Mu'j

Mu'j (palio) es el primer objeto que Nakxit entrega a los líderes k'iche' en señal de su autoridad y poder. Es, conforme al lingüista k'iche' Sam Colop (2008: 186n305), una palabra que se traduce literalmente como "'sombra'", y observa el investigador que "En El Título de Totonicapán (Carmack y Mondlock 1983) se dice que el Ajpop ten´ía cuatro palios de pluma sobre su trono, el Ajpop K'amja tres palios; el Nima Rajpop Achij dos palios y el Ch'uti Rajpop Achij un palio."

Anthropologist Allen J. Christenson (2007: 258n693) translates the K'iche' term mu'j as "canopy," following the terms listed in colonial-era dictionaries as "'canopy, mantle, throne, or cushion of a throne or seat' (Coto). Muj is literally 'shadow' and likely refers to the shadow cast by the canopy. Alonso de Zorita noted that prior to the Spanish conquest, the Quichés had 'three lords' who were distinguished by the number of canopies they had: “The principal lord had three canopies or mantles adorned with fine featherwork over his seat, the second had two, and the third one” (Zorita 1963, 272)." As such, mu'j is the first object in the list of emblems that Nakxit gives to the K'iche' leaders as signs of their new political and sacred power.