End of the world? Maya and revelers ready for a new day (photos)
Mexican indigenous groups, including Mayas and Otomis, gather before the alleged “End of the World” festivities at Chichen Itza for a ritual at the base of the El Castillo pyramid. Contrary to what pop culture has been promoting, Mayan scholars and priests say the world is not coming to an end on Dec. 21, 2012, but rather the date involves a galactic realignment and the transition to a new 394-year period known as a “baktun.” Chichen Itza, the most important Mayan religious center, and the monumental pyramid El Castillo’ dedicated to the god, Kukulkan, will be the focus of numerous festivities surrounding the beginning of the new calendar.
YUCATAN, Mexico — GlobalPost visits Chichen Itza, in the heartland of the old Maya world in southeastern Mexico, where indigenous people and foreign New Age party-goers Mexican indigenous people and foreign New Age party-goers were converging — not to ring in the end, but to welcome what Maya priests believe will be a new era.
More from GlobalPost: Modern-day Mayans go about their day as usual
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.