Source: CCTV.com

06-06-2007 10:05

The ancient Mayan people of Mexico used to set off in the middle of the night on a risky journey across open waters, in search of honor from their moon goddess. Now, 500 years later, a group of their descendants are determined to revive the tradition.

A fitting start to the journey that was to take place under the night sky - with dances and prayers to the moon goddess and the mistress of the seas.

Reviving the 500-year-old tradition, 120 volunteers - carrying their canoes and setting off into the night. To capture the essence of the original trips, the canoe designs were based on descriptions from old Mayan scripts - with some even hand-carved out of local tree trunks.