Guatemala

by William Tufts Brigham

“Sopla, San Antonio, barba de oro cachimba de plata!

Blow, Saint Antony, with golden beard and silver pipe!”

And if the saint did not blow when asked repeatedly, the next proceeding was to make a cross of sticks and tow it astern; this last performance, like reading the Lord’s Prayer backwards, usually raised a breeze. The worship of Mafìa (the devil) I believe is general; but they do not like to talk about it. Caribs are less musical than any of the black races I have met; but they are fond of noisy drums, and will dance until utterly exhausted. Some of their dances last two days.

Indian Women, Pocomam Tribe.

Of all the languages of Central America, no one has been more studied than the Maya. It is the language of Yucatan, and there many foreigners both speak and read it. In Guatemala it is the parent tongue of the great majority of the tribes, including the Quichés, Cakchiquels, and Tzutohiles,—those long-time enemies. The reader may see by the table of words I borrow from Dr. Berendt the similarity of certain common words in sixteen of these dialects.

COMPARISON OF CERTAIN WORDS IN THE MAYA DIALECTS.

	Man.	Woman.	Father.	Mother.	Water.	Blood.	Day.	Night.	Good.	Bad.
Huasteca	iník	uxúm	pailóm pap	mim	ja	xljtz	kl, aquichá	akál	alvuá	atáx
Maya	xib, xiblál	ch’uplál	yum	na	jaá	qu’i’c	k’in	ak’áb	utz	kas, loób
Chontal	vuiník	ixík	pap	naá	jaá	ch’i’ch	k’in	ak’ób	utz’án	?
Tzental	vuiník	antz	tat	nan	jaá	ch’ii’ch	k’in	ajk’abál	lek	ma lek uc
Tzotzil	vuiník	antz	tot	me	joó	ch’i’ch	k’ak’ál	ak’ubál	lek	ma lek uc
Chañabal	vuiník	ixúk	tat	nan	ja	chic	k’agú	ak’uál	lek	mi lek
Chol	vuiník	ixík	tiát	niá	jaá	ch’i’ch	k’in	ak’ualél	utz’át	bibí
Quekchi	vuínk	ixk	yuvuá	na	ja	qu’iqu’él	cután	k’ojyí	us	ma us
Pokomchi	vinák	ixók	ajáu	tut	jotíc, jab	qu’iqu’él	k’ij	chak’áb	atób	ma atób tá
Pokomam	vinák	ixk’ón	tat	nan, tut	ja	qu’i’c	k’ij	chak’ám	quiró	ixc’á
Cakchiquel	achí, vinák	ixók	tatá	té, nan	ya	qu’iqu’él	k’ij	ak’á	utz	itzél
Quiché	vinák	ixók	tat	nan, chuch	ja, jorón	qu’i’c	k’ij	ak’áb	utz	itzél
Uspanteca	vinák	ixók	aj	xchuch	ja	qu’i’c	k’ij	ak’áb	tzi	étzel
Ixil	ná	ixó	bal	chuch	a	cajál	k’ij	a’kbál	ban	ycbanáx
Aguacateca	yáje, yaátz	xnan	ta	chu	a	chich	k’e	a’kbál	ban	yab
Mam	ca, íchang	ching, xuj	mán	chúy	a	chi’c	?	?	ban	?