Acan - the Mayan god of wine. His name means 'belch'. He is identified with the local brew, balche, made from fermented honey to which the bark of the balche tree has been added
Acat -The Mayan god of tattooing. The Maya placed great importance on the process of Tattooing, believing that tattoos in the image of a god would imbue a person with some of that god's power. Because of the importance and difficulty of this art form it was only natural that there was a god responsible for it. Acat was said to bless the ink, needles, workplaces, and steady the hands of the artists for better results.
Aegeus - In Greek mythology, Aegeus was an archaic figure in the founding myth of Athens. The "goatman" who gave his name to the Aegean Sea was the father of Theseus, the founder of Athenian institutions and one of the kings of Athens
A vieja de Michoacán - an old woman of Michoacán
Blood and Sin - In Christianity,when Jesus Christ shed his blood, he paid for the peoples’ sins and crimes so that they could be saved. Throughout the scriptures, there are references to blood’s association with sin and atonement. Leviticus 17:11, ...the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Blood and bloodletting is also a prominent aspect of ancient Mesoamerican culture. Blood, and by extension the still-beating heart, is the central element in both the ethnography and iconography of sacrifice, and its use through ritual established or renewed for the Maya a connection with the sacred that was for them essential to the very existence of the natural order.
Bruja - (“witch”) The brujería of Hispanophone America is a combination of Spanish and the indigenous people of those regions (predominantly Mesoamerican and other South American indigenous regions), so it is heavily influenced by ancient paganism.
Further south of that region, brujería is diverse, from a similar mix of indigenous and Spanish culture, to the European styles found in Argentina and Uruguay. In these latter countries, brujería often takes on Christian, specifically Catholic, influences.
However, the term bruja/o has just as many negative connotations as does its English counterpart 'witch'. To refer to somebody as a bruja/o is often to label them an 'evil doer'. So most South Americans of European descent refrain from using it in reference to themselves. Some of these people have adopted the term curandero (shaman), a family reference, or simply no term at all. In Spain and European descendant South Americans, the witch is considered by many to be fictional. In contrast, brujos from Central America or the north of South America are usually respected and are sought for healing, divination and spellwork, and can often be found selling amulets openly.
Bruja Maldita - evil little witch
Chicharito - Famous Mexican footballer Javier Hernández Balcázar (1 June 1988) is a Mexican footballer who plays as a forward for English Premier League club Manchester United and the Mexican national team.
(photo from gordonflood.com)
Hernández plays with his nickname, Chicharito (Spanish: little pea), on his shirt. His Jersey number is 14. He is a top scorer and has a large fandom.Chisme - gossip
Churros - Mexican donut/crawlers
Compadres - friends
Corazon - heart
Creon - In Greek mythology, Creon, son of Lycaethus, was a king of Corinth and father of Hippotes and Glauce, whom Jason would marry if not for the intervention of Medea. Creon is best known in connection with the myth of Jason and Medea mentioned above. He showed hospitality towards the couple, and later expressed consent for Jason to marry his daughter. Ultimately, he fell victim to Medea's subsequent revenge, getting burned to death as he was attempting to rescue his daughter from a similar fate.
Curandero/a - a traditional folk healer or shaman in Latin America, who is dedicated to curing physical or spiritual illnesses. The role of a curandero or curandera can also incorporate the roles of psychiatrist along with that of doctor and healer. Some curanderos make use of simple herbs, waters, and even mud to affect their cures. Others additionally employ Catholic elements, such as holy water and saint pictures. The use of Roman Catholic prayers and other borrowings and lendings are often found alongside native religious elements.
Death Rituals - The Maya dead were laid to rest with maize placed in their mouth. Maize, highly important in Maya culture, is a symbol of rebirth and also was food for the dead for the journey to the otherworld. Similarly, a jade or stone beads were placed in the mouth to serve as currency for the journey. Often, whistles carved from rocks into the shapes of gods or animals were included in the grave offerings to help the deceased find their way to the spirit world. The Maya associated the color red with death and rebirth and often covered graves and skeletal remains with cinnabar. The bodies of the dead were wrapped in cotton mantles before being buried
Desagradecida - Ungrateful
Glauce - Glauce, daughter of Creon. In the traditional Greek myth, Glauce and her father were killed by Medea, who either sent her a peplos steeped in inflammable poison or set fire to the royal palace. In the local Corinthian tradition, Glauce threw herself into a well in a vain attempt to wash off Medea's poison; from this circumstance the well became known as the Well of Glauce.
Hero Twins - The Hero Twins are famous Mayan semi-gods called Hunahpu and Xbalanque whose story is narrated in the Popol Vuh, “The Book of Council”. The Popul Vuh is the sacred text of the Quiché Maya of the Guatemalan Highlands, and dates to the Early Colonial period. The names of the Hero Twins have been translated as X-Balan-Que “Jaguar-Sun”, or “Jaguar-Deer”, and Hunah-Pu, as “One Blowgunner.”
Hierba Buena - mint
Jason - was an ancient Greek mythological hero who was famous for his role as the leader of the Argonauts and their quest for the Golden Fleece. His name means “Healer.” He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus. He was married to the sorceress Medea.
La Cocinera - the cook
La Muerte - death
Las Vecinas - the neighbors
Locura - madness
Mango - Besides their popular use in treating malaria and digestive disorders, extracts of mango and pineapple have been found useful in diabetes, arthritis, HIV/AIDS, cancer, ulcer, among other diseases. Mangos come in many shapes and sizes, but the most important thing is that they are always available in San Francisco, regardless of the season.
Mayan Cinta Scarf - traditional Meso-American headscarf
It is believed that musicians played a part in many ceremonial functions in ancient Maya culture. In various funeral ceremonies, it is believed that a procession of drum and flute players would follow the casket of important women, filling the air with a gloomy and natural tune. After the casket is laid, the musicians would then cast their instruments, breaking them in the tomb just before it is sealed.
Music also filled the halls of Bonampak after victories of war. In the ancient murals of the Maya city, conch trumpet players are depicted playing for the leaders of their city after a successful campaign.
In the same find, archaeologists discovered additional ceremonial flutes and ocarinas. Similarly crafted out of fired ceramic, the flutes and ocarinas of Pacbitun represent the most extravagant and unique collection of Maya instruments. While most flutes and ocarinas of their time consisted of bone, wood, or reed material, this unique collection sheds light on the important aspect of music in Maya culture. No remnants of pre-Columbian stringed instruments were found until archaeologists discovered a jar in Guatemala, attributed to the Maya of the Late Classic Era (600–900 CE), depicting a stringed musical instrument which has since been reproduced. This instrument is astonishing in at least two respects. First, it is the very few string instruments known in the Americas prior to the introduction of European musical instruments. Second, when played, it produces a sound virtually identical to a jaguar's growl.
Medea - is a Colchian woman in Greek mythology. Her name means “Cunning.” She was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, niece of Circe, granddaughter of the sun god Helios, and later wife to the hero Jason, with whom she had two children, Mermeros and Pheres.
Mi Reina - my queen
Muy guapo - very handsome
Nahuatl - Nahuatl is an Uto-Aztecan language spoken by about 1.5 million people in Mexico. The majority of speakers live in central Mexico, particularly in Puebla, Veracruz, Hildago, San Luis Potosi, Guerrero, Mexico (state), El Distrito Federal, Tlaxcala, Morelos and Oaxaca, and also in El Salvador. There are smaller numbers of Nahuatl speakers throughout the rest of Mexico, and in parts of the USA.
There are numerous dialects of Nahuatl, some of which are mutually unintelligible. Most Nahuatl speakers also speak Spanish, with the exception of some of most elderly.
Classical Nahuatl was the language of the Aztec empire and was used as a lingua franca in much of Mesoamerica from the 7th century AD until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. The modern dialects of Nahuatl spoken in the Valley of Mexico are closest to Classical Nahuatl.
Nuestra Tierra - our land
Poc-ta-Pok - A family of related Maya ball games in which players were sacrificed to the Gods. In general, the hip-ball version is most popularly thought of as "the" Mesoamerican ballgame.
The various types of games each had its own size of ball (made of rubber), specialized gear and playing field, and rules.
Por que yo soy Bruja - Because I am a witch
Serpent - Many different Mesoamerican ethno-political groups have worshiped Quetzalcoatl, the feathered Serpent deity. The existence of such worship can be seen through studies of iconography of different Mesoamerican cultures, in which serpent motifs are frequent. Based on the different symbolic systems used in portrayals of the feathered serpent deity in different cultures and periods scholars have interpreted the religious and symbolic meaning of the feathered serpent deity in Mesoamerican cultures.
Zamora - Zamora de Hidalgo, is a city in the Mexican state of Michoacán. Evidence shows the area was first settled around 1500 BC.
Zapata -Emiliano Zapata Salazar (August 8, 1879 – April 10, 1919) was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution. He formed and commanded a revolutionary force, the Liberation Army of the South,. Followers of Zapata were known as Zapatistas. Modern activists in Mexico frequently make reference to Zapata in their campaigns, his image is commonly seen on banners and many chants invoke his name: Si Zapata viviera con nosotros anduviera, "If Zapata lived, he would walk with us." Zapata vive, la lucha sigue, "Zapata lives; the struggle continues."
