Vibrant colors, flowing garb, rhythmic drums and spirited dance. This is the essence of the Mayan culture: a culture we are very blessed to have the opportunity to experience right here at Creighton. Creighton’s Center for Service and Justice as well as the Office of Multicultural Affairs partnered with local Mayan Community “Pixan Ixim” to host a cultural celebration on campus in honor of St. Eulalia, a martyr from Spain. The event began at St. John’s on Sunday at 2:00 PM where mass was celebrated by Padre Pancho in Spanish and Mayan Quiché, and was followed by a celebration of traditional Mayan music, dancing and homemade tamales in the Skutt ballroom. The focus of his sermon was “being the salt and the light of the Earth.” “In whatever path life takes you,” Father Pancho explained, “You have the opportunity to be the salt of this Earth. And by being ‘the salt’ you will undoubtedly season the lives of others around you.”
A Creighton Jesuit and former director of Native American Studies, Father Ray Bucko, is considered by many to be exactly this “salt of the Earth.” Bucko’s humor, warmth and vision have made a lasting impact on the Creighton community. Specifically his vision for incorporating and commemorating indigenous culture here on Creighton’s campus. Bucko began the Mayan Pastoral ceremony in which clerical leaders of the Catholic Church joined with spiritual leaders of the Mayan community for a traditional tribal ceremony in the Jesuit Gardens featuring a large fire and dancing, followed by mass at St. John’s.
“We see [the festival] as a way to honor Father Bucko and all he has contributed to enriching the culture of Creighton” says Ricardo Ariza, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. To continue Father Bucko’s footsteps by celebrating the beauty of the Mayan culture and bringing awareness of its local presence, Creighton hosted the 2nd annual St. Eulalia festival.
The live music played by the Mayan musicians combined with the spectacular array of colors and characters represented by the dancers brought forth the essence of the Mayan spirit. Historical figures including King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, the Mayan symbol for ancestral wisdom: the Monkey, the Deer whose four paws represent harmony between the North, South, East and West, and the Spanish Bull among many others explained the mixing of the Mayan and Spanish cultures during the 15th century and its associated consequences.
“This festival is celebrated to remind us of our Mayan heritage. We are a community native to the Americas. Though we were displaced of our territory, we will never forget our roots. We want to share our spirituality, celebrate our culture, and embrace the cultures around us” explained Luis Marcos, director of Omaha’s Mayan Community Center Pixan Ixim.