Mayans' Iximche site purification rite

I heard the Associated Press (AP)'s Juan Carlos Llorca's notice about the "Priests to purify site after Bush visit" at the time [I think that "Bush visitará el centro ceremonial maya Iximché en Guatemala" is the same (or a very similar) noticia en español (16/03/07)], but thought it was still worth posting. As interactions with historic landscapes go, it's interesting, clever and sharp.

Mayan priests will purify a sacred archaeological site to eliminate "bad spirits" after President Bush visits next week, an official with close ties to the group said Thursday.

"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture," Juan Tiney, the director of a Mayan nongovernmental organization with close ties to Mayan religious and political leaders, said Thursday....

Tiney said the "spirit guides of the Mayan community" decided it would be necessary to cleanse the sacred site of "bad spirits" after Bush's visit so that their ancestors could rest in peace.

They describe the rites in the article.

Iximche, 30 miles west of the capital of Guatemala City, was founded as the capital of the Kaqchiqueles kingdom before the Spanish conquest in 1524.

George and Audrey DeLange recount a brief history of Iximche and Authentic Maya have another summary and photographs that give an impression of Ixim'ché.

In addition: anthroarcheart has an atmospheric photo of "Cakchiquel Capital City of IXIMCHE, ixim (corn) che (tree)"; and Maya Explorer has a little información on the arqueologia en español.

I wish the Mayans well in their purification of the site.