The Title of Totonicapan

The Title of Totonicapán is a significant document composed by the Kiche Maya in the highlands of Guatemala, second only to the Popol Vuh. This volume presents a new translation from the original Kiche Maya text, based on the oldest known manuscript copy, rediscovered by Robert Carmack in 1973. The Title of Totonicapán describes the mythic origins and history of the Kiche people and provides a complementary account to the Popol Vuh. It contains more detailed information and contradicts some assertions made by the authors of the Popol Vuh. This work is essential for scholars and students in history, anthropology, archaeology, religious studies, and Indigenous literature.

Format: Hardback
Length: 424 pages
Publication date: 15 August 2022
Publisher: University Press of Colorado

The Title of Totonicapán is a remarkable work that stands as the first complete English translation of one of the most significant documents composed by the Kiche Maya in the highlands of Guatemala. This document, second only in importance to the Popol Vuh, holds immense historical significance. Completed in 1554, just a few decades after the Spanish Conquest of the Kiche people in 1524, this volume presents a wholly new translation from the original Kiche Maya text, based on the oldest known manuscript copy, rediscovered by Robert Carmack in 1973.

The Title of Totonicapán is a land title written by surviving members of the Kiche Maya nobility, a branch of the Maya that dominated the highlands of western Guatemala prior to the Spanish invasion in 1524. It was duly signed by the ruling lords of all three major Kiche lineages: the Kaweqib, the Nijayib, and the Ajaw Kiches. Titles of this kind were relatively common for Maya communities in the Guatemalan highlands in the first century after the Spanish Conquest as a means of asserting land rights and privileges for their leaders.

Similar to the Popol Vuh, the Title of Totonicapán is written in the elevated court language of the early Colonial period, and it eloquently describes the mythic origins and history of the Kiche people. While the Title of Totonicapán largely agrees with the version of Kiche history and cosmology presented in the Popol Vuh, it offers a complementary account that attests to traditions that must have been widely known and understood within the Kiche community. In many instances, the Totonicapán document provides more detailed and nuanced descriptions of history, genealogy, and political organization, offering a deeper insight into the Kiche people's way of life.

However, it is worth noting that in some cases, the Totonicapán document contradicts assertions made by the authors of the Popol Vuh. This may be a reflection of internal dissent and jealousy between rival lineages within the Kiche community. The Title of Totonicapán serves as a valuable resource for scholars and researchers seeking to understand the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Kiche Maya. Its translation and publication provide a window into the lives and beliefs of this ancient civilization, shedding light on their interactions with neighboring societies and their contributions to the broader Maya world.

ISBN-13: 9781646422630