4. K’IK’ MA’ CHAM (Ancient Mayan)

[Intro — noble voices in measured unison] Sak hu’n ta ka jol Yax tun ta ka kal Pom ta ajaw nah K’uhul ajawlel… Tal winik. Tal tok’. Tal cham. [Verse 1] Ochi winik ta ajaw nah Jul ta k’ab, tok’ ta k’ab Ka pakal ma’ wa’ Ka jul ma’ wa’ Yax tun ta ka kal Sak hu’n ta ka jol Ma’ lok’ ka winik Ma’ lok’ ka ajaw [Pre-Chorus — ceremonial defiance] Ajaw! Ix ajaw! Sajal! Aj k’uhun! Ma’ pul ka k’aba’! Ma’ pul ka tun! Jatz’ ka b’aah! Chok ka k’ik’! Ka k’aba’— Ma’ cham! [Chorus] K’ik’ ma’ cham! K’ik’ ma’ cham! Ka k’ik’el ta tun Ka k’ik’el ta ha’ Jatz’ ka b’aah— K’ak’ ta a lum! Chok ka k’ik’— Ma’ tzutz! K’ik’ ma’ cham! K’ik’ ma’ cham! [Verse 2] Cham ajaw ta ajaw nah Cham ix ajaw tu yich tun Pakal, hu’n, yax tun Och ta k’ik’el Chok b’aah ta ch’e’en Chok yax tun ta ha’ Ajawlel och ta ak’ab K’aba’ wa’ ta tun [Pre-Chorus 2 — executions fall into the drum pulse] Jatz’! (Ka k’aba’!) Chok! (Ka k’ik’!) Jatz’! (Ka tun!) Chok! (Ma’ tzutz!) Ajaw! Ix ajaw! Ajawlel ma’ tz’ub! [Chorus 2 — the curse begins] K’ik’ ma’ cham! K’ik’ ma’ cham! Ka k’ik’el ta tun Ka k’ik’el ta ha’ Ka k’ik’ ta a lum— Ma’ t’ab ixim! Ka k’ik’ ta a ha’— Uk’ ka k’aba’! K’ik’ ma’ cham! Ma’ tzutz! [Bridge — the nobles curse their captors] Il a k’ab! Ka k’ik’ wa’! Il a nah! Ka k’ik’ wa’! Il a tun! Ka k’ik’ wa’! Il a ha’! Ka k’ik’ wa’! Ma’ t’ab ixim ta a lum Ma’ sak a b’ih ta ak’ab Ka k’aba’ ta a chi’ Ka k’ik’ ta a ha’ Uk’! Uk’ ka k’aba’! [Guitar Solo — execution rhythm becomes a violent ceremonial ostinato] [Final Chorus — all noble voices, furious and unwavering] K’ik’ ma’ cham! K’ik’ ma’ cham! Cham ajaw—k’ik’ ma’ cham! Cham ajawlel—k’ik’ ma’ cham! Chok ka b’aah ta ch’e’en! Chok ka k’ik’ ta ha’! Ka tun yila’! Ka ha’ yila’! Ma’ t’ab ixim ta a lum! Ma’ tzutz ka k’aba’! Ma’ tzutz ka k’ak’! Ma’ tzutz ka k’ik’! K’IK’ MA’ CHAM! K’IK’ MA’ CHAM! (K’IK’! K’IK’! K’IK’!) [Outro — four ceremonial strikes] Ajaw cham. Ajawlel cham. K’ik’ wa’. Ma’ tzutz. ———————— English Translation ———————— [Intro — noble voices in measured unison] The white royal headbands are upon our heads Jade rests at our throats Copal burns in the royal house Sacred kingship… The men are coming. The flint is coming. Death is coming. [Verse 1] The warriors enter the royal house Spears in their hands, flint in their hands Our shields are not here Our spears are not here Jade remains at our throats The royal headbands remain upon our heads Our people will not flee Our king will not flee [Pre-Chorus — ceremonial defiance] King! Royal woman! Lords! Priests! Do not erase our names! Do not erase our stones! Strike our bodies! Spill our blood! Our names— Will not die! [Chorus] Blood does not die! Blood does not die! Our blood upon the stone Our blood within the water Strike our bodies— Fire upon your land! Spill our blood— It will not end! Blood does not die! Blood does not die! [Verse 2] The king dies in the royal house The royal women die before the stone Shields, crowns, jade Enter the blood Bodies are cast into the sacred well Jade is cast into the water Kingship enters the night Our names remain upon the stone [Pre-Chorus 2 — executions fall into the drum pulse] Strike! (Our names!) Cast them down! (Our blood!) Strike! (Our stones!) Cast them down! (It will not end!) King! Royal woman! Kingship will not be silenced! [Chorus 2 — the curse begins] Blood does not die! Blood does not die! Our blood upon the stone Our blood within the water Our blood upon your land— May no maize rise! Our blood within your water— Drink our names! Blood does not die! It will not end! [Bridge — the nobles curse their captors] Look at your hands! Our blood is there! Look at your house! Our blood is there! Look at your stones! Our blood is there! Look at your water! Our blood is there! May no maize rise from your land May your road never brighten from the night Our names upon your mouths Our blood within your water Drink! Drink our names! [Guitar Solo — execution rhythm becomes a violent ceremonial ostinato] [Final Chorus — all noble voices, furious and unwavering] Blood does not die! Blood does not die! The king dies—blood does not die! Kingship dies—blood does not die! Cast our bodies into the sacred well! Cast our blood into the water! Our stones will witness it! Our water will witness it! May no maize rise from your land! Our names will never end! Our fire will never end! Our blood will never end! BLOOD DOES NOT DIE! BLOOD DOES NOT DIE! (BLOOD! BLOOD! BLOOD!) [Outro — four ceremonial strikes] The king dies. Kingship dies. The blood remains. It does not end.