Maya Mythology

The Maya Gods of Mesoamerica...

HUN HUNAHPU

Maya Fertility God

Also known as God-S, Hun-Hunaphu, One-Hunahpu

Picture of the Maya Fertility God Hun Hunahpu from our Maya mythology image library. Illustration by Chas Saunders.

God of Fertility and Football

Also known as God S. S is for Sport! A wizard of the dribble, he was unfortunate enough to come up against Xibalba, the Underworld Team, in the Cup Final.

It all started when he was playing soccer with his sons Hun Batz and Hun-Chowen, with brother Vucub Hunahpu in goal. They made such a noise shouting to each other “pass it this way” and “get into him sonny” and “that ball was never off-side” that they disturbed the Underworld beneath the field.

Vucub Caquix, Lord of the Underworld, was very irate and sent messengers summoning Hun Hunahpu and his brother to the Underworld Cup Final. Along the way there were many dangerous intelligence tests which, being more brawn than brain, they failed miserably. But more humiliation was to come when the Xibalba Team walked onto the field.

Their star player Vucub Caquix bent the rules and cut off Hun Hunahpu’s head. The referee didn’t like to say anything or even admit to being there. And who can blame him?

Vucub Caquix hung the head on a calabash tree. One day an Underworld lass called Xquic fancied a calabash and picked what was left of Hun Hunahpu by mistake.

Game to the last, he managed to pass some sacred spittle into her hand. We did say he was wizard of the dribble.

Xquic must have swallowed because she gave birth to Hunahpu and Xbalanque, otherwise known as the Hero Twins.

Hun Hunahpu Facts and Figures

Name: Hun Hunahpu
Pronunciation: Coming soon
Alternative names: God-S, Hun-Hunaphu, One-Hunahpu

Gender: Male
Type: God
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present

Role:
In charge of: Fertility
Area of expertise: Fertility

Good/Evil Rating: Unknown at present
Popularity index: 10028

Copy this link to share with anyone:



Share this page on social media:


Link to this page:

HTML: To link to this page, just copy and paste the link below into your blog, web page or email.

BBCODE: To link to this page in a forum post or comment box, just copy and paste the link code below:

Cite this article

Here's the info you need to cite this page. Just copy the text in the box below.


Article last revised on April 18, 2019 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

Permissions page


Oh woe. Javascript is switched off in your browser.
Some bits of this website may not work unless you switch it on.