world was large, complex, and filled with mysteries. A few
important questions like, why does it rain? How can I guarantee rain to sustain my
people? That’s where Chac and his Chacs come in. How do we show Chac that our
desire is strong? That we’re willing to put our trust in him? Perhaps by sacrificing
the untapped potential of our young? Cruel, yes, but it does convey a strong
message.
So let’s leave the sacrificing in the past, but cut Chac, Chacs, and the Mayans a little
slack.
Magical Buffet Mythology: Chac
