Sorry, I just got back from traveling with my family for a while, which included a trip to Atitlan. I know that anything that smacks of "new age spirituality" is frustrating for archaeologists and anthropologists (except for people like Danforth who study this stuff), but I have to say that there is no reason to be hostile or think that our understanding of the ancient Maya is any better than someone from "the other side."

The most important thing to remember is that writing about a cave in a short story is not actually doing violence to anyone or anything, any more than Barbara Kingsolver writing about Pueblo ruins in a novel that could also be described as "a spiritual growth/adventure story" (The Bean Trees, I believe, although I do have to admit that that and Animal Dreams have blended together a bit in my head), although with a bit less adventure to it. Or, for that matter, Gregorian chants mixed with light techno and heavy breathing in Enigma's music, which is probably more offensive.

Information is information, fundamentally, and as archaeologists or anthropologists, and, more importantly, as academics, transferring information is what we do.

I do think, however, that you have touched on a big nerve in the discipline, one that is rawer in cave archaeology. We're studying primarily sacred space, which is normally complicated and made much more so here by the fact that we are coming from a completely different cultural background. The same background as most of the New Agers, actually, and many of the basic techniques we use are used by them as well (cross-cultural comparison, textual analysis, etc.). We tend to use variations of the scientific method to filter our research, however, while New Agers use a hermeneutic approach. The result, however, is dirty gringos roaming around in caves, villages, and archaeological sites, writing about what they see and experience.

This PSA is in no way founding a community in which New Agers and archaeologists can frolic together in the e-tulips. But there's no reason that two groups working towards understanding things in parallel but mutually-exclusive ways need to be at all antagonistic towards each other.

(from sabrinnigg)

Well, I guess I did strike nerve. I'm not sure whether to be offended or to apologize for wanting to include this particular cave in my story. I don't want to offend you, your colleagues, or the Maya. I knew that the cave was sacred but I didn't realize that writing about it in a fictional novel might stir up a whole circle of cave anthropologists and archeologists.
Fiction isn't suppose to be taken literally, its fiction. Are you one of those people that got offend by the DaVinci Code?

I don't want to get hostile and I can't say that I don't understand your sentiments. When I was in college, as a molecular biology student, many of us would roll our eyes at the psychology students and professors - their research was rarely taken seriously in comparison to the research that biologists and chemists performed. I'm assuming you can carry the analogy with this situation yourself.

It is a lot easier not to get wrapped up in that way of thinking when that world is no longer your primary focus. We "New Agers" have brought understanding and compassion to parts of the world that you love and study, through non-academic writing. Academic research and writing reaches a smaller audience than fictional stories; this is the reality of our world.

I'm flattered that you think my writing may be successful enough to get dirty gringos off their lazy asses and poke around in a different country. All joking aside, I do understand your point and will take the importance of this site to the Maya in the highest regard.

I appreciate your honesty.

Just out of curiosity, why are you interested in Cueva del Brujo? Are you studying it? Going to Atitlan? In a few weeks I might be able to find some documentation of the archaeology/ethnography of the cave from someone at the Guatemalan simposio.

This might sound cliché, but I'm writing a spiritual growth/adventure story and have decided to include this particular cave. So, it is in the best interest of the story to have as much information as possible about the surrounding area. That is why I was interested in determining where the cave is around Lake Atitlan.
I have not been able to find corroborating information regarding the location of the cave at San Jorge La Laguna and to be perfectly honest with you it is starting to drive me a little crazy! I've even referenced 4 Guatemalan travel guide books - and no reference of the cave of the witch.
For now I am going to continue writing using San Jorge La Laguna. So, any extra information regarding location or archaeology/ethnography would be greatly appreciated.

I appreciate your time Brent. Do you currently live in Guatemala?

That sounds interesting--I'd love to see it when you're done wih it. I'll keep my ears open in the next few weeks.

I do live in Guatemala (and have been for the last 2.5 years), but will be going back up to the 'States in August to write my diss. Good luck with the story and keep us informed.