Rab'inal Achí

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rab'inal Achí , also Rabinal Achí , German The Achí warrior or Xajoj Tun , German drum dance , is a dance drama , the action of which is set in the highlands of Guatemala in the 15th century, which was written down in the language of the Achí Maya in the colonial times and In 2005 it was included in the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO .

The Rab'inal Achí belongs next to the Popol Vuh and the land titles of Totonicapán (both K'iche ) and the Annals of the Cakchiquel ( Cakchiquel ) to the few and for research particularly valuable in a Mayan language but with Latin script written works at all. However, it differs from the above in that it takes up the history, but does not depict it chronologically, but rather represents a fragment of it in the form of a play. Therefore there are also parallels to the Baile de la Conquista , where the story of Tecun Uman is taken up.

The extent to which the drama takes on concrete historical references is the subject of an ongoing ethnological discourse. The manuscript was translated by Charles Étienne Brasseur de Bourbourg and published as Grammaire Quichée et le drame de abinal Achí 1862: in Paris. The drama is performed annually in Rabinal on St. Paul's Day .

The plot, which is divided into four acts, is set in the 15th century, when the K'iche dominated the highlands militarily and politically, but their power peak had already passed. During this time the Achí-Maya were able to secure a certain independence. In any case, a warrior from the royal house of the K'iche Kaweq 'penetrated the territory of the Achí, was taken prisoner, accused, convicted and sentenced by a warrior from the royal house in Cahyub, near today's eponymous Rabinal , the center of the Achí Maya finally sacrificed . In addition to the two warriors, the Prince of Cahyub, Job'Toj, his servants, Achij Mun and Ixoq Mun, the green-feathered mother and thirteen eagles and thirteen jaguars, who represent the warriors of Cahyub, appear.

The warrior of the Achí accuses the warrior of the K'iche of having made his people, brothers of the K'iche, vassals and tribute payers :

Brave warrior of the K'iche Kaweq ':

Then it is only you that I follow, only you are my brother.

So actually I lost my soul looking at you

in the great fortress.

But now you are the one

who howls like a coyote, a wildcat, a golden hare and a jaguar

in the great fortress.

You are the one who scared the white children.

The one who drove us from the great fortress.

So that they collect yellow and green honey

The food for my people and my dear Mr. Job'Toj.

literature

Web links