Biography of tecun uman 1

He was declared Guatemala's official national hero on March 22, , and is commemorated on February 20, on the anniversary of his death. In the process of the European Colonization of the Americas much history was lost due to the destruction of Pre-Columbian artifacts and the suppression of any indication that civilization pre-existed the arrival of the European conquerors and settlers.

Tecun uman statue

For this journey, Alvarado was given three hundred soldiers, a hundred and twenty archers and gunmen, one hundred and thirty five horsemen, and several hundred Cholutec and Tlaxcaltec allies. At that time, Alvarado allied himself with those of the Kaqchikel, who had long been bitter rivals of the K'iche' nation. Prior to setting foot in Guatemala, the Kaqchikels had already surrendered to the Spaniards in and asked for assistance in defeating their enemies.

The K'iche denied their requests and quietly prepared for battle. When the army arrived at Xelaju modern-day Quetzaltenango the K'iche' steward of the town sent word to Q'umarkaj. Alvarado was clad in armor and mounted on his warhorse. While another version says he merely attacked the horse in an attempt to knock Alvarado down, having no prior illusion that both man and animal were one and the same.

Tecún umán maya

He quickly realized his error and turned for a second attack but Alvarado's spear pierced through his opponent's chest and into his heart. It was then his nagual, filled with grief, landed on the fallen hero's chest, staining its breast feathers red with blood, and thereafter died. From that day on, all male quetzals bear a scarlet breast and their song has not been heard since.

Further, if one is to be placed in captivity, it would die, making the quetzal a symbol of liberty. Another account claims a much more complex confrontation of religious and material forces. Other natives had attempted to kill Alvarado, but he was protected by a powerful maiden, commonly associated with the Virgin Mary.