The image of a figure in the dark depicts a tree with a branch that appears to be a hair halo and what appears to be stars as the figure’s eyes
The president of Mexico shared a picture on social media on Saturday of what he claimed appeared to be a mythical woodland spirit resembling an elf.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador uploaded a picture of an “Aluxe,” a playful woodland spirit from Mayan tradition, with no hint of anything other than seriousness in his post. Obrador wrote the photo “was taken three days ago by an engineer, it appears to be an aluxe,” adding, “everything is mystical.”
The image of a figure in the dark depicts a tree with a branch that appears to be a hair halo and what appears to be stars as the figure’s eyes. Traditional Mayan beliefs describe “Aluxes” as diminutive, cunning animals that live in fields and forests and are known to play practical jokes on people by concealing objects. To appease them, some individuals leave token offerings.
The Yucatan Peninsula and surrounding areas of central America were home to the ancient Mayan civilization at its height between 300 and 900 C.E. However, the Mayas’ descendants still call the peninsula home today. Despite the Spanish conquest of the area from 1527 to 1546, many still speak in the Mayan language and maintain their ancient dress, religion, diet, and medical practices.
Obrador has always praised indigenous cultures and ways of life. A tourist train being built on the Yucatan Peninsula by engineers and employees is the president’s favorite project.
