The jaguar is the sacred animal of several pre-Hispanic cultures of Mesoamerica. Strong, enigmatic, beautiful and wild, it has captivated entire peoples throughout its history with mysticism.
In the murals found within the faculty of Law, different historical passages and legends about the creation of the world and a man are told. My law school teacher, Lucas Reyes Castellanos, a historian and a lecturer in a criminal low, told me some of them with that passion that characterizes him.

One day at the beginning of time, before man existed, the Jaguar was having rest at the feet of Mother Earth. At that time the jaguar’s skin was smooth, it had no spots, it was a single yellow color and its fur shone like a golden glow.
Suddenly with the arrival of the sunset a huge rock was seen in the sky with a tail of incandescent fire, which was heading towards the earth at an enormous speed. It was a Comet!

The jaguar immediately took its position of defense and interposed itself between him and the Earth, beginning a fierce battle that extended until the night. The jaguar, warrior by nature, showed off his feline agility and with his fierce roars, his arms and claws he attacked relentlessly to drive away the comet. But the task was not easy, the comet was also an experienced warrior and had fought many battles along his path, destroying his opponents in each of them.

After a fierce encounter and before dawn came, both warriors took a breath and then the comet visibly tired, said: “Jaguar you are brave, at no time have you retreated, you are a worthy warrior and protector of the Earth. I will give you a gift as a reward for your courage, the skin burns that I have done with my tail of fire will stay with you, yellow and black will be your skin and with that you will represent day and night, you can walk between the worlds, move between light and dark whenever you want, nothing that happens escapes your eyes, from now on you will be the Earth Guardian. ”

“One day I will return to visit you and we will fight again.”
The Jaguar accepted the gift, greeted the Comet with respect and let it to continue its way.

 

Nahualt story told by Lucas Reyes Castellanos, Lecturer at the Low Faculty in San Cristobal de Las Casas