Los Aluxes
Guardianes de la Ruinas arqueológicas
Una de las historias más enigmáticas e interesantes que ha perdurado en el tiempo y en la cultura de los actuales mayas, es la presencia de los "aluxes". Para poder explicar de qué se trata, podríamos compararlos con los duendes o los elfos, aunque los aluxes tienen un carácter propio y una especial función, ya que al parecer compartieron una historia bien definida en la cultura y vida de los mayas del pasado.
The Mayan elders say that they are like spirits, like wind, or small spiritual entities.
It is said that they were invoked in the past by the ancient Mayan shamans, X'men, to protect the fields from animals, or from thieves who came to steal the work of the farmers.
Summoned by the X'men, who mixed the blood of whoever requested it, along with other elements of nature, with which they made a dough with corn dough and clay, and then shaped it, creating a small sculpture in human form, no more than two palms in size, which after nine moons of invocations and spells, as well as intense magic work, was finally delivered to its master.
On the day that the owner who had ordered it was to receive it, he was accompanied by his family and closest friends to present them to the alux so that he would know that he should not harm them.
It was like the birth of a child. After that, the owner would disappear into the jungle and hide the child in a secret place on the land he was supposed to protect, and leave it buried there. From that moment on, the master and Alux never saw each other again.
The master's commitment was to bring him food as an offering and some small tortillas made of new corn every Friday, so that Alux would stay alive and in return he would take care of his lands.
"Esa era parte de la historia, lo intrigante de verdad era ¿qué pasaba si el amo moría sin devolver el alux a la tierra?"
El Alux quedaba condenado a vivir eternamente, solitario entre el mundo material y el espiritual. Después de las guerras y las enfermedades en la conquista, fueron muchos los aluxes que fueron abandonados a su suerte, por lo que estos decidieron ocultarse en las cuevas y en las ruinas, y así ha venido sucediendo desde hace cientos de años. Estos pequeños seres, son ahora los guardianes de las zonas arqueológicas y de las cuevas.
En función a eso, se cuentan historias sobre los aluxes y sus travesuras. De estos relatos e historias está llena la vida de algunos arqueólogos, de la gente de la región, así como de algunos residentes extranjeros que han vivido en Yucatán, y yo he tenido la oportunidad de vivir la experiencia, y de encontrarme muy de cerca con este misterio.
02 The scare
Usualmente los Aluxes no hacen daño a nadie, aunque se cuenta de quienes se han topado de frente con ellos, fue tal su impresión que acabaron con una fiebre muy alta, que sólo un X´men era capaz de curar, ya que no había médico que pudiera sacarles de ese "SUSTO".
Sin embargo no en todos los casos han sido así, en algunos relatos se dice, que algunas personas tuvieron encuentros con los aluxes porque se la pasaban haciéndoles travesuras. se metían a sus casas y les escondían cosas, les tiran de la manta o de la hamaca, se escondían y se reían traviesos, todo para llamar la atención.
Se dice que ellos escogían a un amo, porque les recordaba a su amo original, ellos mantienen ese acuerdo tácito e intemporal, esperando que se les alimente todos los viernes a cambio de cuidar y proteger a su amo.
02 Alimentarlos
Hay quienes dicen que quien tiene un Alux, le debe de dar de su comida, así que los huesos de pollo o un pedazo de tortilla, debe tirarse hacia a atrás dándole la espalda, para que lo Alux lo atrape. De forma que cuando se termina de de comer no se encuentran los restos de lo que has comido, eso es una confirmación de que ese alux ha recibido ese alimento.
Hay quienes se han encontrado con algún aluxes por coincidencia. Cuando se visitan ciertos lugares o cuevas en donde se ocultan. Usualmente no se dejan ver, ni les gusta que los vean de frente, pero si alguna vez te encuentras con alguno de estos no debes asustarte, porque eso les asusta a ellos también.
Por eso prefieren la noche, para ocultarse a para hacer sus diabluras.
03 Balankanché
Es sabido por los guardias de Chichén Itzá que, en la cueva de Balankanché, a un par de kilómetros de la zona arqueológica, salen los aluxes y mueven las cadenas de hierro del portón que se mantiene cerrado para que nadie entre.
También se dice que en la cueva del pueblo de Kaua Yucatán, es donde la mayor concentración de aluxes, pero que es una prueba de valor muy difícil de pasar, y para llegar hasta ahí tienen que tener permiso.
Algunas chamanas y X´menes han comentado que quienes han tenido oportunidad de verlos ha sido porque han llegado con humildad y con ofrendas. Las cuales deben ser aceptadas previamente, porque ponen a prueba el corazón de los visitantes.
El exterminio de los Aluxes
Provocar el temor a los aluxes
With the arrival of Christian and Protestant religions in Yucatan, they began to foster fear of what they did not know about Mayan culture, including the Aluxes, so at one time they dedicated themselves to killing them. Many X'men who were not genuine mixed rituals, a Catholic and Mayan syncretism, finding a way to exterminate them. It is said that for this reason they ended up hiding, and they only choose those they want to see them. Many times the first thing they do is visit whoever they choose in a dream and they are taken to show them the wonderful treasures they hide.
This story is connected to the myth of the gnomes, with the elementals of the earth, ancient archetypes that occur in other European cultures such as the stories of the Celts and the Nordics.
There have been stories of similar gnomes in the state of Guerrero, on the coast of Barra Vieja. There is no information that they were the same as the aluxes, but they were small gnomes, who not long ago played with children and caused mischief. In this case they did not hide, but it seems that they have become extinct. These were called "Chaneques." Mothers sent children to play with them to distract them, and when they misbehaved they scolded them both. Their physical form is said to be very curious, pot-bellied, with pointed ears that looked like small horns that stuck out, with faces of rascals, friendly and very short in stature.
It is possible that a sculpture of a chaneque can still be found on the road to Barra Vieja Guerrero.
Tomado del libro: "Leyendas, ceremonias tradicionales y relatos de la zona maya"
We were in the barren field where a crop was to be planted. It was a land that included mounds of ruins that were perhaps unknown. Night was falling and with it the song of solitude. We took shelter in a cave made of stone and sahcab; to get down we used a rope and a thick stick that was stuck in the floor of the cave.
We did not share the food we brought. What was I doing there? the reader may wonder. I was trying to make sure of what thousands of eyes bewitched by fantasy were seeing. I was trying to see those fantastic beings that, according to legend, lived in the guinea pigs (mounds of ruins) and fields of crops: The ALUXES.
I was accompanied by an elderly farmer named May. The night was advancing... Suddenly May spoke up and said to me: -I may be able to get this cornfield that I am going to plant. Why shouldn't I get it? I asked.
-Because these lands belong to the Aluxes. You always see them around here.
Are you sure they will come tonight?
Sure, he replied.
-I am so looking forward to seeing these wonderful beings who have such an influence on you! And tell me, Mr. May, have you seen them?
-Explain to me, what they are like, what they do.
The old man, assuming an air of importance, said to me:
-At night, when everyone is asleep, they leave their hiding places and roam the fields. They are short, very small, tiny creatures that go up and down, throw stones, do mischief, steal the fire and disturb people with their footsteps and games. When humans wake up and try to get out, they go away, sometimes in pairs, sometimes in a crowd. But when the fire is lively and sparks, they form a circle and dance around it. A small noise makes them flee and hide, only to come out later and cause more commotion. They are not bad creatures. If they are treated well, they reciprocate.
-What benefit do they provide?
-They keep away the bad winds and chase away the pests. If you treat them badly, they treat them badly, and the cornfield yields nothing, because at night they steal the seed that is scattered during the day, or they dance on the little plants that are beginning to sprout. We love them and we give them food and cigarettes. But let's keep quiet so you can see them.
The old man came out, holding on to the rope, and I followed him. Then I saw him stoke the fire and put in a small bowl of honey, pozole, cigarettes, etc., and he returned to the cave. I curled up comfortably in the back. The night was splendid, a full moon night. After a few hours, when I was beginning to fall asleep, I heard a noise that startled me. It was the sound of little footsteps on the ground in the cave. Then, the sound of stones, running, jumping, which became clearer in the silence of the night.
Source: http://www.uacam.mx/campeche/maya/leyalux.htm
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