Then comes the naming of those who are
the midmost seers: the “Grandmother of day, Grandmother of Light,” as the Maker,
Modeler called them. These are names of Xpiyacoc and Xmucane. (Popol Vuh:
The Definitive Edition of the Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life and the Glories of
Gods and Kings [trans. Dennis Tedlock; New York: Touchstone, 1985], 69)
And this One Hunahpu had two children,
and the two were sons, the firstborn named One Monkey and the second named One
Artisan.
And this is the name of their mother:
she is called Egret Woman, the wife of One Hunahpu. As for Seven Hunahpu, he
has no wife. He’s just a partner and just secondary; he just remains a boy.
They are great thinkers and great is
their knowledge. They are the midmost seers here on the face of the earth. There
is only good in their being and their birthright. They taught skills to One
Monkey and One Artisan, the sons of One Hunahpu. One Monkey and One Artisan
became flautists, singers, and writers; carvers, jadeworkers, metalworkers as
well. (Ibid., 91)
midmost seers: This is nikk’ wachinel [nicuachinel],
composed of nik’I, “middle”; wachin, “see with one’s own eyes”
(FV); -el, agenitive. In TC, where the words pa ya’ or “into
water” are added, the term refers to diviners who look into water. From this it
would seem that the unmodified term must refer to any diviners who use gazing
techniques. (Ibid., 231)
