Tsukán, the jade serpent: Joe Rohde explains the myth behind the new Indiana Jones attraction
Not a Disney invention but genuine Maya mythology: Joe Rohde has explained who the jade serpent Tsukán really is – and what role the creature plays in the upcoming Indiana Jones attraction at Animal Kingdom. Here's the full story!
"Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent" is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing new attractions at Disney's Animal Kingdom, arriving in the upcoming Tropical Americas land. What many people don't realise: the creature in the title isn't an Imagineering invention at all. Disney Legend Joe Rohde laid out the background in detail on Instagram.
Tsukán, the jade serpent, comes from living, contemporary Maya mythology. Rohde draws a comparison to Expedition Everest, which likewise centres on a creature from oral tradition – the yeti of the Himalayas. Within that tradition, Tsukán acts as an environmental protector, defending the sanctity, purity, and fertility of the cenote and the water it holds.
Especially fascinating is the linguistic layer Rohde points to. In the Mayan language, serpents and sky imagery are deeply intertwined: the word "Kaan" refers to both snakes and the heavens. Stylised serpents in Maya art therefore often represent the sky rather than the animal itself. Those heavenly serpent motifs are woven into Tsukán's design across its brow.
Inside the attraction, guests will encounter Tsukán several times before coming face to face with a large Audio-Animatronics version in a final confrontation scene. Rohde's advice to future visitors: walk very slowly and look closely at every detail – the cultural and environmental storytelling runs through the entire experience.
Written by DPM-VIDS · August 26, 2026, 19:50