I just learned there is an entity that guards the animals!
On our last trip to see Francisco, my lovely friend and local Maya healer, we were able to spend some time just asking questions—which led to a fabulous discovery. I have heard many stories about aluxes (aluxob), the protectors of the land. But, this time, Francisco told us about a creature called El Sip.
El Sip is, according to Francisco who is the village healer, a don (honored and gifted one) and a powerful shaman, El Sip is the most powerful of all the animals and is the guardian and owner of them all. It is more powerful than an alux. (For more about aluxes, go here) If an alux warns you and you don’t listen, El Sip will come and deal with you!
So, what does El Sip look like?
Well, unlike an alux which is an elemental being, principally air, El Sip is an actual animal and is alive.
I love this part! . . .
El Sip is a tiny animal that looks like a deer with huge horns that are bigger than the entire rest of its body and it has bees (or hornets) flying around the tips of its horns. The bees are deadly!
And what is El Sip capable of?
El Sip does not like you to shoot a lot of animals when you are hunting, only enough for your immediate needs. If you take too many animals, several things may happen to you. You may become paralyzed! Or you may think you are chasing a deer, only to find when you get close to it that your eyes have been deceived and it is NOT a deer. You may also suddenly find yourself no longer in the forest/jungle, but rather standing in the middle of the road, not knowing how you got there and sporting a terrible headache!
If one of these things happens to you, you will be in need of a shaman to help fix you up quick.
Oh yes…also, apparently not long ago, some men SHOT and KILLED an El Sip! (There is more than one of them.) Francisco says that the men will likely die…
Oh my!
For now, this is all the information I have about this new and very interesting guardian of the animals. I hope to learn more soon, and wouldn’t it be cool if I actually SAW one? Of course, I would promise to be very nice to all the animals and I would keep my distance to avoid the deadly bees.
So, curious to know more!
laura