Visit Chichen Itza, Ollamaliztli, The Ballgame

Central to Society in Northern Maya Lowlands, Chichen Itza is the largest Maya Metropolitan City and considered to have had the most diverse culture. Serving as a political, economical and cultural center, ruling parties established the water port city, Isla Cerritos for importing obsidian from Central Mexico and Gold from Central America. In it's prime, the City held jurisdiction over Maya civilization from Central Yucatan to the North coast, extending down the east and west coasts of the Peninsula and is considered the reason for the decline of Coba as a central trading city. 

El Castillo, Main Step Pyramid

Built in the Terminal Classic Period, Chichen Itza enjoyed prosperity in North Maya from the late Classic (c AD 600 - 900) through the Terminal Classic (c. AD 800 - 900) and into the early portion of the Postclassic period (c. AD 900 - 1200). In addition to El Castillo, the main step pyramid, Chichen Itza houses Cenote Segrado, a place of pilgrimage and site of sacrifices during drought, several temples, a wall of skull carvings representing those sacrificed and a steam bath. 

Chichen Itza houses the largest Ball Court found to date. It is believed the Ballgame, or ollamaliztli, was associated with human sacrifice rituals. The game is seen as a battle between life and death, courts considered portals to the underworld. Further archaeological discoveries show the ballgame may have had multiple purposes. For instance, Women may have competed with each other in fertility rituals. Children were taught the game at a young age and competed locally and regionally for rank. Ball courts are present in most Mayan Cities, however, they are much smaller and appear to have been used for local rituals, training and player selection. Later, teams would travel to play in Chichen Itza during regional competition. The ballgame was played by most mesoamerican societies including the later Aztec Civilization. 

Mayan Ballgame Hoop

At rare times, game was played by royalty. Winning meant rain for the season and bountiful crops. Losing meant the people would experience terrible wrath from the Snake Gods.  There are many examples where Ruling members used the ballgame to defuse and resolve conflict wagering everything from gold to maize corn, even territory on the outcomes. The Maya believed whether playing for Life or for Sacrifice, doing so made them an active participant in the cosmic order of the Universe. Everything about Maya belief is an extension of the cultural interpretation of individual relationships with the afterlife. Everything about collective Mayan expression revolves around ritual and ceremony as a way to control part of the outcome. 

Maya Ballplayer

The game was played by two opposing teams of two to four people. Each team is confined to half of the court with the object being to volley a 9 lb solid rubber ball back and forth using only their hips until one team fails to return it. The mason courts were long open spaces with steeply inclined sides and a stone circle hoop installed in the top center of each side. Players would use their hips to propel the ball through the stone circle for point advantage, though no one is sure of the actual point systems or official rules observed by the ancient Maya. It is noted the game itself was extremely difficult and caused players severe bruising among other common injury. It is hard to imagine the game being played by so few players on such a large field as Chichen Itza. Running up steep inclines, volleying a dense heavy ball without the use of their hands is an impressive feat. It is believed the winners of ritual ballgames were the ones to be sacrificed. Modern society can only marvel at the idea of competing for death where the prize is the players demise. Mayan society considered sacrificing their lives to the God the ultimate honor, martyring themselves for the benefit of the whole of their communities. 

Chichen Itza is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site and a must see when traveling to the Yucatan Peninsula. Tours can be arranged through any hotel, resort or through designated tour companies in local townships. The drive from the Rivera Maya is approximately three hours one way. Lunch is provided at the archaeological site, but plan for a long day. Staying onsite at Hacienda Chichen Resort and Maya Spa allows for more immersive Chichen Itza experience as guests enjoy planetarium shows,  night astrology activities and private tours of the area. 

Hacienda Chichen Resort and Maya Spa

Look for more posts on visiting Chichen Itza and other Mayan sites from The Grand Adventure of the Blond Brunette in the near future. Email BlondeBrunetteAdventure@gmail.com for tips and advise on planning a trip to The Yucatan Peninsula.

6 Reasons I Travel and Why You Should, Too

"Not all who Wander are lost." JRR Tolkien 

Travel is imperative to expanding one's perspective.  Leaving comfort zones to sleep in unfamiliar places,  eat foods foreign to our tastes and know how others live does more than make us resilient and adaptable. It makes us whole.  These are the moments we choose to replay in our minds after the vacation is over.  Adventures bring us closer together or as traveling individuals,  allow our souls to breathe.  There are so many profound reasons to travel. Here are My top 6. 

1. To meet new people

"Find life experiences and swallow them whole. Travel. Meet many People. Go down some dead ends and explore dark alleys.  Try everything.  Exhaust yourself in the glorious pursuit of life."   -Lawrence K. Fish 

Everyone You meet has a story. Hearing other people's stories brings us closer as a human race.  People really do want the same things,  good health, comfort and a space to grow as an individual.  Everyone goes through similar life cycles, some have children,  some adults have grown children and now care for elderly parents, others are great grandparents.  Getting out of familiar places and sharing stories allows each of us to feel closer to those who live in far away places and know our similarities.  

2. To be more resilient 

"Stripped of your ordinary surroundings, your friends,  your daily routines,  your refrigerator full of food,  your closet full of clothes - with all this taken away,  you are forced into direct experience.  Such direct experience inevitably makes you aware of who it is that is having the experience.  That's not always comfortable,  but it is invigorating."  -Michael Crichton

Travel can be uncomfortable,  yes. Any trip out of Your comfort zone is scary.  Some refuse to travel for fear of the unknown, but discomfort can be a beautiful thing.  Through travel, we learn to expect the unexpected in delightful ways.  Getting sidetracked and stuck may seem dreadful in the day to day grindstone,  but when traveling,  time feels different.  Experiencing the unexpected teaches us faith that we are always where we need to be and so we learn to adapt.  It's vacation,  after all! Where do You need to be in such a hurry? 

3. To Learn Tolerance and Achieve Understanding

"It's important that we share our experiences with other people.  Your story will heal you and your story will heal somebody else.  When you tell your story,  you give yourself and give other people permission to acknowledge their own story."  -Iyanla Vanzant 

Every single human being in the World has basic needs,  shelter,  water,  food.  Traveling allows us to learn how others mitigate these needs.  In the jungle,  people often get their food from the fruit bearing trees and do not understand grocery stores.  On the beach,  the food comes from the sea and is present in every meal.  Immersing Yourself in other cultures expands your perspective in immersive and multidimensional ways.  

4. Adventure

"Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures."  -Lovelle Drachman

Hike, Swim in the Ocean, Climb a Mountain, Sail a Ship! Who doesn't love adventure? Through exploration We conquer our fears, set goals and achieve them, raise our heart rates in a good way and let genuine smiles radiate from the inside out. The feeling anything can be achieved comes back wth us to daily life after the trip.  Those who adventure,  take more risks and reap the benefits in their day to day lives.  Those who don't feel stagnated and marginalized. 

5. To Feel More Human

"The greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience every day things as if for the first time."  -Bill Bryson 

Traveling puts us in situations where We understand the Human Experience.  We appreciate the journey more and are able to have gratitude for what's really important in life.  Experiencing many cultures allows You to be more comfortable with Yourself. The World feels less chaotic knowing everyone in it has the same passions,  desires and billions of ways to express them.  Bringing home pieces of culture keeps a sense of wonder about a place long after You are gone.   

6. To Get in Touch with the Divine 

"I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the World." -Mary Anne Radmacher

Travel creates a spiritual restlessness.  It's the feeling inciting us to rise early to see the sunrise in a far away place and go to bed late to watch the same night sky as the locals.  These private moments of gratitude have bring us closer to our divine spiritual divine.   

"Your heart is the size of an Ocean. Go find Yourself in its hidden depths." Rumi

It's easier than you think to plan a trip.  Start a Bucket list and make a plan.  I'll be posting an entire series on ways to plan tangible trips You can take soon.  Stay tuned! 

The Grand Adventures of the Blonde Brunette is a collection of my travels published with the intent to help others enjoy traveling comfortably, creating lifelong memories out of enriching cultural experiences.  The World is My Playground.