In Belize, what some might dismiss as superstition, the Maya take as hard-earned wisdom.
Despite some trickles of modernity moving into the Mayan villages of Belize’s Toledo district—like people owning cell phones, attending university, taking on employment outside of farming, and traveling beyond their communities—they retain many of the customs that shaped the lives of their ancestors. This includes how much their daily activities are connected to the lunar cycle.
As part of their cosmological belief system, certain activities are auspicious or avoided at particular periods. The moon, known as “uh” in the Mopan Maya language, acts as a guide, guardian, and calendar for actions ranging from building homes to planting crops, and this isn’t some superstition or old wives’ tale. “It’s something that happens in reality,” says Jose Mes, a certified guide with Toledo Cave and Adventure Tours and the former chairperson of Santa Cruz Village.
Bordering Guatemala, Toledo is the southernmost and least populated of Belize’s seven districts and it is home to Belize’s largest Maya communities, which make up around 11% of the country’s population. It is known for the Rio Branco Waterfall, an annual chocolate festival, and as a hub of adventure and community-based tourism. Where Mes lives in Santa Cruz, 95% of the residents are farmers and there’s no electricity in the majority of the homes. Houses are lit by kerosene lamps made from old imported coffee bottles, solar panels for those who can afford them, and the quiet darkness of the starry night sky. For generations, they have lived off—and more importantly—with the land, and the moon tells them when to plant, when to harvest, when to build, and when to wait.
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New Moon Rules
The new moon brings its own distinct set of guidelines. It’s during this time that Mes and his community hunt for jungle vegetables like the heart of palm, which is locally known as Jippi Jappa, and the reasoning is simple: during the new moon, young shoots are abundant and edible, but when the full moon arrives, they become over-mature. The Maya, both historically and today, are highly skilled agriculturalists with a broad understanding of how the lunar phases affect nature. “The new moon is when we receive rain so after that we can plant,” Mes says.
In addition to farming, the new moon impacts the construction of the thatch-roofed houses they live in. “We never build in the new moon,” Mes shares. “If you cut your leaves, your sticks, your vine in the new moon, you can construct a beautiful home, but it won’t last long.” This is due to the belief that such a house will be filled with dropping-producing bugs and weevils. “You can be having your nice meal or your nice nap when you’re tired, snoring hard with your mouth open wide and it will fill with those droppings,” he warns. “Any time after the quarter of the moon, and you’ll be fine.”
Full Moon Fertility and Strength
The full moon has its own power, a different kind of magic. Mes talks about its influence on women’s fertility, a supposition that goes back further than anyone can remember. “That is a belief from the early days,” says Mes. This is also when the Maya cut sticks, tie-tie (a type of vine), and palm leaves for the protection of buildings. Wood should ideally be cut then too. This is such a prevailing belief in Belize that some resorts like Itz’ana in Placencia strive to use wood harvested during the full moon for things like privacy screens.
The moon’s influence similarly extends to home gardens, where planting under a full moon helps plants absorb more water and become more resilient. “That’s when my wife plants her tomatoes,” Mes shares. “Most of the ingredients for our food are from the backyard.”
Sea life is also said to move to the beat of the lunar rhythm. Along the coasts, the best time to book a whale shark tour is reportedly right around the full moon, give or take three days, when these gentle giants are apparently more active.
First and Third Quarter of the Moon
The first and third quarters of the moon are equally important in Maya farming practices. “The first quarter of the moon is when we do chopping,” Mes says, referring to clearing land for planting. “Right after the three-quarter moon is when you can plant your corn, beans, and ground foods like the yams, the cocoa yam, and the cassava because it gives a good harvest.” This intimate knowledge allows them to work with, rather than against, the environment, which is of utmost importance since most families sell some of their produce to sustain their households.
Living at One with Nature
The Maya of Toledo live in a way that’s increasingly rare in today’s world in partnership with nature, and even their identities are tied to it. “Most Maya people have Spanish first names, but their last names are from nature,” Mes reveals. This includes surnames like Cal (white limestone), Chok (cloud), Batz (howler monkey), and Sotz (bat). “For example, my surname Mes is from the Give and Take palm,” he says.
Jose Mes is a charming and dynamic individual who peppers his Toledo cultural tours with light-hearted jokes about chocolate-based natural energy drinks, corn wine, and Mayan matchmaking in numerous languages. With no schooling opportunities, he taught himself English and Spanish and he also speaks Kekchi Maya, Creole, and a bit of Yucatec Maya. “The Yucatec Maya have even more practices around the moon’s cycle than Mopan Maya, from the shamans,” he explains. This ancient relationship with the moon is a reminder that while modernity may bring new tools, the old ways still carry wisdom worth following.
