Pox (drink)
Encyclopedia
Pox is a liquor commonly used for ceremonial
purposes among the Mayans
of Mexico
and Central America
. It is made of sugarcane and is known in Spanish as aguardiente
(Maffi 1996). The word pox in Tzotzil
means "medicine, cane liquor, cure." http://titan.hum.sdu.dk:8080/Maya/FMPro Pox was commonly used in religious ceremonies and festivals in San Juan Chamula
, Chiapas
, but increasingly soda has been substituted for it.
Ceremony
A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin.-Ceremonial occasions:A ceremony may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of, for example:* birth...
purposes among the Mayans
Maya peoples
The Maya people constitute a diverse range of the Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America. The overarching term "Maya" is a collective designation to include the peoples of the region who share some degree of cultural and linguistic heritage; however, the term...
of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. It is made of sugarcane and is known in Spanish as aguardiente
Aguardiente
Aguardiente , aiguardent , aguardente , and augardente are generic terms for alcoholic beverages that contain between 29% and 60% alcohol by volume...
(Maffi 1996). The word pox in Tzotzil
Tzotzil language
Tzotzil is a Maya language spoken by the indigenous Tzotzil Maya people in the Mexican state of Chiapas. According to an INEGI 2005 census, there are 329,937 speakers of Tzotzil in Mexico, making it the 6th most spoken indigenous language in the country...
means "medicine, cane liquor, cure." http://titan.hum.sdu.dk:8080/Maya/FMPro Pox was commonly used in religious ceremonies and festivals in San Juan Chamula
Chamula
San Juan Chamula is a municipio and township in the Mexican state of Chiapas, with over 50,000 inhabitants. It is situated some 10 km from San Cristóbal de las Casas....
, Chiapas
Chiapas
Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...
, but increasingly soda has been substituted for it.