Huracan

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See also Huracán (disambiguation)

Huracan (also Hurakan, from Mayan Jun Raqan "one legged") was a Mayan weather god of wind, storm, fire and one of the creator deities who participated in all three attempts at creating humanity. He also caused the Great Flood after the first humans angered the gods. He supposedly lived in the windy mists above the floodwaters and repeated "earth" until land came up from the seas.

In appearance he has one leg, the other being transformed into a serpent, a zoomorphic snout or long-nose, and a smoking object such as a cigar, torch holder, or axe head which pierces a mirror on his forehead.

He was also mentioned in Grace Nichols' poem Hurricane Hits England where she makes references to the caribbean gods.

His name is the source of the words hurricane and orcan (European windstorm).

Alternative names: Hurakan, Harakan, Tohil, Bolon Tzacab, K'awil (Kauil), and Heart of Heaven (in Popol Vuh). The deity also had resemblances to the god worshipped by the Aztecs as Tezcatlipoca.

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