In Maya communities across the peninsula, stories are told about small guardians who live in the forest, caves, roads and milpas. They are known as aluxes.
Although they rarely allow themselves to be seen, their presence may be felt in branches that break without explanation, stones that seem to fall from nowhere or a whistle that startles a traveler after darkness falls over the forest.
According to oral tradition, they can protect the land and keep away people who arrive with bad intentions. They are also said to be mischievous and temperamental: they hide objects, lead people off their paths and frighten those who enter their territory without respect.
The creation of a guardian
Some versions say that a farmer who needed to protect his land would seek a h-men, a person knowledgeable about ceremonies and the Maya spiritual world. The term can be understood as “maker,” because the h-men was believed to possess the knowledge required to work with nature's vital energy.
The h-men prepared a small figure from clay, beeswax or, in some accounts, maize dough. The materials had to be pure because the figure would become the vessel of an invisible force.
But the body alone was not enough. Ritual words had to be spoken to draw life into the figure and bind that energy to it. Some versions also say that drops of the h-men's own blood were placed on the figure's head. Nine appears as a special number, although other accounts mention thirteen or twenty-one drops.
From that moment, the h-men symbolically became the creature's father and mother. The alux then was given a place to guard and a mission: to watch over the milpa, protect the crops and warn of approaching intruders.
The pact with the alux
The relationship between the farmer and the alux was a commitment. Offerings mentioned in different traditions include saká—a ceremonial maize drink—along with tortillas, flowers, honey or sugar, and the light of a candle.
As long as the agreement was respected, the guardian would care for the land. If forgotten or deprived of its offerings, its protective nature could change. That is why elders advised people to ask permission before entering the forest, avoid mockery and never disturb the small shrines found beside the roads.
The aluxes in the modern Riviera Maya
These stories are still told today. In Cancún, Playa del Carmen and other places across the peninsula, they remain part of how many people interpret events that are difficult to explain.
One of the best-known cases concerns the bridge at the entrance to Cancún International Airport. An urban legend says that during its construction in the early 1990s, part of the work completed during the day would be found collapsed the following morning.
After consulting people familiar with Maya traditions, a ceremony was reportedly performed and a small house for the aluxes was built beneath the bridge. The structure remained there for more than thirty years and became a familiar symbol to residents and visitors.
Another episode occurred in 2010 while the stage for an Elton John concert at Chichén Itzá was being prepared. The metal structure collapsed and three workers were injured. Investigations pointed to the weight and vibrations of the equipment, but another explanation circulated locally: the aluxes were angry because permission had not been requested. A traditional ritual was later performed, and the concert went ahead.
These events have technical explanations and do not prove the intervention of supernatural beings. They do, however, show that the belief remains part of the peninsula's cultural identity.
In Playa del Carmen and throughout the Riviera Maya, workers also speak of ceremonies, offerings and small houses built before or during the construction of hotels, residences and large developments. Not every company follows this practice, but some people see it as a gesture of respect toward the land and its ancient guardians.
From legend to Xtabay Universe
These stories inspired Xtabay Magazine to create Aluz, one of the guardians of Xtabay Universe.
In our series, Aluz was formed by an ancient priest using clay and nine drops of his own essence. His mission is to preserve the city’s stories, accompany Xtabay and confront the forces threatening to erase the stories of Playa del Carmen.
Aluz is not intended to replace the alux of Maya tradition. He is a contemporary interpretation born from these legends and adapted to the fantasy world of our series.