The president of Mexico has posted a photo on his social media accounts showing what he is saying appears to be a mythological forest spirit resembling an elf
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s president posted a photo to his social media accounts on Saturday showing what he said was a mythological forest spirit resembling an elf.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador didn’t seem to be joking when he posted the photo of an “Aluxe,” a mischievous forest spirit in Mayan folklore.
López Obrador wrote that the photo was “taken by an engineer three days ago, it seems to be a luxury”, adding “everything is mystical”.
The nighttime photo shows a tree with a branch forming what appears to be a halo of hair, and what may be stars forming the figure’s eyes.
López Obrador has long expressed his reverence for indigenous cultures and beliefs. Engineers and workers on the Yucatan Peninsula are building a tourist train, the president’s favorite project.
According to traditional Mayan belief, “Aluxes” are small, mischievous creatures that inhabit forests and fields and are prone to playing tricks on people, such as hiding things. Some people leave small offerings to satisfy them.
The ancient Maya civilization reached its peak from 300 AD to 900 AD on the Yucatan Peninsula and in adjacent parts of Central America, but the descendants of the Maya continue to live on the peninsula.
Despite the region’s conquest by the Spanish between 1527 and 1546, many continue to speak the Mayan language and wear traditional clothing, while also preserving traditional foods, crops, religion, and medicine practices.