Dreaming with the Mountains

This book explores the lives and culture of the Ixil Maya in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, highlighting their enduring connection to their ancestral lands characterized by sacred mountains, caves, coffee plantations, and hydroelectric projects. Despite historical traumas such as war and genocide, the Ixil people continue to integrate their rich narratives into the land they inhabit. Through a detailed examination of these narratives, the book aims to deepen our understanding of the Indigenous Peoples' relationship with sacred landscapes and their environment. The book delves into the spiritual practices known as Maya spirituality and costumbre, which include rituals, ceremonies, and interactions with earth-beings. It considers the portrayal of these relationships and practices in oral traditions, historical accounts, and present-day testimonies, offering insights into the Ixil philosophy of tiichajil, meaning "good life," and their traditional ecological knowledge, with an emphasis on the women Ancestral Authorities. By redefining animism within contemporary ontological and religious discourse, the book offers analytical insights into narratives and their connection to the landscape. Most notably, the book provides a unique, non-linear perspective on local history, contributing groundbreaking insights to Maya studies. According to Professor Milan Kov from the Department of Comparative Religion at Comenius University, it presents entirely new data in this field.