Mayans Don't Actually Believe The World Will End In 2012

Guatemala's Mayan people accused the government and tour groups
on Wednesday of perpetuating the myth that their calendar
foresees the imminent end of the world for monetary gain.

"We are speaking out against deceit, lies and twisting of the
truth, and turning us into folklore-for-profit. They are not
telling the truth about time cycles," charged Felipe Gomez,
leader of the Maya alliance Oxlaljuj Ajpop.

Several films and documentaries have promoted the idea that the
ancient Mayan calendar predicts that doomsday is less than two
months away, on December 21, 2012.

The Culture Ministry is hosting a massive event in Guatemala City
-- which as many as 90,000 people are expected to attend -- just
in case the world actually does end, while tour groups are
promoting doomsday-themed getaways.

Maya leader Gomez urged the Tourism Institute to rethink the
doomsday celebration, which he criticized as a "show" that was
disrespectful to Mayan culture.

Experts say that for the Maya, all that ends in 2012 is one of
their calendar cycles, not the world.

Gomez's group issued a statement saying that the new Maya time
cycle simply "means there will be big changes on the personal,
family and community level, so that there is harmony and balance
between mankind and nature."

Oxlajuj Ajpop is holding events it considers sacred in five
cities to mark the event and Gomez said the Culture Ministry
would be wise to throw its support behind their real
celebrations.

More than half of Guatemala's population of nearly 15 million are
from indigenous groups of Mayan descent.

The Mayan calendar has 18 months of 20 days each plus a sacred
month, "Wayeb," of five days. "B'aktun" is the largest unit in
the time cycle system, and is about 400 years. The broader era
spans 13 B'aktun, or about 5,200 years.