Maximón, also known as San Simón, is a unique Mayan deity, folk saint, and religious icon. He’s a blend of Catholicism, Mayan ancestral worship, and local folklore, represented in various forms by the Maya people in the Western highlands of Guatemala. Many towns, villages, and cities in Guatemala have a resident Maximón figure depicted by a mannequin dressed in colorful scarves who rotates from home to home on an annual basis.
During our time at Lake Atitlán, when he was living in a private residence just a short walk from the town center, we had the opportunity to visit Maximón of Santiago de Atitlan and embarked on one of our most unique travel experiences yet.
He’s not exactly who you think of when it comes to being a Saint because on the outside Maximon seems far from one. He drinks heavily, he chain smokes, and he’s a trickster who likes to sleep around with other people’s wives.
According to folk legend, when the local men of a certain village left to work in the fields, Maximón crept into town and impregnated all of their wives. When the men found out, they cut off all his limbs, leaving him behind as a womanizing torso.
It isn’t exactly clear how the people of Guatemala began worshipping this town drunk. However, most believe his origins lie in pre-Colombian beliefs which have combined with Catholicism over the years. Nevertheless, residents visit him regularly throughout the year and pay homage to the saint, especially during Holy Week.
Although some people may find Maximon as a negative social model to be held up as a religious figure, the local people who support Maximon make him a huge priority, and his worship is taken very seriously.
Just a short boat ride from San Pedro, we arrived at the dock of Santigo Atitlan on a mission: to learn a bit more about the deep traditions of the town and to visit Maximón. Accompanied by our offering gifts of alcohol and cigarettes, it didn’t take us long to meet our guy who would help us make it happen.
Born and raised in Santiago, Jose is certified by the tourism board of Guatemala, or at least according to the lanyard around his neck. He promised to take us on a tour of the pueblo and help us understand more about the rich cultural heritage of the town. One can even claim it is the most traditional and preserved of all the towns around the lake. And 200 or so quetzales later we were off to our first stop, to see Maximón.
Whether you want to visit, participate in a ceremony, or simply learn more, a local guide is the best way to do it. To our surprise, we were welcomed warmly by the guardians known as the Cofradia who are part are the Mayan Catholic Brotherhood, an influential group that shapes the ceremonies.
Jose was our “intermediary” to both introduce us and walk us through the customs which was key as the primary language is the native Mayan tongue Tz’utujil. It’s important to note if you try to engage and ask questions in English you will get little or limited response which shouldn’t be taken as a dismissal, but rather a language barrier. Something we noticed happening to the gringos across the room from us, who somehow found their way sans a guide.
We removed our hats and entered the house. The Cofradias appreciated our four bottles of Quezalteca, which is a traditional Guatemalan sugar cane liquor, especially the lemon-flavored one. We were informed it was The Grandfather’s favorite.
It’s a strong tradition to make an offering first before asking for a blessing or making a petition as we must feed life with gratitude so that life feeds us back.
Jose educated us on the history and the ceremonies and how Maximóm represents light and dark, both the good and evil in the world. We were offered a glass of Gallo beer by a Telinel, the head shaman, and watched intently as the ceremony carried on in front of us.
The ceremony consisted of lighting endless candles, traditional Mayan prayer, and spitting liquor and the face of people who were asking for help while they wore a special hat. In this case, it was a young family. The room got pretty smokey as incense, candle, and tobacco smoke filled the air. Not once did Maximon’s cigarette go out while the ceremony carried on.
Just as patience is your friend in all parts of Guatemala, it will go a long way especially here. What I’m saying is, sit quietly, take it all in and your guide will be happy to answer any questions you may have. After spending a couple of hours in the Cofradia we felt like we had a full experience and were appreciative for having witnessed the ceremony.
Big thanks to Jose for helping cross the ceremony off of our Guatemala must-see list. We have been intrigued by the Mayan culture for the last few years and it was awesome to see and experience rich traditional customs carried out to this day.
One of the reasons why we travel is to see and experience new cultures, especially when it is so different and unique from the ones that we are familiar with. Maximón is certainly a one-of-a-kind character and having learned about the story and his importance helped us feel more connected to Guatemala after spending two months in such a culturally rich and beautiful country.
Know Before You Go – Spanish Basics
- Hello! – ¡Hola!
- Morning. – Buenos días.
- Afternoon. – Buenas tardes
- Evening. – Buenas noches.
- See you later! – ¡Hasta Luego!
- How are you? – ¿Cómo estás?
- How much does it (they) cost? – ¿Cuánto cuesta(n)?
- The check please – Me trae la cuenta por favor.
- Where is the _______? – ¿Dónde está _______?
- How do I get to ….? – ¿Como llego a …?
- I don’t understand. – No comprendo / No entiendo
- Nice to meet you! – ¡Mucho gusto!
- Please. – Por favor.
- Thank you! – Gracías!
- You’re welcome – De nada.
- Yes. – Sí
- 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 – Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez
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