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What is the best ethnic food you ever had that you just can't find at home?

Taiwanese Street food

  • 31 years old
  • From Denver, United States
  • Currently in Denver, United States

Our Curious World

The world is a fascinating place! Working in 23 different countries, Experiential Learning International and our volunteers have seen some crazy stuff.

July 22, 2009

Guatemala Guatemala  |  Jul 22, 2009
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 A Rockin' Saint 

When the conquistadors swept into Latin America they brought with them a heavy Catholic presence.  In many cases this was even used as justification for the conquest and destruction of indigenous cultures.  From the other side, the pre-Columbian cultures had their own ways of "accepting" Catholicism while not actually giving up their own religions.  One way they did this was accept the Catholic saints into their own pantheon of gods and demons.  In the highlands of Western Guatemala, this was the case with San Simon.

San Simon (or Maximon as he is known in Mayan) began life as a form of the Mayan god Mam.  The influence of Catholicism turned him into San Simon.  Originally, he was believed to be a Catholic priest who looked after the native peoples during the early 1600's.  He is usually represented dressed in 18th Century European clothing and is known for his expensive taste in liquor.  Less of a saint to be venerated, and more of a saint to be feared, the Maya look at Maximon as the link between Earth and the Underworld.  He is the direction prayers for revenge are sent.  He represents vitality and virility.  Worshippers pray to him for sexual requests and often give him sacrifices of expensive liquor, money, cigarettes and other "worldly" products.  He is believed to be the saint/god that of all else one does not want to anger.  If he won't help you out, at the very least hopefully he won't go out of his way to hurt you.

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