AHC: Maya colonies in the West Indies

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Admittedly this was inspired by solving the puzzles on those Maya steles in Black Flag and seeing the Maya temples in Tropico so I'm genuinely curious as to the possibility of the Maya establishing a foothold on the island of Cuba. I am aware that there was some degree of trade between Maya in the Yucatan and the native Taino already in OTL.

 

[DValdron]

Admittedly this was inspired by solving the puzzles on those Maya steles in Black Flag and seeing the Maya temples in Tropico so I'm genuinely curious as to the possibility of the Maya establishing a foothold on the island of Cuba. I am aware that there was some degree of trade between Maya in the Yucatan and the native Taino already in OTL.

It's quite a cool idea, a seafaring Maritime Maya or Maya/Hybridized civilization.

 

[Thanksforallthefish]

Maybe I'm naive, but it seems quite easy to me. Some Mayans adopt Taino seafaring and travel through the Antilles. They bring their culture and technology with them, and some Taino/Carib adopt them. Eventually a few small cities would grow. With an early enough POD, it could be Mesoamerica's equivalent of Ancient Greece.

 

[Oracle of Sobek 𓆋]

Are we going with Classic (Highland) Maya or Post-Classic Yucatec states? The latter are probably in a better position geographically speaking, and are probably more open to cultural hybridization.

 

[Thanksforallthefish]

Are we going with Classic (Highland) Maya or Post-Classic Yucatec states? The latter are probably in a better position geographically speaking, and are probably more open to cultural hybridization.

I would say the latter. I am not sure when the Mayas started contacting the Caribbean peoples, though.

 

[jycee]

Don't think it would take much. Perhaps if the Classical Period of the Maya lasted a little longer (avoid the population crash), a few coastal Maya city states would develop better seafaring tech. You don't need anything too complex, simple sail and rafts but enough to get around the Caribbean.

It is actually kinda impressive that it didn't happen in OTL.


In the long long dead, Mississippi Rice TL by Tormsen. Thanks to the American domestication of wild rice this is exactly what happens. Maya avoid population crash and trade all around the Caribbean establishing outpost city states.

 

[9 Fanged Hummingbird]

Are we going with Classic (Highland) Maya or Post-Classic Yucatec states? The latter are probably in a better position geographically speaking, and are probably more open to cultural hybridization.

Classic Highland? There weren't many big Maya polities in the Highlands throughout the Classic Era. You could still go with the Yucatan but in the Classic era, there were large polities there at the time as well. Coba, Ek Balam (Talol), Edzna, and Uxmal spring to mind, as well as Chichen Itza though that became more prominent in the Terminal Classic. But yeah, it's important to know what exact time period the OP has in mind. If I could get a look at these Maya stelae from the game (haven't played it though I have thought about it) I could get an idea of what is in mind from looking at the art style.