Ixcanaan Update

by Anne Lossing

February 27, 2008

Another day in the jungle - Catch up with all of Project Ix-canaan's recent events and volunteers on the blog "another day in the jungle" which has just been updated at www.ixcanaan.blogspot.com (note the new "Read More" feature).

Ix-canaan's Requirements:

1.  Volunteers:  The success of Project Ix-canaan depends on volunteers.   There is something for everyone to do ... limited only by your enthusiam for sharing with others. 

2.  Dental Volunteers and Equipment:  We have a dental chair, a compressor and a dental unit, as well as the space to set them up as a small dental office.  We now need the rest of the equipment and supplies that would be necessary for vacationing dentists or dental assistants to use during a short volunteering time.  And some volunteer vacationing dentists or dental assistants.  Contact anne@ixcanaan.com if you can help.

3.  New Computers:  It has been great to have the used computers in the library in order to start some teaching and begin the idea of a computer center.  However, more and more of the local teenagers are coming to the library to do their research homework, and the old computers we have are crashing regularly.  We never know, when we start a class, how many computers are going to function.  And it is expensive to impossible to find someone to keep these old computers working.  Bill Horne of Calgary, who has just been visiting us here in Peten, has offered to spearhead a fundraising effort to collect enough money to buy 10 new computers for the library.  If you are able to help him in any way (time, money), please advise us at mailbox@ixcanaan.com.

4.  Fetal Doppler:  This is a machine that allows you to hear the sound of the heartbeat of an unborn child.  More information and examples at http://www.storkradio.com/dopplers.php.  Contact Project Ix-canaan at mailbox@ixcanaan.com if you can help towards or provide a fetal doppler.

5.  Student Assistance Program:  We have two students in our education program ... Mayra is entering her first year of university this year, in pursuit of a teaching degree (last year she earned her College Prep).  Adelaida is now in her second of three years to become a junior accountant.  We once again need donors to cover the approximately $125.00 per student per month costs of tuition fees, books, transportation and lunches.  If you can help these two young women become able to support their children, please contact anne@ixcanaan.com.

6.  Camera:  After 3 years of almost daily use, my trusty constant Kodak companion has sadly reached the end of her days.  I've done extensive research to make a potential donor's job easier ... the ideal model for the work at hand would be small, easy to use, and would take fantastic professional quality photos under a variety of conditions for less than $300 ... contact me for my recommendation anne@ixcanaan.com.


Unificacion Maya 2007



The Unificacion Maya Sacred Fire Ceremonies for Winter Solstice 2007 were a huge success!  Tata Pedro began the week's events at Gringo Perdido on the night of December 14th, with the lighting of a "Purification Fire" on the lakeside that was kept burning ceremonially for the entire 7 days of the event.   Each morning, from December 15th to 20th, a Fire Ceremony, each one different from the one before as they reflected the energies of the day, was held on the beach overlooking Lake Peten Itza.  The ceremony on the final day, the Winter Solstice Ceremony, was held in the Grand Plaza of Tikal.

Each afternoon Tata Pedro and/or Louise Rothwell gave open classes on Mayan Cosmology that were extremely well attended.  (*see below for a short description of a Sacred Mayan Fire)

This year, two professional photographers attended several of the ceremonies and have posted the pictorial highlights of the event online.  They both appreciate your comments on their work.

Niru Bhatia of Calgary, Alberta  (her website is http://www.members.shaw.ca/niru/index.html)

See the pictures that Niru took of Unificacion Maya at: http://photoshare.shaw.ca/messages/viewshow/9289656653-1202803307-34033/gallery/

Bill Bevan of Sheffield, England  (his website is http://www.billbevanphotography.co.uk/)

See the photos that Bill took of Unificacion Maya at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/billbevan/sets/72157603912682744/

Unificacion Maya will be held from the 15th to the 21st of December every year through to 2012, the end of the Mayan Great Cycle.  (www.ixcanaan.com)

EVERYBODY is invited to attend, participate and learn. 

There is no registration fee!! 

Contact me at anne@ixcanaan.com if you would like more information.

Hotel Gringo Perdido

Hotel Gringo Perdido, the unofficial "headquarters" for Project Ix-canaan volunteers, Unificacion Maya participants and discerning travellers while they are here in the area, is now undergoing a major facelift! 

Check out pictures of the upgrades at www.gringo-perdido.blogspot.com

Mayan Grand Elder Speaks at Inauguration

Words From Mayan Grand Elder Wakatel Utiw (Wandering Wolf) - Given At The Inauguration Of President Eng. Alvaro Colom Caballeros.

http://www.commonpassion.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=74emid=80

The ENGLISH translation of Mayan Elder Don Alejandro Oxlaj's (Wandering Wolf) inspiring speech given at the inauguration of Guatemala's new president, Alvaro Colom is now available for you to read. It is very powerful and I recommend that you read it.

rainforest recipes

For those who are interested in experiencing life in the jungles through the lens of the food that is and isn't eaten here www.rainforestrecipes.blogspot.com. 

Ramon Seeds

A women's group from our neighboring village of Ixlu has been working with The Equilibrium Fund to build a business based on ramon seeds, an idea that we have championed here for years.  We recently had the opportunity to visit their operation and watch how the flour and ramon beverage are produced.  Scroll down to "A Sea of Ramon" at http://ixcanaan.blogspot.com/ to learn more about our visit.  This resource is "given" by the trees of the jungle, and will allow the people to live in harmony with the trees, instead of cutting them down for the wood or to grow corn.

*The Mayan Fire Ceremony

The Fire Ceremony is a ritual the Mayans practice to create a vortex of energy that can be used as a "gateway" or portal to other worlds (or the Spirit Worlds of the Ancestors), in order to receive healing and pay tribute to the Ancestors.
These fire ceremonies do not use wood. With intention and ceremonial words and song and silence, a mandala is created out of natural materials. First, sugar is used to draw the circle, and then ensarte is placed on top of the sugar to create the foundation for the sacred fire. Then, herbs such as cedar, sage, rosemary, tobacco, lavender and flower petals are placed in abundance on top of the ensarte. The fuel for the fire comes from the ensarte and herbs at first and then the other "ingredients".

The other main components of the fire are candles the colors of the six directions (red, black, white, yellow, blue and green). They also represent all the nations of the world (red - all native Indian nations, yellow - Asian and Mongolian, black -Africa and India and parts of the Middle East, white - all nations of the white nations, blue - honors the sky and green - honors the earth).

Chocolate and honey are placed in the fire to represent the sweetness of life and to give thanks for our daily good fortunes. The Guatemalan herbs such as copal, bolas, myrrh, cuilco, pom blanco and negro and the others represent the union of male and female worlds.

The Mayan Aj Q'ij uses their knowledge and training of the matrix of life to coordinate their songs, "prayers" and offerings to work with the energy of the fire present in that moment. These Mayan elders are trained to work and read the fire and to work the fire to enhance a type of "global healing and understanding" between all people.

In traditional societies, the community of the people hosting the ceremonial fires provides all the materials for the fire and some type of honorarium in order to support and honor the elders doing the ceremony.

The Maya people believe that the more offerings given to support the fire ceremony the more "blessings" are received into the world for benefiting ourselves, our families, the earth and all our relations.


Anne L. Lossing
anne@ixcanaan.com