With the coming of the end of the Maya calendar on 12.21.12 much hype and attention is being given to the year 2012 and the Maya Civilization. It is great to see that the Maya of Belize, Mexico and Central America are getting the attention that they deserve. The Maya Civilization thrived in an era where they proved to be very great mathematicians, philosophers and astronomers. But December 21, 2012 is being deemed by many as the end of the world as we know it. But is it really?
I had the opportunity to talk to Maya Shaman Rosario Panti and her family during a Maya Wedding at the Altun Ha Maya Ruins earlier this year and the topic of doomsday 2012 came up.
“It is nothing like Hollywood or all those predictions out there,” commented Rosario. “The end of the Maya Calendar only represents the ending of an era and the commencement of a new era and cycle for planet Earth. There is no need to be afraid of all those “end of the world” predictions. We will be just fine.”
So I do not really believe in all this apocalypse hype about the end of the world and strongly believe that we will all be here after the Dec. 21, 2012. And I strongly applaud the governments and businesses that are focusing on putting the spotlight on the Mesoamerican Maya during this momentous period for them. Although much may seem like business, it is indeed something positive that much more information is being pumped out there about the Maya for people to learn more out this amazing civilization.
Belize is blessed to have been inhabited by the Maya which is evident with all the rich Maya culture, Maya descendants who are still living in this country, the amazing Maya Ruins and artifacts that are being discovered on a daily basis. Marketing and exposing the world of the Maya to the rest of the world is important for our country and it’s great to see that a lot of people have stepped up to the plate.
Just today I encountered one such website that is dedicating to put out the right information about the Maya of Belize. The website is called the Mesoamerican Maya which its mission statement says: “The Belize Maya Project was established as an online clearinghouse of credible information about the ancient Maya civilization and to foster rational discussion and debate about Maya cosmology and how it relates to contemporary global society. We hope to show that the facts of the Maya are far more fascinating than the fiction surrounding this highly evolved, rich and enigmatic civilization.”
The Belize Maya Project supports research into ancient Maya history, culture and cosmology, and is active in the dissemination of credible information about this fascinating, enigmatic culture. It is supported by the Lodge at Chaa Creek and its Natural History Centre. Chaa Creek has been facilitating and hosting Maya research for decades. Click HERE to visit the website. It is chock-full of useful information about the Maya of Belize; very interesting website that is being updated on a regular basis with interesting article like – The Maya and 2012.
Belize is getting much more attention with all this Maya 2012 hype as evident articles from National Geographic, USA Travel and the Washington Time, to name a few. The Government of Belize, including Chaa Creek and 2012Weddings Belize, has begun the 2012 countdown. Only 365 days remain until the end of the 5126-year-old Mayan calendar next year. Let us all work together in spreading the news about the Maya of Belize!
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