This article is part of a series on the
Maya civilization
Drawing of a Mayan stone carving with elaborate decoration.
History
Spanish conquest of the Maya

Huracan[1] (/ˈhʊrəkən, ˈhʊrəkɑːn/; Spanish: Huracán; Mayan languages: Hunraqan, "one legged"), often referred to as U Kʼux Kaj, the "Heart of Sky",[2] is a Kʼicheʼ Maya god of wind, storm, fire and one of the creator deities who participated in all three attempts at creating humanity.[3] He also caused the Great Flood after the second generation of humans angered the gods. He supposedly lived in the windy mists above the floodwaters and repeatedly invoked "earth" until land came up from the seas.

His name, understood as 'One-Leg', suggests god K of Postclassic and Classic Maya iconography, a deity of lightning with one human leg,[4] and one leg shaped like a serpent. God K is commonly referred to as Bolon Tzacab and Kʼawiil or Kauil. The name may ultimately derive from huracan, a Carib word,[5] and the source of the words hurricane and orcan (European windstorm).

Related deities are Tohil in Kʼiche mythology, Bolon Tzacab in Yucatec mythology, Cocijo in Zapotec mythology, and Tezcatlipoca in Aztec mythology.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Also Hurakan, Hunraken, Harakan "Jurakan" and "Huracán"
  2. ^ Christenson 2003, 2007, p.59.n.56.
  3. ^ Read & González 2000, p.200. Miller & Taube 1993, 2003, p.134.
  4. ^ Freidel et al. 1993, pp.199-200.
  5. ^ Read & González 2000, p.200.

References

  • Christenson, Allen J. (2007) [2003]. "Popul Vuh: Sacred Book of the Quiché Maya People" (PDF online publication). Mesoweb articles. Mesoweb: An Exploration of Mesoamerican Cultures. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  • Freidel, David A.; Linda Schele; Joy Parker (1993). Maya Cosmos: Three Thousand Years on the Shaman's Path. New York: William Morrow & Co. ISBN 0-688-10081-3. OCLC 27430287.
  • Miller, Mary; Karl Taube (2003) [1993]. An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-27928-4. OCLC 28801551.
  • Read, Kay Almere; Jason González (2000). Handbook of Mesoamerican Mythology. Oxford: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1-85109-340-0. OCLC 43879188.
Categories