The ancient Mayan ballgame Pok ta’pok | LDS Tours Cancun
If you have ever been on a tour to Chichen Itza with Alma’s LDS Tours, surely you remember the ball-court where the Mayan used to play Pok ta’pok, the Mayan ballgame.
The Mayan ballgame or better known as Pok ta’pok was an ancient sport played since the Pre-Columbian time. The game had an important ritual significance, as the Mayan culture would play it to promote the movements of stars, but also represented some other aspects related to astronomy, war, or even fertility.
The rules of the game remain uncertain, but the prevailing theory indicates that players struck the ball with their hips aiming to keep the ball in motion. There is a lot to know about the history of Pok ta’pok, but today we want to share some interesting facts that will help you learn more about the Mayan culture and this ancient ballgame.
1.- The ball: Mayan depictions show that the balls used to play the game were made of rubber. The size of the ball was approximately 20-25 inches and weighed 3-6 lbs. According to the legends, the ball represented the sun.
2.-The ball court: Represents a place of transition between life and death. Although, there is evidence these courts were used for social events, performances, as well as human sacrifices, too.
3.- The players: Two teams would participate during the game. Each one of them with four to seven players. Games were brutal; players suffered severe injuries during the match, even death.
The legend of the Hero Twins
According to the book Popol Vuh, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, the Hero twins, were two brothers and great Pok ta’pok players. One day the lords of the Xibalba, annoyed by the noise they made while playing, summoned them to the underworld. The lords of Xibalba tried to trick them, but the twins successfully passed every test and danger found in the underworld. Eventually, the Hero twins overcome the Xibalba, establishing the supremacy of the living things over the hell as the sky Gods then turned them into the Sun and the Moon.
The Pok ta’pok could be played just for fun, but it also held deep religious meaning for the Mayan culture, who saw it as the eternal confrontation between good versus evil.
Alma’s LDS Tours offers a great variety of tours where you can keep learning more about the history of this and more Mayan culture.
Here is a list of our most popular tours:
- Chichen Itza by Airplane from Cozumel Tour
- LDS Tour F. Chichen Itza Ruins and Cenote
- LDS Tour 3 . Chichen Itza, Ek Balam Ruins and Cenote Ik Kil
“Maya Hero Twins” History on the Net
© 2000-2019, Salem Media.
November 20, 2019 <https://www.historyonthenet.com/maya-hero-twins>
Mayan Ball Game: Pok Ta Pok - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game - Mayan Ball Game Mchezo wa mpira wa Maya au unaojulikana zaidi kama Pok ta<unk>pok ulikuwa mchezo wa kale uliochezwa tangu wakati wa kabla ya Columbus. Mchezo huo ulikuwa na umuhimu muhimu wa kidesturi, kwani utamaduni wa Maya ungeucheza ili kukuza harakati za nyota, lakini pia uliwakilisha mambo mengine yanayohusiana na elimu ya nyota, vita, au hata uzazi. Sheria za mchezo huo bado hazijulikani, lakini nadharia inayotumiwa inaonyesha kwamba wachezaji walipiga mpira kwa viuno vyao ili kuuweka katika mwendo. Kuna mengi ya kujua kuhusu historia ya Pok Ta Pok, lakini leo tunataka kushiriki baadhi ya ukweli wa kuvutia ambayo itakusaidia kujifunza zaidi kuhusu utamaduni wa Maya na mchezo huu wa zamani wa mpira. Mfano wa mpira wa Maya unaonyesha kwamba mpira uliotumiwa kucheza mchezo huo ulikuwa wa mpira. Kiasi cha mpira huo kilikuwa karibu inchi 20-25 na uzito wa pauni 3-6 Kulingana na hekaya, mpira huo uliwakilisha jua. 2.-Kati ya mpira: Inawakilisha mahali pa mpito kati ya maisha na kifo. Ingawa, kuna uthibitisho kwamba mahakama hizo zilitumiwa kwa ajili ya matukio ya kijamii, maonyesho, na pia dhabihu za kibinadamu. 3.- Wachezaji: Timu mbili zingejihusisha wakati wa mchezo. Kila moja yao na wachezaji wanne hadi saba. Michezo ilikuwa ya kikatili; wachezaji waliumia sana wakati wa mechi hiyo, hata wakafa. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika kitabu ""Popol Vuh,"" Hunahpu na Xbalanque walikuwa ndugu wawili na wachezaji wakubwa wa Pok Tae-Pok." Siku moja mabwana wa Xibalba, wakikasirishwa na kelele walizofanya walipokuwa wakicheza, waliwaita kwenye ulimwengu wa chini. Bwana wa Xibalba alijaribu kuwadanganya, lakini mapacha hao walifanikiwa kupita kila mtihani na hatari iliyopatikana katika ulimwengu wa chini. Mwishowe, mapacha wa Hero wanashinda Xibalba, na kuanzisha utawala wa viumbe hai juu ya kuzimu, wakati miungu ya anga kisha inawageuza kuwa Jua na Mwezi. Poktapok ilikuwa na maana ya kidini kwa Wamaya ambao waliiona kama mapambano ya milele kati ya wema na uovu. Alma's LDS Tours inatoa aina kubwa ya ziara ambapo unaweza kuendelea kujifunza zaidi kuhusu historia ya hii na zaidi ya utamaduni wa Maya. Kwa mfano, unaweza kwenda kwenye ziara ya Cozumel na kufurahia ziara ya Chichen Itza, na pia unaweza kwenda kwenye ziara ya Cozumel na kufurahia ziara ya Cozumel na Cozumel. Chichen Itza, Ek Balam Ruins na Cenote Ik Kil <unk>Maya Hero Twins<unk> Historia kwenye Mtandao © 2000-2019, Salem Media. "Mwezi wa 11 ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" wa ""History"" ya ""History"" ya ""History"" ya ""History"" ya ""History"" ya ""History"" ya ""History"" ya ""History"" ya ""History"""