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Here is one of the most important surviving works of pre-Columbian civilization, Rabinal Achi, a Mayan drama set a century before the arrival of the Spanish, produced by the translator of the best selling Popol Vuh. The first direct translation into English from Quich? Maya, based on the original text, Rabinal Achi is the story of city-states, war, and nobility, of diplomacy, mysticism, and psychic journeys. Cawek of the Forest People has been captured by Man of Rabinal, who serves a ruler named Lord Five Thunder. Cawek is a renegade, a warrior who has inflicted much suffering on Rabinal. Yet he is also the son of the lord of the allied city of Quich?--a noble who once fought alongside Man of Rabinal. The drama presents the confrontation between the two during the trial of Cawek, who defies his captors and proudly accepts death by beheading. Dennis Tedlock's translation is clear and vivid; more than that, it is rooted in an understanding of how the play is actually performed. Despite being banned for centuries by Spanish authorities, it survived in actual practice, and is still performed in the town of Rabinal today. Tedlock's photographs and diagrams accompany the text, capturing nuances not apparent in the dialogue alone. He also provides an introduction and commentary that explain the historical events compressed into the play, the Spanish influence on the Mayan dramatic tradition, and the cultural and religious world preserved in this remarkable play. Rabinal Achi ranks as a classic of Mayan literature--and a rare window on a world that had yet to be invaded by Europeans. Dennis Tedlock brings this drama to life in all its richness.
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Rabinal Achi: A Mayan Drama of War and Sacrifice DENNIS TEDLOCK OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS Rabinal Achi Also by Dennis Tedlock Finding the Center: The Art of the Zuni Storyteller Teachings from the American Earth: Indian Religion and Philosophy (with Barbara Tedlock) The Spoken Word and the Work of Interpretation Popol Vuh: The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life Days from a Dream Almanac Breath on the Mirror: Mythic Voices and Visions of the Living Maya The Dialogic Emergence of Culture (with Bruce Mannheim) Rabinal Achi A MAYAN DRAMA OF WAR AND SACRIFICE Translated and interpreted by DENNIS TEDLOCK 2003 Oxford New York Auckland Bangkok Buenos Aires Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kolkata Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi São Paulo Shanghai Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Copyright 2003 by Dennis Tedlock Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, 10016 http://www.oup-usa.org Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Oxford University Press. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rabinal-Achí. English Rabinal Achi : a Mayan drama of war and sacrifice / translated and interpreted by Dennis Tedlock. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-19-513974-7 1. Rabinal-Achâ. 2. Quichâ drama—History and criticism. I. Tedlock, Dennis, 1939II. Title. PM4231.Z95 E5 2002 897’.4152—dc21 2002030777 The illustrations in this book were prepared with the assistance of the McNulty Endowment of the University at Buffalo of the State University of New York. All photographs are by the author unless otherwise noted. Figures 23 and 49 are reproduced courtesy of Michael D. Coe; figure 38 by permission of the University of Texas Press; figure 56 is Rollout Photograph K554 © Justin Kerr. Book design by planettheo.com Printing number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in