Introduction 

The Hetzmek, also known as the Jets' Mek', is a traditional ceremony among the Yucatec Maya people. Jets' Mek' means that the child is carried on the hip for the first time, and its objective of this is for the baby to be able to walk fast and move quickly. Also known as the Maya Baptismal. It is performed on infants, specifically females when they are 3 months old and males when they are 4 months old. This is done because the months align with their beliefs, such as the 3 stones of the fire hearth for the females and the 4 corners of the milpa for the males. This ceremony marks the way that a child will grow up, and it helps the child be ready for future roles. 

Rationale

We chose to explore this topic because even though we had heard of this tradition, we did not know its true meaning and how important it is in our Maya culture. In creating this website, we aim to bring attention to a tradition that isn't often practiced nowadays. To educate about the Maya tradition and to be able to preserve the knowledge by highlighting the Godparents' role, the objects' symbolisms, and the reason why it is not practiced.  By interviewing individuals who are deeply knowledgeable about the tradition, we will be able to deeply understand the importance of this tradition.