Archetypal Tricksters, Religious
Syncretism, and Mestizo culture
Mam, Saint Simon, Judas, Pedro Alvarado,
and the emergence of MAXIMON
The Trickster Archetype
• An archetype is a character that represents some
universal aspect of the human psyche and the
interplay of the individual and society
• The trickster is often a God or a Totem Spirit who:
• Rebels against authority
• Makes fun of the self-important
• Concocts convoluted schemes to satisfy base
emotions and urges
The Trickster Archetype
The trickster is a wise fool
• Famous tricksters
• Kokopelli
• Loki
• Judas Iscariot
• Eshu
• Coyote
• Bugs Bunny
The Many Gifts of the Trickster
 Fire
 Pregnancy/Babies and the Paternity Uncertainty
problem
 Humility
The trickster questions and makes us examine things
that are left unexamined. The trickster arrives when
things are dysfunctional and a new beginning is
needed. The trickster can destroy worlds and save us
all at the same time.
The Trickster and Gender
 Most Tricksters can shape shift and often change gender
 Two-spirit tricksters are common in indigenous beliefs
 Loki caused Thor to cross-dress and himself shape shifted,
got pregnant by a giant’s stallion, and birthed an eight legged
horse.
 Tricksters often use their supernatural powers to impregnate
maidens and wives and offer a solution to how women might
get pregnant when husbands are not present—a solution to
Paternity Uncertainty
 Tricksters ask us to question rigid gender roles and our simple
dichotomous thinking
 Tricksters have fun, enjoy their bodies (and others too), and
don’t worry about gender hang ups
Is Bugs Bunny a trickster god?
 Bugs the Infamous Playful Cross-Dressing Prankster
Religious Syncretism
 The combination of different forms of belief or
practice
 Often occurs when new ideas are forced upon
indigenous peoples but can occur organically
 Usually begins by attempts to understand new
beliefs in the old framework
MAM
 The Ancient One of the Maya Pantheon
 Snaggled-tooth and humped back like Kokopelli
 He must be appeased or there will be discord in the
world
 Very early forms he could control Hurricanes,
Earthquakes, Jaguars and could bring disaster, pain,
suffering, and death
 Sacrifices can keep you on his good side
 God of the underworld—had to be tricked to
resurrect the corn god after three days
Saint Simon
 Simon the Zealot was an apostle of Jesus…about all
we know
 Often depicted with a saw as in some legends he
was martyred by being cut into pieces
Judas Iscariot
 Judas Iscariot was an apostle of Jesus and betrayed
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him to his death with a kiss
Iscariot may mean dagger, liar, or betrayer
depending on the translation
He recently has been recognized for his role in the
trickster tradition. He destroyed and saved the
world at once – and ironically with a kiss.
Recent ancient writings shed new light on his role as
a reticent participant in the crucifixion
He sent Jesus to the underworld where he could be
resurrected
Pedro Alvarado
 Second in command of the new world under Cortez
 Led many massacres including Tenochtitlan
 Destroyer of worlds
 Noted for his cruelty and for conquering Guatemala
 Rape and exploitation of women was common for his
troops
Pedro Alvarado
 Had no children from his two Spanish wives but
three children from his companion Luisa de Tlaxcala
 Luisa was a Mayan noblewoman with many valuable
possessions
 Her offspring were wealthy and powerful in
Guatemala for many generations and began the
Mestizo/Ladino elites
MAXIMON
 Sounds like Saint Simon or “San Simon”
 Or could be a blend of the Mayan god Mam and
Simon
MAXIMON
 Many say he looks like Pedro de Alvarado
Maximon
 Believed to be a variation of the God Mam the
underworld ruler who must be appeased
 Legend says when the men were away working in
the fields Maximon slept with all their wives (like
Pedro de Alvarado’s conquistadores)
 When the men returned they were enraged and cut
off his arms and legs (link to Saint Simon)
Maximon
 Mam/Maximon is a trickster who seduces women,
demands tribute, and can bring big trouble
 Like Judas Mam/Maximon sent a god to the
underworld to be resurrected
 Maximon sometimes replaces Judas in Santa
Semana parades
The Cult of Maximon
 Practiced in the Guatemalan Highlands in a handful
of communities, most notably Santiago de Atitlan
 Maximon spends one year in a local resident’s
house where a room is transformed into a shrine
The Cult of Maximon
 Statue is usually stubby – no arms or legs!
 Usually has a hole for a mouth for lit cigars or for
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pouring liquor into him
People leave sacrifices of tobacco, liquor, money or
other luxury items
Tobacco is burned like incense around him
He is often draped in fancy scarves from women
perhaps as a sign of favor
His boons are many:
 Health, good crops, happy marriage
Maximon in the 21st Century
Mestizo culture
 Nearly EVERYTHING in Mestizo Culture is as
beautifully complex as Maximon
 This blending is sophisticated and of great value to
people to understand and make sense of their world
 Cultural Universals like the Trickster Archetype tell
us about ourselves and in the case of the trickster
the silly or wrong things we do
Religious Syncretism