Motif of suffering and death
In the Popol Vuh, there are many instances of suffering and death of various characters. In the creation of man, the second attempt of the creators, the creators did not like that the men did not praise their creators. The men were killed by a flood and some were murdered and eaten by animals. Seven Macaw is a character in the book who had magnified himself and the people were angry and he was killed violently as were his two sons.
symbol of power
Seven Macaw was a symbol of power to his neighbors. He had qualities that set him apart from everyone else. He had magnified himself to be the sun for his teeth glittered. The sun and moon were not providing enough light because they were obscured in the sky. Seven Macaw declared himself the sun and moon of his neighbors. The neighbors felt threatened by his power and he was murdered by Hunaphu and Xbalanque.
The calabash tree as a symbol of One Hunaphu
One Hunaphu was murdered and his head was thrown into a tree. The tree previously did not bear any fruit but after One Hunaphu’s head was thrown in, it started bearing fruit resembling calabashes. The tree thus became the symbol of One Hunaphu.
Monkeys as a symbol of One Hunaphu and One Artisan
One Monkey and One Artisan were the elder brothers of Hunaphu and Xbalanque. The elder brothers mistreated the younger ones. Hunaphu and Xbalanque avenged themselves by turning their brothers to monkeys. Since One Monkey and One Artisan had been artists and musicians, the ancient people prayed to them. Monkeys symbolize the two elder brothers.
Symbol of life or death
Hunaphu and Xbalanque planted a corn plant in the middle of their grandmother’s house. The corn was to tell whether they were dead or alive for they had been summoned by the council that had killed their father. The instructions that the two gave their grandmother were that if the corn sprouted, they were alive and if it died and dried up then they were dead. The corn plant therefore symbolized the life or death of the two brothers.
