duodernidad

Escolio 4 recto, lines 27–31

Ximénez employs the apparent neologism “duodernídad” to characterize the dual nature of divinity within the Popol Wuj. He specifically references Folio 1 recto of his Empiezan las historias… manuscript, in which deities are almost always mentioned in pairs: Tzaqol, Bitol; Alom, Qajolom.

Karl Scherzer, in his 1857 edition of the Escolios, rendered this term as duodeidad, which suggests “two gods.” However, Ximénez seems to be playing on trinity (trinidad), not deity (deidad). In seeking parallels between K’iche’ beliefs and his own Christian theology, Ximénez was not looking for “three gods,” but rather one god with three “sugetos.” He believed that he found one god (Junajpu) with only two “sugetos”: Junajpu Wuch and Junajpu Utiw.

It is worth recalling that duality and balance are two central aspects of K'iche' beliefs about creation.