This Mayan deity/folk saint, whose worship began around the time of the Spanish conquest in the 16th century as a blend of several historical, biblical, and Mayan mythological figures. Perhaps Maximón's most famous representation is located in the lakeside town of Santiago Atitlán, a wooden effigy draped in colorful garments and scarves and hosted in a different household each year.

Read more in our post Water Magic on Guatemala's Lake Atitlán.

Ralf Steinberger