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H. Braakhuis Artificers of the Days: Functions of the Howler Monkey Gods Among the Mayas

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H. Braakhuis Artificers of the Days: Functions of the Howler Monkey Gods Among the Mayas H. Braakhuis Artificers of the days: Functions of the howler monkey gods among the Mayas In: Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 143 (1987), no: 1, Leiden, 25-53 This PDF-file was downloaded from http://www.kitlv-journals.nl Downloaded from Brill.com10/01/2021 08:43:37PM via free access H. E. M. BRAAKHUIS ARTIFICERS OF THE DAYS: FUNCTIONS OF THE HOWLER MONKEY GODS AMONG THE MAY AS* Car j'installe, par la science, L'hymne des coeurs spirituels En 1'oeuvre de ma patience, Atlas, herbiers et rituels. (Mallarmé, ProsepourDes Esseintes) 1. INTRODUCTION In his study entitled 'Supernatural Patrons of Maya Scribes and Artists', M. D. Coe has been able to establish that the gods Hun Batz and Hun Choven, 'One Howler Monkey' and 'One Artisan', repeatedly occur as the subjects of funerary vase representations, dating from the Late Classic period (600-900 A.D.) of Mayan civilization. An important sixteenth-century Quiché-Mayan source, the Popol Vuh, presents these deities as the malicious elder stepbrothers of its heroes, Hunahpu, 'One Blowgunner', and his companion Xbalanque. In accordance with some of their functions in the Popol Vuh, the simians, or figures substituted for them, are depicted in the acts of writing and carving. In 1981, the article of M. D. Coe was followed by a chapter on scribes in the catalogue raisonné of codex-style vase paintings published by F. Robicsek and D. M. Hales. Although adding quite a few pictures of Howler Monkeys and other writing and carving gods, the authors did not present any new points of view but stayed within the confines of Coe's earlier explanations. Only these, therefore, will be considered here. From his paper, it does not become clear how Coe would account for I wish to thank Dr. Cl. Baudez, G. Houtzager, Dr. J. Oosten, R. de Ridder, J. van der Vliet and especially Prof. Dr. R. A. M. van Zantwijk for their comments on this study. Dr. A. Baxter's observations have considerably improved the wording of the text. The encouragement of Father F. J. Braakhuis, C.M., and of my good friend, A. M. J. Zijlstra, has been invaluable. H. E. M. BRAAKHUIS is an M.A. graduate from the Centre of Anthropology and Sociology of the University of Amsterdam with a special interest in Mayan ethnology and religion. He may be contacted at Amstel 292-C, 1017 AN Amsterdam. Downloaded from Brill.com10/01/2021 08:43:37PM via free access 26 H. E. M. Braakhuis the occurrence of the Artisan Gods in a funerary context. The title of his study would suggest that he sees the explanation for this in the former profession of the occupants of the tombs in which the vases were prob- ably found. It is, however, remarkable that the author does not confine himself to a brief mention of those aspects of the roles of Hun Batz and Hun Choven which demonstrate their patronage over the fine arts. Instead, he proceeds to set forth in detail the story of the conflict between elder and younger brothers, even though no sign of this is apparent in the vase representations in question. It would appear that here again Coe's theory that all vase representations together would constitute a kind of 'Book of the Dead', or an extended version of the Popol Vuh twin myth, has to supply the explanation implicitly. In this case, the Howler Monkey Gods would not be so important in them- selves, but instead would function primarily as references to the so- called 'Book of the Dead' and to the heroic role in it of their step- brothers. Here we will follow a different path. A positive result of M. D. Coe's study which has not been mentioned yet is the identification of a fre- quently occurring variant of the day-unit in the Long Count as a Howler Monkey (Coe 1977:341). By taking a lead from this important calen- darial value of the Howler Monkey God and by surveying all his func- tions and associations, it may eventually be possible to transcend that seemingly inextricable and inescapable association of Howler Monkey and Blowgunner which the Popol Vuh would impose upon üs. Indeed, we should then be able to determine whether the Howler Monkey Gods can stand on their own feet. 2. CALENDARIAL AND HIEROGLYPHIC FUNCTIONS OF THE HOWLER MONKEY 2.1 Xlth day Chuen/Batz within the framework of the mantic cycle 2.1.1 Significance of the name and structural position The head of the Howler Monkey sporadically occurs as a hieroglyphic variant of the Xlth day, called Chuen in Yucatan and Batz elsewhere (e.g., Palenque 96 Gl., B6, in Thompson 1966:fig. 8 no. 42). According to Thompson, Yucatec Chuen is identical with Quichean Choven (Thompson 1966:80). This is not improbable, since chov means 'whiten, beautify, embellish' in Quiché (Edmonson 1965) and ah chuen 'artffice oficial de algün arte' in Yucatec (Motul). In any case, the C/iwen-glyph (T 520) once occurs as the main element in the name-compound for a Howler Monkey writer (Coe 1978:96).1 Batz means 'howler monkey', according to Thompson (1966:80), which agrees with the terms for the howler monkey found in Chiapas, baadz, ahbaadz or hbaadz (Martin del Downloaded from Brill.com10/01/2021 08:43:37PM via free access Functions of the Howler Monkey Gods among the Mayas 27 Campo 1961:30). For the Quiché of the eighteenth century, this is further confirmed by Father Ximénez, who gives as the primary meaning of the day Batz: 'name of the one that turned into a monkey (mico)2; and thus some very fierce ones with large beards that are found in the Verapaz are called Batz' (Ximénez 1965:120 = Cap. XXXVI)3, a des- cription which only fits the howler monkey.4 The name of the Howler Monkey God in the Popol Vuh is provided with the numeral 'One', which appears to indicate the role of the Howler Monkey as Lord of the Xlth 13-day unit, just as in the parallel case of Ce Ozomatli 'One (Spider) Monkey' in the Mexican calendar. Given the structure of the calendar, this role is an automatic consequence of the association with the Xlth day. From a mere calendarial point of view, the first day Imix and the eleventh day Chuen/Batz are antipodean: either of these can function as initial days of alternate halves of the uinal (20-day) and the 260-day cycles. The first point is adduced by LaFarge as an explanation for the identical association of Imux and Batz with the soil (LaFarge 1947:177), the second point is borne out by the mantic diagram of the Madrid Codex (LXXV-LXXVI), where 1 Chuen and 1 Imix, in the upper right- and lower left-hand corners respectively, are diametrically opposed, Chuen taking over the usual starting position of the count (if not the world direction) from Imix.s In some parts of the Guatemalan Highlands, the count of the mantic days is started with 1 Batz instead of 1 Imix, a point which we shall want to return to in due course. 2.1.2 Mantic values and aspect The mantic values of the day Chuen/Batz 'Artisan'/'Howler Monkey' agree with those of the Aztec day Ozomatli '(Spider)'Monkey'. For Ozomatli we read: 'And he who was then born they regarded favourably . And he would be, perchance, a singer, dancer, or scribe; he would producesome workof art' (Sahagün 1957:82). For the Quiché we have: 'There is then some singing. There is then some flute and drum [sic], carving, painting [under which writing is probably subsumed6], silver- work, weaving, spinning - very good days (Chol povallAhilabal q'ih of 1722, see Edmonson 1971: n. 1726). For the Yucatec it is: 'Wood carver. Weaver is its sign. Master of all crafts - very rich his whole life; very good everything he does; judicious' (U mutil chuenil kin sansamal, see Barrera Vasquez and Rendon 1972:122). The aspect of this day among other Mayan groups is up until recent times in full agreement, the emphasis always being laid on wealth and abundance (e.g., Ixil, see Colby and Colby 1981:232; Kanjobal, see LaFarge 1947:174; Mam, see Oakes 1969:250, 253). On this level of mantic practice - as opposed to that of theological classification - the primary meaning of the name of this day can give place to meanings based on the mantic values of the day.7 In Quiché, the Downloaded from Brill.com10/01/2021 08:43:37PM via free access 28 H. E. M. Braakhuis word for howler monkey is identical or nearly identical with the word for thread8; Ximénez (1965:120) already gives 'thread' as the second meaning of the day-name Batz.9 Since working with thread, or weaving, is one of the mantic values of this day, this partial value apparently has undergone a considerable extension in meaning, so that 'spinning', batz'inic, together with the related notion of 'rolling up', botz'ic, has come to indicate metaphorically the general positive aspect of this day (cf. B. Tedlock 1982:116-7). 2.2 Yaxal Chuen as the patron deity of a katun In some of the Books of Chilam Balam, the god Yaxal Chuen is de- scribed as a singer - one of the functions of the Howler Monkey God.10 When this deity adopts the role of patron god of katun 12 Ahau, the aspect of this katun turns out to be similar to that of the day Chuen: mild, generally accepted rule, pleasure, abundance (Chumayel, see Roys 1967:158-9; Tizimin,see Edmonson 1982:145-50, showing the same predominantly positive aspect, but with an admixture of various nega- tive factors).
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