Página de fotografía de María Ocaranza

Kan Balaan was the third son of the Great Lord of the Dancing Shadows of Palenque.

The gods and the universe had decided that he would be the one who would receive the instruction and formation in order to be named «The Eclipse Keeper». It was the utmost distinction amongst the select  group of Mayan astronomers. The Keeper of Eclipses. 

Of course he knew all about planets, moons, constellations and comets.
During his life, he had always been awake at night and studied by day. It was his Mission.

He already knew his earth was round and not square as his fellow Mayan foes foolishly thought.

He had even done a pretty precise calculation of the earth’s diameter. A bit of trigonometry, a couple of wells located at a known distance and a privileged  mind had been enough to prove his theory.

He also had a secret weapon. A common specie of a red ant with a quite painful bite.  These partners for life helped him not to fall asleep.

Only one of the members of the elite lineage consecrated his life to predict eclipses. It was his privilege and actually had a pretty quite good record. It was really not very complicated to do so.

One had to discover the patterns. The patterns whith which the eclipses happened. The secret was to document each and every one of the eclipses that happened and discover the patterns. Easy.

The importance of his job was total. The eclipses were used by the Great Lord and his Great Council to make the most important decisions.

Go to war. Build new cities. Merge with other kingdoms. Decisions of life.

It had been 7 years since Kan discovered a pattern of a Great Eclipse. It would finally happen this week.

And he knew that big decisions would be taken. He had been chosen by the universe to be the messenger.

The calculations had been repeated and verified hundreds of times. He even made a trip a couple of years ago to Monte Albán in order to verify some data in their Great Book. The numbers were confirmed.

His life’s meaning depended on this week’s developments. He felt small and insecure upon the importance and magnificence of the event.

The Great Lord and his Great Council would go to war. The preparations had been going on for almost two years. And precisely this week the eclipse would happen and the Great Lord’s plans for expansion would finally begin.

Kan Balaan had not slept for almost a week and his left hand was numb by too many of the red ants bites. It was the only way not to fall asleep.

The formic acid sharpened him. This week was the week. This week the Great Eclipse would happen.

All of the inhabitants were fasting and doing sacrifices. They awaited for the profecy of the mítical Kan to unfold.

The eclipse happened, Kan collapsed by his immense exhaustion and finally rested. The Great Lord invaded and won.

Many years later, one of Kan’s descendants predicted with the help of a super computer the Great Eclipse of 2017. Eclipse that would cross from coast to coast of the great nation of the north commanded by the great leader and his great council.

The great leader and his great council did not take advantage of the Great Eclipse for anything relevant in the life of their great nation. He did not have a son dedicated to take advantage of such an important natural event. They only saw the eclipse with some cheap glass protection.

¿ Will you let the Great Eclipse pass without taking great decisions in your life ?

¿ Will you let the universe keep sending you signals without doing something special to improve your life?

¿ Will you be like most of Kan’s friends that only followed the instructions of the Great Lord and his Great Council ?

¿ Or you will take advantage of each opportunity to be better and fulfill your Mission?

And if you are asleep in life, find yourself some red ants so you may stay awake in your life’s course.

Warm regards and we shall wait for the next signals.

Good day
JOF