These are Maia’s favorite toys. She moves them from room to room while announcing that she is bringing a prize to share with the pride. On the right is the orange, feathered toy that has been separated from its wand. We call that one Big Bird. In the center is a feathered boa wand that we call Q for Quetzalcoatl – the plumed serpent god of the Aztecs. On the left is the newest of the wand toys that we have been calling purple bird.
If you have visited the Mexican Yucatan, you may have visited the archeological sites of Uxmal or Chichen Itza. The pyramids at those sites have images of Kukulkan descending the steps of those structures. If you haven’t had that particular treat, perhaps you have watched the Marvel movie Wakanda Forever that features Kukulkan, the leader of the futuristic underwater Mayan kingdom of Talokan. Kukulkan is the Mayan version of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. We decided tonight that Purple Bird is actually Kukulkan.
Me: “I think we should rename that wand Ku-kul-kan – the Mayan plumed serpent god.”
Susan: “Humm?”
Me: “What? You think that because we live in the suburbs, we don’t have access to the Internet?”