BALAM
Mexican Folklore
This is the general term for a group of semi-supernatural guardians in the beliefs of the QUICHE peoples of Mexico. The BALAM, whose names mean "Tiger" or "Jaguar", were originally gigantic terrifying manifestations of these big cats of the forest, assigned as guardians of the four directions. The names were IQI-BALAM (moon jaguar), BALAM-AGAB (Nocturnal Jaguar), BALAM-QUITZE (Smiling Jaguar), and MAHU-CATAH (Famous Name) - names that may have been euphemisms intended to ward off the predations of these beasts. In modern Mayan folklore, all four have been relegated to the role of guardians of nature. The BALAM now protect the inhabitants, the villages, and their agricultural land.
Source: Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth