Maya O Maya! Rambunctious Fables of Yucatan
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Authors
Mitcham, Howard
Issue Date
1981
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Type
Book, Whole
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Abstract
These are humorous parodies of ancient lore about gods, statues, and rites. The first, The World's Strongest Cocktail, presents Ixnib, the god who invented the drink balche. Besides being hallucingenic, the drink is a powerful emetic and purgative. Ixnib overdosed. Christian priests today still serve balche at Holy Communion--and services do not last long. The figures remind me of Mayan statues in museums and of Calder's line drawings. I think there is nothing here that has to do with fables. I have a queasy feeling as I read this book. Has political correctness and sensitivity changed so much in twenty years? This book seems to ridicule Mayan culture in a way we would not allow today. Amid the genial humor, there is also some that is sophomoric. The Mayans' atonal music was said to have been invented by an ancient Mayan named Arturo Strindberg.
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Publisher
The Hermit Crab Press
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DOI
Identifier
4018 (Access ID)