Main Mayan Peoples or Nations – The Mayan Civilization
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Among the Maya, there were different tribes that grouped together based on their related productive activities (such as the Putunes who were engaged in fishing and maritime trade) or based on their lineages and genealogies (a notable example being the Cocomes in the northeast of the Yucatán Peninsula).
Main Maya Jurisdictions
In the Yucatán Peninsula:
Itzá: They acquired their name probably in honor of Itzamná (a nearly mythical figure), as he guided the Itzá people. Itzamná, in turn, means ‘substance of the Sky’ or ‘dew of the clouds’ and is considered the founder of the Peninsular Maya culture. Oral tradition indicates that Itzamná (also called Zamná) was the one who named all things, discovered the medicinal virtues of plants, and invented the Maya alphabet and hieroglyphs. Upon his death, he was deified by his people, who erected temples in his honor; it is said that he was buried in the pyramids of Izamal.
According to the Chilam Balam of Chumayel, they originated from the south, and in the year 435, they founded the settlement of Siyancaan Bakhalal (meaning ‘birthplace of reeds’), which is now Bacalar. Experts believe that the findings at the Kohunlich archaeological site, located 66 km from Chetumal, may rectify this date, as the masks found there display Olmecoid features and certain Teotihuacan influences.
Although the earliest buildings date back to around 250 and 300 AD, their builders must have remained there for hundreds of years, judging by the magnitude of the ceremonial plaza, similar to Teotihuacan but much larger. Despite this, the Chumayel relationship indicates that the Itzá people stayed in Bakhalal for 60 years, founded Chichén Itzá from 495 to 514, then left and settled in Champotón until 928-948. After a 40-year pilgrimage, they returned to Chichén, now with a blend of Toltec and Chichimec cultures. Archaeological remains of this tribe can be found in the north and east of Campeche, central and northern Yucatán, and northern Quintana Roo. Tayasal in Petén, Guatemala, was their last capital.
Xiú: They settled in the north-northeast of Campeche, northwest of Yucatán, and west of Quintana Roo. They entered the Yucatán Peninsula from Petén and founded the splendid city of Uxmal, which served as their capital. There was a time when they waged war against the Itzá people of Chichén Itzá until Kukulkan (also known as Quetzalcoatl) arrived and brought peace among the tribes or kingdoms, establishing the new capital of Mayapán (‘flag of the Mayas’).
Their most prominent ruler was Ah Mekat Tutul Xiu from Nonohual, who settled in Uxmal from 987 to 1007. Together with the Itzá people, they founded the League or Confederation of Mayapán, which included the lordships of Chichén Itzá, Uxmal, Mayapán, Itzamal, Tulum, Ichpatún, and others. This alliance existed from the period of 987-1007 to 1175-1185, but in 1194, the Itzá people abandoned Chichén Itzá again and settled in Petén due to the war waged against them by Hunac Ceel, the Cocom leader of Mayapán.
The foundation of Mayapán is dated to the year 1047, and its destruction occurred in 1254. This happened because the lords or princes of Chichén Itzá and Mayapán fell in love with the same maiden, leading to war. The ruler of Mayapán, aided by Mexica soldiers, destroyed Chichén Itzá and Izamal.
Later, the king of Uxmal rose in arms against the ruler of Mayapán, took control of the city, and ruled despotically, eventually destroying it. A descendant of the last king of Mayapán went on to found another place called Tibolón, where the Cocomes briefly ruled. The Cocomes were another Maya tribe encountered by the early Spanish explorers in the 16th century. The last descendants of the Xiú people settled in Maní, making it their capital of the cacicazgo (chieftaincy).
Cocom: They primarily settled in northern Quintana Roo and northeastern Yucatán. The Cocomes exercised their hegemony until the period of 1441-1461 when they were defeated by the descendants of the Itzá people, this time with the assistance of the Xiú people. Between 1461 and 1500, smaller dominions called cacicazgos emerged, lacking unity or common authority. The population was decimated by epidemics, hurricanes, and wars fought among themselves, fueled by the irreconcilable rivalry between the Xiú and Cocom peoples. Their most prominent ruler was Hunac Ceel. The last descendants of the Cocomes settled in Sotuta, making it their capital of cacicazgo.
In the Lowlands of Tabasco:
Putún: Some research indicates that they originated from Campeche, and their cacicazgo was called Champotón. They settled in the swampy region formed by the delta of the Grijalva and Usumacinta rivers. They established two cacicazgos: Tabasco, with its capital in Potonchán, and Acalán, with its capital in Itzamcanak.
Potonchán was an important trading port in the Gulf of Mexico, controlling river routes and engaging in significant commercial exchange with the Yucatán Peninsula, the peoples of the Central Highlands, and even distant places like Nito on the Guatemalan Atlantic coast. Over time, the Putún people came to dominate regions as distant as Chactemal and Bakalal in Quintana Roo. They are identified as the Chontales of Tabasco.
In Chiapas and Tabasco:
- Chontal: They settled in the plain of Tabasco known as La Chontalpa.
- Zoque: They were located in La Chontalpa and the Sierra of Tabasco, as well as in the west and north of Chiapas.
- Tzotzil: They settled in the central and eastern parts of Chiapas.
- Tzeltal: They settled in the central and eastern parts of Chiapas.
- Tojolabal: They are located in the jungles and canyons of Chiapas, spoken by 58,000 inhabitants.
- Lacandón: Their initial core was in the mythical Lacan-Tún in Chiapas (central and eastern).
In Guatemala
- K’iche’: A people with great dialectal diversity, estimated to have around 1,000,000 speakers, in the current departments of Sololá, Quetzaltenango, El Quiché, and Totonicapán. Their main capital in pre-Columbian times was Q’umarkaj or Utatlán.
- Kek’chi: In Alta Verapaz, Izabal, and the southern Petén, spoken by 726,723 people.
- Mam: In Huehuetenango, San Marcos, and Quetzaltenango, spoken by 519,664 people. Their capital was Zaculeu.
- Kaq’chiquel: In Sacatepéquez and Chimaltenango, spoken by 475,889 people. Their capital was Iximché.
- Q’anjob’al: In San Marcos and Huehuetenango, spoken by 99,211 people.
- Pokom’chi’: In Baja Verapaz and El Progreso, spoken by 69,716 inhabitants.
- Ixil: In Huehuetenango, El Quiché, and Alta Verapaz, spoken by 69,137 inhabitants.
- Tz’utujil: A people who have inhabited the southern regions of Sololá and the northern region of Suchitepéquez since the late 13th century, mainly settled along the shores of Lake Atitlán in towns such as Santiago Atitlán, San Pedro la Laguna, San Lucas Tolimán, San Juan la Laguna, Santa María Visitación, and the municipality of Chicacao in the tropical lands of the Guatemalan Pacific coast. Currently, about 100,000 people speak this language, and their main capital in pre-Columbian times was Chutnamit, known in the Popol Vuh as Ajtziquinahay.
- Jacalteco (Popti’): In San Marcos and Huehuetenango, spoken by 38,350 inhabitants.
- Chuj: (Rama Chol), in Huehuetenango, spoken by 38,253 people.
- Pokomam: In Chiquimula and Jutiapa, spoken by 31,000 inhabitants. Their capital was Mixco Viejo.
In Belize
- Kek’chi
- Mopán
In Honduras
- Maya-Chortí
In El Salvador
- Chortí: They settled in the northern part of the Lempa River (part of what are now the departments of Santa Ana and Chalatenango). From the 13th century, they began to be influenced by the Pipil people.
- Pokomam: They settled in much of what is now Santa Ana and Ahuachapán departments. Their capitals were initially Chalchuapa and later Atiquizaya, until they were conquered by the Pipil people in the 15th century.
Minor Maya Peoples
In the Yucatán Peninsula
- Chel: The capital of their jurisdiction was Tecoh.
- Chan: Their cacicazgo was Maxcanú, in the northwest of the Peninsula.
- Cupul: Their cacicazgo was located in the eastern part of the Peninsula, with its capital in Zací, the current site of Valladolid. In 1533, along with the Cocomes, they forced Francisco de Montejo y León (El Mozo) to abandon their territories.
In Chiapas and part of Tabasco
- Xonuta: It was located in the northeastern part of Tabasco.
- Chilapan: It was located in the central part of Tabasco.
- Chiapa: They were located in the central and eastern parts of Chiapas.
- Tojolabal: They were located in the central and eastern parts of Chiapas.
- Petén: It is a genre of the Maya language used when going hunting.
In Guatemala
- Awakateko in Huehuetenango, spoken by 16,272 people.
- Ch’orti’ in Chiquimula, spoken by 9,105 people.
- Sipakapense in San Marcos, spoken by 6,344 people.
- Akateko in Huehuetenango, spoken by 5,572 people.
- Sakapulteko in El Quiché, spoken by 3,940 people.
- Tektiteko in San Marcos, spoken by 1,241 people.
- Uspanteko in El Quiché, spoken by 1,231 people.
- Mopán in El Petén, spoken by 468 people.
- Itza’ in El Petén, spoken by 123 people.
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