Gender Masculine
Usage Mythology

Meaning & History

The name of a trickster folk deity, also called San Simón, worshipped by the Maya people in parts of Guatemala. He is a syncretic figure thought to have arisen during the Spanish conquest, and is typically represented by a man-sized, cigar-smoking, alcohol-drinking wooden effigy. The meaning of the name is uncertain. It could be a blend of Mam, a title of some of the Maya gods meaning "grandfather", and Simón, referring to Saint Peter.

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Entry updated April 5, 2022