Which statement correctly identifies Rabinal Achi?

Which statement correctly identifies Rabinal Achi?

• A. It is a Turkish shadow puppet play
• B. It is a form of Japanese theatre with puppets
• C. It is a Mesoamerican performance commemorating political and military events between two Mayan city-states
• D. It is a sacred text for Sanskrit Drama

Answer: (C)

Rabinal Achi is a Mayan court theatre from Guatemala, a living ritual drama that reenacts political and military events between rival Maya city-states. It survives as one of the few pre-Columbian performance traditions in the Americas, traditionally performed with masked actors, song, and dance in the Mayan language to tell the story of the capture of a Rabinal noble by enemies and the ensuing negotiations and ritual resolution. This makes it distinctly Mesoamerican, deeply tied to community memory and political life, rather than Turkish shadow puppetry, Japanese puppet theatre, or a Sanskrit sacred text.

Rabinal Achi is a Mayan court theatre from Guatemala, a living ritual drama that reenacts political and military events between rival Maya city-states. It survives as one of the few pre-Columbian performance traditions in the Americas, traditionally performed with masked actors, song, and dance in the Mayan language to tell the story of the capture of a Rabinal noble by enemies and the ensuing negotiations and ritual resolution. This makes it distinctly Mesoamerican, deeply tied to community memory and political life, rather than Turkish shadow puppetry, Japanese puppet theatre, or a Sanskrit sacred text.