Maximon (San Simón) offering 101

San Andrés Itzapa, Guatemala, July 20th 2008

First you start by cleaning your spirit. The chaman makes you breathe the licours and fragances from Maximon (originally San Simon) and then beats you (softly) with branches impregnated with these licours

You go down backwards to show respect to Maximon, and you light a candle for your wish (each color, different type of wish)…

Cookies and candy also welcome…

You choose a spot in front of the church for your offering…

Careful with the rain!

First you do the groceries…

You start by making a circle…

And you start putting everything on it!

You surround the circle with small candles: red for love, white for the children…

Ingredients:

Chewing gum

Chocolate

And blue candles surrounding it…

We add some sugar…

And cookies (no need to unwrap them…)

Cigars…

Incense…

Honey

Malboro cigarrettes and…EGGS!!!!

Surround the circle with:

1 Coke

1 orange juice

1 bottle of ron

1 beer can

1 juice can

And you are ready to light it!!!

Dogs always as curious…

The Chaman reads some offerings while it´s burning…

The audience…

Last piece of advice…

Be careful, the eggs explode!!!

Don´t forget to pay the brotherhood…

NO E_CEPTION!!! (for those who speak Spanish, notice the spelling mystake!)

And last but not the least…be grateful with Maximon and add a note on the church…

Note: In the little stores next to the church where you buy the candles and other stuff we found this...

Look at the picture…(no comments needed…) Here are the instructions on the back (left it also in Spanish):

Frota diariamente en tu cuerpo este polvo diciendo mentalmente:

(fulana…) estás bajo mi dominio. Ella acudirá a ti cariñosamente,

amable, fiel y muy conforme, nada te reprochará, haciéndose tu

voluntad.

Rub this powder to your body daily and

repeat in your mind: (fulana…) you are

under my power…She will run to you, will

be nice, faithful, agree to everything, she

will not reproach you…and your may your

will be done…

Powerful Powder:

“I dominate my wife!

Hope to receive curious stuff from wherever you guys are!!!

We could even have a day to talk about cultural stuff once we are all back…

ENJOY YOUR PRACTICUM!!!