CHAPINADAS

The first group of simultaneos Mayan translators graduated this week in a Mayan ceremony with marimba music. The first group of translators graduated with the support of the IGA and the Academy of Mayan Languages. One of the graduates explained that where she comes from, there were always problems in communicating with other people from different backgrounds. Now, she hopes to contribute more to get rid of communication barriers between different language groups. The president of The Academy of Mayan Languages also said that this program for Simultaneous translators would not have been possible without the help of the Guatemalan-American Institute.

El Foro de Desarrollo Indigena Guatemalteco (FODIGUA), busca tomar en cuenta la cultura y costumbres Mayas en todos los proyectos que efectua. Fodigua, con esta nueva meta y mentalidad esta buscando distinguirse de los demas fondos sociales de Guatemala. Segun David Son, director de FODIGUA, la mision de esta entidad es “propiciar el desarrollo de los pueblos indigenas, tomando en cuenta la sabiduria de nuestros ancestros. El FODIGUA, consulto a varios expertos y lideres indigenas para hacer un modelo de accion que fortalezca the identidad de cada etnia y las costumbres propias de los Mayas. Este modelo, plantea tomar en cuenta la sabiduria de los principios sagrados ancestrales y adaptarlas a la era moderna.

FODIGUA, esta planeando invertir en las comunidades con cuatro programas. El primer programa se llama Kembal tz’ib’ o taller de simbolos, un programa que incluye proyectos de computacion y tecnologia moderna. El segundo programa Kichak winaq, desarrollara planes de produccion como invernaderos o el cultivo de productos que no son traditicionales de las areas. El tercer programa Utzilal winak, que se encargara de brindar salud a las comunidades y el cuarto programa Uchuq’ab’ tinamit que se encargara de capacitar nuevos lideres siempre tomando en cuenta la expericiencia de los ancianos.

According to the Academy of Mayan Languages of Guatemala (ALMG), there are about 5 Mayan Languages in danger of extinction. The first of these languages, ITZA’, is the one with the most danger because according to the experts, there only 123 people that speak it. Terrence Kaufman, wrote the book “Idiomas de Mesoamerica”, where he says that the ITZA language had only 100 speakers when he wrote his book in 1990. The etnographic information indicates that most people that speak the language are over 50 years old and therefore if there is no new blood this language will not survive.

Other languages in danger are Mopan, chorti, sipakapense and tektiteko. Other language experts say that most of the Guatemalan Mayan languages are in danger. Languages that have less than 3,000 speakers have less possibilities of survival. According to the experts, one of the things that is affecting Mayan languages de most, is the restricted space where they are spoken. Most languages are limited to family, village or markets. Another aspect affecting the Mayan languages is the fact that the languages are not being pass on to children. As an example of this trend is KAKCHIKEL, that despite of being in the central area of Guatemala , it has not being passed to children and therefore will be lost for the next generation.

There are several factor affecting the Mayan Languages. Some of these factor are social, political and economic. The economical factor is seeing from the workplace, where all communication is in spanish. The biggest threat against the languages is an environment of racism and discrimination. People tend to leave behind their languages because they do not want to suffer from these attitudes.

Even though, there is a law that protects Mayan Languages, in practice it is very ineffective. This law says that “the Mayan Languages, Garifuna and Xinco could be utilized in all the linguistic communities, in every form and without restrictions in public or private and in all kind of activities whether they are educational, academic, social, economical, political and cultural activities.

The five Mayan languages in most danger are:
ITZA: Soken inSan Jose, Peten and it is considered that there are only 123 speakers.
MOPAN: Spoken in San Luis Peten, approximately 463 speakers.
CHORTI: Spoken in Jocotan, Camotan, and Olopa in Chiquimula and La Union, Zacapa. Approximately 1,105 speakers.
SIPAKAPENSE: Spoken in Sipacapa. Approximately 6344 speakers.
TEKTITEKO: Spoken in Tectitan, Cuilco in Huehuetenango and Chiapas, Mexico. Approximately 1,241 speakers.

Marlon Garcia Arriaga es un fotografo y pintor Guatemalteco que esta presentado sus fotos y pinturas en diferentes ciudades canadiences. La foto que esta en este articulo salio en el periodico de la ciudad de Hamilton, ON. El estaba documentando con fotografias muchas de las masacres que pasaron en Guatemala en anos pasados. Su exposicion se titula Panzos: 25 anos despues.