Mayan religion

Religion of the Maya people of Central America. The religion of pre-conquest Central America has survived almost unchanged in some rural areas, whereas in other areas there are heavy influences from Catholicism, which in its turn is influenced by Mayan traditions. In pre-conquest times, the main deities were the Earth Lord, who protected the crops, the Father Sun, the Mother Moon, and the Morning Star, who was the warriors' god. Today the Mother Moon is often linked to the Virgin Mary but the Earth Lord is to be found worshipped as before, though local saints also have a role in crop protection. The Mayans believe that each person has an animal spirit which inhabits a creature born at the same time. Should the animal be killed, the person also dies. Like most Central American traditional religions, it is shamanistic in basis.