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 Manuela selected the nahual Tzikin as the theme for her hand-beaded artwork that is part of our Beading Wonders Collection. Tzikin is considered to be the guardian of the lands in which the Indigenous Maya live. It symbolizes freedom, global consciousness, treasure, luck, and material bounty. Individuals born under Tzikin are friendly, visionary, good problem solvers, and strong communicators; they will excel as entrepreneurs or artists. They easily attract people and find themselves in good social standing with an abundance of friends. However, they tend to get bored easily, and sometimes will leave projects unfinished.

The animal: Represented by a bird who serves as a guardian of the land (seen in the top left of this design), Tzikin’s bird is a sign of good fortune and abundance in production, independence, and fertility. It also symbolizes the creator of the universe. Birds are also connected to the places where corn grows, which further relates to the concept of good fortune and bounty.

The mountains: Mountains, displayed along the bottom of the art, were a sacred sight to see for the Indigenous Maya. They would look to the spirits of the mountains to ask for abundance, making them a fitting symbol to represent Tzikin.

The colors: Tzikin’s signature colors are green, blue, and white. These colors are meant to symbolize the Maya’s deep connection to both the earth and the sky. Manuela chose a white beaded background for clouds and mist, representing both the coldness and warmth that nature can possess. 

Parts of the Mayan star: The vertical patterns on either side are representative of designs seen on traditional clothing worn by Indigenous people in Guatemala. These designs are a portion of the Mayan symbol estrella, meaning star. The Indigenous Maya were deeply connected to the cosmos as well as to their spiritual practices. As a result, re-creations of the Mayan star in textiles and other artwork became a way for them to maintain their identity during the time of colonization.

The artisan: A Maya T'zutujil woman, Manuela grew up with a father who worked as a day laborer and a mother who did domestic work and cared for her four children. The youngest, Manuela attended school through 4th grade, just like her older siblings. At 14, she started working as a housekeeper. Manuela learned the art of basket making decades ago from another woman in her community so she could earn extra income (she also raises poultry and sells vegetables). She gathers pine needles from the mountains near her home, then washes them and lays them out in the sun to dry. When they are completely dry, she weaves the pine needles into baskets, tying them tightly with sturdy thread. Learn more about Manuela and the Handmade by Friendship Bridge@ program in this video.

The intricate beadwork techniques Manuela used to create this design was a new challenge for her that she had not experimented with before. Through this project, she gained newfound skills that pushed her creative boundaries and planted the seeds for more visionary thinking in the products she makes.

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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.