According to the Mayan worldview, nahuales (nah WALL es) represent one’s vital energy that protect and guide each person throughout their life, represented by a spirit animal, stone, metal, number, color, and other unique information. Assigned to each person according to the day of their birth and determined by the Mayan calendar, nahuales influence the personality, destiny, and mission of the person born on that day. They are highly personal, but also represent the essence of the Mayan people and their culture collectively.

Our artisan Lidia selected the nahual Toj as the theme for her hand-beaded artwork in our Beading Wonders Collection. Toj means offerings or payments—it is the energy that repays people for all the positive or negative actions done in one’s life. Similar to what the Hindu tradition calls karma, the repercussions of those actions can be benefits or tests, but either way, the leveling effect of justice occurs. It signifies the sun and its representative on earth, Tojil, the sacred ceremonial fire. It is in the fire where one can make petitions, be cured of illnesses and liberated from negative energies. People born under Toj bring energy and spiritual light to their homes. They are good farmers, flexible, and virtuous, but also can be jealous or proud.

The animal: Although Toj is associated with the sun and fire, it is also connected with water. Thus, the shark and the fish are guardian animals of Toj. In Mayan cosmology, the shark symbolizes strength and the flexibility to move through the currents of life with determination and purpose. Fish represent fluidity and adaptability, important qualities for maintaining balance and harmony. These guardian animals are important for paying back and balancing energies, making them an important representation of Toj.

Figures on the fish: Designs beaded into the body of the fish on this piece were added to represent the many symbols seen in huipiles (traditional Guatemalan blouses)—a piece of clothing that is important to Mayan women’s identity. When the Spaniards invaded Guatemala 500 years ago, they expected the Indigenous Maya of the region to adopt their customs, religion, and their way of life. One way the Mayans were able to maintain their identity was by weaving symbols into their traditional clothing.

Large stones and rocks: Locations with large stones, such as near the beach, are considered the energetic places of Toj. These places are believed to concentrate and channel the natural energy of the earth and the sun, which are fundamental elements for this nahual.

The large rocks, in particular, are seen as points of connection with the earth’s energy, providing a space where one can meditate, perform ceremonies, and connect with nature in a profound way. In addition, these places are ideal for making offerings and rituals that seek to balance and harmonize personal and environmental energy.

The artisan: Lidia grew up in the rural community of Cipresales, in a family of 11 children (second born). By the time she was eight, Lidia was already making her own beaded jewelry designs—a skill she attributes to having spent time watching her father, from whom she also learned sales techniques and business management skills. At 15, she began making beaded ornaments. Today, Lidia beads a variety of jewelry, ornaments, and animal figurines by hand, using a needle and thread. She later started a handicraft shop with her husband, but in 2017, her store was robbed. She lost everything, but Friendship Bridge staff walked alongside her. Through business training and hard work, she gradually rebuilt her business. Now, Lidia’s main goal is to provide education for her two daughters through high school, and support them if they decide to attend college.

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Beading Wonders is made possible through generous support from our donor, Elizabeth “Betty” Chambers Toguchi, Foster City, California. Handmade by Friendship Bridge® commissioned its Indigenous Mayan clients to create hand-beaded artwork that showcases their skills while also bringing to light a part of their ancestral culture that is often overlooked.

Want to learn more about your own nahual? Calculate it using your birthdate here.