The name MVNGATA is an adaptation of the Swedish word “mångata„ which is the path of light that is formed by the reflection of the moon in the sea water.
The most beautiful maiden
Our ancestors tell that in ancient times, there was a time when plants covered the entire earth, birds crossed the vast sky, animals ruled jungles, hills, forests and mountains; men and women lived in harmony and the gods moved on the face of the earth.
Back then, the gods of the Mayab took the scent of flowers, the sound of birds, the whiteness of snow, a ray of sun, and for 7 days and 7 nights they united their hearts and created the most beautiful maiden.
Her beauty was such that no man could see her because her face blinded them, only her smile was capable of illuminating from the highest mountain to the deepest of the ravines.
Amaité, face of the sky
The gods were very proud of the beauty of their beloved daughter whom they called Amaité, which means “face of the sky”.
The love that Amaité had for everything created was very great. However also a great pain was kept inside her, because there was no one who loved her, since only the gods could see her.
For this reason, during the nights, when the men and women slept, Amaité would walk through the jungle, the rivers, the mangroves and cenotes, hiding her face to enjoy all the beauty that the gods had created.
Honey drop and dew
One night, a young man named Kaknab got lost on the way. Disoriented in the darkness of the jungle, he began to sing that ancient melody that the grandparents taught to guide us in the darkness and return home.
Kaknab had been blessed by the gods with a drop of honey and a drop of dew on his throat, so his singing was sweet and soft.
While Amaité was taking her night walk, she heard the song and in silence she hid so as not to be seen.
Amaité could not believe what she was hearing, the strange melody was like a dream so she uncovered her face to see where it was coming from. Great was Kaknab’s surprise when a flash lit up from the top of the ceiba to the depths of the cenotes, as he fearfully hid among the trees.
The shine in the sky
The next morning, Kaknab woke up and he could not forget what he had seen that was so beautiful. Then his heart raced and a strange feeling invaded his throat and he began to sing full of love and tenderness to that light.
Upon hearing it, the God of the wind realized how genuine his love was, he took the melody in his hands and brought it to Amaité’s ears. As she treasured it, a strange bright spot remained impregnated in the sky.
During the following nights, Kaknab deposited his song in the hands of the God of the Wind, and a new point shone in the sky.
The eternity
Grateful for such beautiful gifts, Amaité asked the God of the Waters to send the strange singer a kiss. Being at the edge of the sea Kaknab could see a bright point in the water and as he took it in his hands, an inexplicable feeling filled his heart.
The god of the waters told him the name of her beloved and her soul overflowed with happiness. The next day, Kaknab walked between the jungle and the mangroves and arrived at this place where you are today.
And so he asked the gods to give him their favor to be with her beloved Amaité eternally. It didn´t matter what he had to do, he just wanted to have the joy of being with her.
The white trail
The gods saw that Kaknab and Amaité’s love was sincere, so they gave them their benefit. It was then that Kaknab surrendered to the arms of the god of the waters who took him by the hand and made him cross towards the horizon, and a white and resplendent wake was left behind until he disappeared where the sky and the sea meet, to meet his beloved Amaité there.
Since that day, when Amaité shows her face in the sky, the path that Kaknab traveled can be seen in the sea, and the songs that she composes shine on high and shine in the waters, and eternally we can see how Kaknab moves and rises his hands in the form of waves to caress and kiss his beloved.
If one day you want to listen to his love songs, pick up a seashell, put it in your ear and feel Amaité and Kaknab’s love in your heart.