Editing Popol Vuh (section)

==Modern history==

===Modern editions===
Since Brasseur's and Scherzer's first editions, the ''Popol Vuh'' has been translated into many other languages besides its original Kʼicheʼ.<ref>Schultze Jena 1944</ref> The Spanish edition by [[Adrián Recinos]] is still a major reference, as is Recino's English translation by Delia Goetz. Other English translations<ref>Low 1992</ref> include those of Victor Montejo,<ref>{{cite book|page=97|year=2000|access-date=May 17, 2014|publisher=GP Subscription Publications|title=MultiCultural Review, Volume 9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p23aAAAAMAAJ&q=mayan+girls+chinese}}</ref> Munro Edmonson (1985), and Dennis Tedlock (1985, 1996).<ref>{{cite book|year=2013|access-date=May 17, 2014|publisher=eBookIt.com|author=Dennis Tedlock|title=Popol Vuh: The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KoI24A65-m4C&q=mayan+girls+chinese|isbn=978-1-4566-1303-7}}</ref> Tedlock's version is notable because it builds on commentary and interpretation by a modern Kʼicheʼ [[daykeeper]], [[Andrés Xiloj]]. Augustín Estrada Monroy published a facsimile edition in the 1970s and Ohio State University has a digital version and transcription online. Modern translations and transcriptions of the Kʼicheʼ text have been published by, among others, [[Luis Enrique Sam Colop|Sam Colop]] (1999) and [[Allen J. Christenson]] (2004). In 2018, ''The New York Times'' named Michael Bazzett's new translation as one of the ten best books of poetry of 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/10/books/review/best-poetry.html|title=The Best Poetry of 2018|first=David|last=Orr|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 10, 2018}}</ref> The tale of Hunahpu and Xbalanque has also been rendered as an hour-long animated film by [[Patricia Amlin]].<ref name="OCLC number 56772917">{{cite book|last1=Amlin|first1=Patricia|title=Popol vuh|date=2004|oclc=56772917}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/PIAzWOqo1fY Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200301153807/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIAzWOqo1fY Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|title=The Popol Vuh|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIAzWOqo1fY|website=YouTube|access-date=27 November 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Contemporary culture===
The ''Popol Vuh'' continues to be an important part in the belief system of many Kʼicheʼ.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} Although Catholicism is generally seen as the dominant religion, some believe that many natives practice a [[Syncretism|syncretic]] blend of Christian and indigenous beliefs.  Some stories from the ''Popol Vuh'' continued to be told by modern Maya as folk [[Maya legends|legends]]; some stories recorded by anthropologists in the 20th century may preserve portions of the ancient tales in greater detail than the Ximénez manuscript.{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} On August 22, 2012, the ''Popol Vuh'' was declared ''intangible cultural heritage'' of [[Guatemala]] by the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.publinews.gt/index.php/popol-vuh-es-declarado-patrimonio-cultural-intangible/|title=Popol Vuh es declarado Patrimonio Cultural Intangible|last=Publinews|date=25 August 2012|access-date=25 August 2012|archive-date=28 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120828094351/http://www.publinews.gt/index.php/popol-vuh-es-declarado-patrimonio-cultural-intangible/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Reflections in Western culture===
Since its rediscovery by Europeans in the nineteenth century, the ''Popol Vuh'' has attracted the attention of many creators of cultural works.

Mexican muralist [[Diego Rivera]] produced a series of watercolors in 1931 as illustrations for the book.

In 1934, the early avant-garde Franco-American composer [[Edgard Varèse]] wrote his ''Ecuatorial'', a setting of words from the ''Popol Vuh'' for bass soloist and various instruments.

The planet of Camazotz in Madeleine L'Engle's ''[[A Wrinkle in Time]]'' (1962) is named for [[Camazotz|the bat-god]] of the hero-twins story.

In 1969 in [[Munich]], Germany, keyboardist [[Florian Fricke]]—at the time ensconced in Mayan myth—formed a band named [[Popol Vuh (German band)|Popol Vuh]] with synth player Frank Fiedler and percussionist Holger Trulzsch. Their 1970 debut album, ''[[Affenstunde]]'', reflected this spiritual connection. [[Popol Vuh (Norwegian band)|Another band]] by the same name, this one of Norwegian descent, formed around the same time, its name also inspired by the Kʼicheʼ writings.

The text was used by German film director [[Werner Herzog]] as extensive narration for the first chapter of his movie ''[[Fata Morgana (1971 film)|Fata Morgana]]'' (1971). Herzog and Florian Fricke were life long collaborators and friends.

The Argentinian composer [[Alberto Ginastera]] began writing his symphonic work ''[[Popol Vuh (Ginastera)|Popol Vuh]]'' in 1975, but did not complete the piece before his death in 1983.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvnLh0aN2p4 "L. Slatkin discusses Ginastera's 'Popol Vuh' with B. Nissman"], YouTube, uploaded 16-Feb-2025.</ref>

The myths and legends included in [[Louis L'Amour]]'s novel ''[[The Haunted Mesa]]'' (1987) are largely based on the ''Popol Vuh''.

The ''Popol Vuh'' is referenced throughout [[Robert Rodriguez]]'s television show ''[[From Dusk till Dawn: The Series]]'' (2014). In particular, the show's [[protagonists]], the Gecko Brothers, [[Seth Gecko|Seth]] and [[Richie Gecko|Richie]], are referred to as the embodiment of Hunahpú and Xbalanqué, the hero twins, from the ''Popol Vuh''.

In the 2024 historical novel ''Daughter of Fire'' by [[Sofia Robleda]], the preservation of the ''Popol Vuh'' is central to the plot.

Quotes from the ''Popol Vuh'' are used in "Live Gloriously", the main theme for the video game ''[[Civilization VII]]''.