which describes the battle in terms similar to the modern legend. This document also contains the earliest known reference to the K'iche' leader as Tecum Umam. The Popol Vuh confirms the observations of Bartolomé de las Casas and the Título de Totonicapán, which record that four lords ruled the K'iche' at the time of the Spanish conquest. The first-born son of the Keeper of the Mat (the most powerful of the lords) was expected to prove himself by leading the K'iche' army and was given the title "nima rajpop achij", the same title given to Tecun Uman in the Título K'oyoi. This is all tied together by the genealogy of the K'iche' lords that is given near the end of the Popul Vuh and a section of the Título de Totonicapan, which both refer to the son of the Keeper of the Mat as "Tecum" at the time of Alvarado's arrival. A second explanation for the absence of greater detail in Alvarado's letter is that Tecun Uman actually did battle with one of Alvarado's subordinates by the name of Argueta. This suggestion is based on the claim of Argueta's descendants that the lance they keep as an heirloom of their predecessor is stained with the blood of the K'iche' hero. Since there is little documentation to prove the existence of a lord named Tecun Uman, it has been suggested that his name was created in order to replace the role of the "Moorish prince", the central antagonist of the Baile de los Moros. This theory has yet to be proven, and is given little attention in light of pre-existing documents speaking of a historical Tecun Uman long before the first performances of Baile de la Conquista. Variations The Baile de la Conquista is not unique to Guatemala; variations of the dance have been performed throughout Latin America with differences based on local folklore. The one constant in all forms of the dance is the resolution, a religious conversion of the native or "pagan" population. Surviving dances outside of Guatemala are usually performed to honor a town’s patron saint. See also Maya dance References Guatemalan music Guatemalan folklore Latin American folklore