In the Maya-Quiché Indigenous community, each person is assigned a nahual or natural “double” at birth, according to a special pre-defined calendar. The nahual can be any living thing, though it’s usually an animal. It plays a role in shaping a person’s personality and also marks the full integration of a child into the Indigenous community. As a result, it forms a central core of Indians’ identity. This explains why Rigoberta prefers to keep her nahual secret, in order to safeguard this important aspect of her Maya-Quiché community’s beliefs.
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Nahual Term Timeline in I, Rigoberta Menchú
The timeline below shows where the term Nahual appears in I, Rigoberta Menchú. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3: The Nahual
All Maya-Quiché children have a nahual, an animal that serves as a protective spirit, allowing the child to communicate with nature....
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...insists, are integral parts of the natural, animal world. Given the important identity that the nahual confers, Rigoberta notes that the nahual must be kept secret, as this protects Indian culture...
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