The Maya Language

It’s amazing the language has survived, as the Mayan empire established itself in 1500 BC and existed for 3000 years before falling at the hands of decline and disease to the Spanish conquistadores and colonists. Scribes originally wrote the language in beautifully ornate and complex hieroglyphs that meant both syllables and full words. Unfortunately the Spanish forced Mayan people to conform their language to the Latin alphabet in hope of stifling culture.

Maya in Tulum

We find Maya words all over the Yucatán, often in a mix with Spanish. Tulum itself means “wall” in Maya, referring to the fortification walls that protected the ancient city. “Cenotes” – the Spanish name of the pools of water found all over Quintana Roo, actually originates from the Maya “tz’onot” meaning abyss or cavity. Generations have also combined Maya words with Spanish, in compounds or names for food. One of the traditional foods of the Riviera Maya is “cochinita pibil”. “Cochinita” is the Spanish word for young pig, and “pibil” is Maya for “roasting”. These crossover terms help keep the Maya heritage alive through language as well as in culture.