charro/a—A traditional horse rider from central Mexico, easily recognizable by their elaborate outfits.
chu’lel—Vital energy. All animals and inanimate objects possess it.
cuch chimal—To be defeated, to bear one’s shield on one’s back in retreat. A Nahuatl loanword.
daykeeper—A soothsayer who interprets the calendaric cycle.
divine caste—Upper-class families of European descent who dominated the politics and economy of Yucatán.
haltun—Crevices in the calcareous rock soil where rainwater gathers. Stone trough.
henequen—A fiber plant woven since pre-Columbian times. It was the bedrock of the economy of Yucatán.
Hero Twins—Two brothers who journey to Xibalba and, among other things, avenge the death of their father and uncle at the hands of the gods of the Underworld by besting them in several competitions. They are tied to the idea of cycles, of birth and rebirth.
hetzmek—A ceremony marking the first time the baby is carried on the hip. For females it takes place on the third month of their birth. Three is associated with women because three stones hold the comal women use to make food.
jade—Jade was associated with corn, hence with life. A jade bead was placed in the mouth of corpses as part of funerary rites. Jade was also associated with royalty.
kak noh ek—Fire tail star. A large comet or asteroid. The precolonial Maya don’t necessarily distinguish between comets, asteroids, and meteors the way we do. For example, comets are defined by their size with “kak noh ek” meaning a large fiery star. Smaller ones are named chamal dzutan, which literally means warlock’s cigar. But when this cigar is discarded it can become a meteor, and there is such a thing as halal ek (a fast-moving star). Other terms were also employed. In the novel, I utilize kak noh ek because in my narrative it was a “large” celestial body that gave birth to the gods of the Maya, but one could argue halal ek/u halal ek dzutam or another term might also be appropriate.
Kamazotz—The Death Bat. A creature that resides in Xibalba.
kuhkay—Firefly. Associated with stars and cigars, due to their burning tip.
k’up kaal—Beheading or cutting of the throat. Ritual decapitation is present in many Mayan monuments and accounts. Players of the ritual ball game were decapitated, an offering that echoes events in the Popol Vuh. Sacrifice, in all shapes and forms, is part of the Maya universe.
Mamlab (plural; singular Mam)—Huastec deities associated with rain and thunder. When the rivers overflow with rain, they use the bellies of swollen animals that have drowned in the currents to play the drums.
Middleworld—In Ancient Mayan cosmology, Earth is the land where humans reside.
patan—Tribute, duty. But also a virtue. Even kings pay tribute to the gods.
Popol Vuh—A narrative of the creation myths of the K’iche’ people originally passed down through oral tradition.
pulque—An alcoholic drink.
royal diadem—Mayan kings wore a white headband with a jade carving in the middle called sak hu’unal as a sign of their lordship. Upon ascending the throne, a king would also have been presented with a scepter (k’am k’awiil).
sacrifice—Stingray spines and other instruments were used by Mayan nobles in order to draw blood that would nourish the gods. When the Hero Twins defeated the Lords of Xibalba, they ordered that humans would no longer give them proper sacrifices, only croton sap and “dirty blood.” Sacrifice by humans is the engine that drives the universe, and proper sacrifices must always be made. Indeed, the reason humans were chosen to inhabit earth is so that they could provide such sacrifices.
sascab—White, soft, unconsolidated limestone. Extensively used for building by the Maya.
sastun—Stone mirror. A stone used for divination.
suhuy ha—Place of virgin or pure water; water meant to be used in rituals.
tun—Stone. Also, year. Stones are associated with time or cycles, since they are used to commemorate events.
Uay Chivo—Literally “ghost goat.” An evil sorcerer who can take the form of a goat. In Mayan tales, sorcerers can take multiple forms including cats or dogs.
Xaman Ek—The god of the North Star, who guided merchants.
Xibalba—The Mayan Underworld, full of terrifying sights, such as a river of blood and a river of pus. The Yucatec Mayans referred to the Underworld as Mitnal. Owls or dogs are associated with death, hence the messengers of Xibalba are four fearsome owls (Chabi-Tucur and Huracán-Tucur are mentioned in this novel).
x’kau—A common black bird, similar to a magpie. Quiscalus mexicanus, in Spanish zanate.
Xtabay—A mythological creature that has the appearance of a beautiful woman who seduces men and drives them to their death.
zaca—A drink mixed with ground corn, used in religious offerings.
Para mis abuelas, Goyita y Rosa. Otros mundos, otros sueños.
I must thank David Bowles, who looked at an early draft of this novel and corrected the Mayan vocabulary I used. A heartfelt thanks also to Eddie Schneider, my agent. And finally, thanks to my editor, Tricia Narwani, and to all the people at Del Rey who have made this book possible.
By Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Beautiful Ones
Certain Dark Things
Signal to Noise
Gods of Jade and Shadow
About the Author
SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA’s Signal to Noise was named a best book of 2015 by BookRiot, Tordotcom, BuzzFeed, io9, and more. Her second novel, Certain Dark Things, was one of NPR’s best books of 2016, a Publishers Weekly top 10 for 2016, a VOYA “Perfect Ten,” and a finalist for multiple awards. Her other books include the fantasy of manners The Beautiful Ones and the science fiction novella Prime Meridian. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award–winning She Walks in Shadows (aka Cthulhu’s Daughters). She resides in Vancouver, British Columbia.
silviamoreno-garcia.com/blog
Facebook.com/smorenogarcia
Twitter: @silviamg
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