The rooms and auditoriums are ready. The campus is looking more beautiful than ever. The invitations have gone out, stamped and signed by Rector Carlos Bojorquez Urzais, president of University of the Orient. Dr. Bojorquez has personally embraced this event, opening his campus to the incoming throng of Maya epigraphers from the four corners of the Maya homeland (see blog post 11 Ajaw 3 Wo for the initial announcement).

This beautiful new campus on the northern edge of Valladolid, Yucatán, will be hosting the Congress of Maya Epigraphers in June.

Continue reading →

On June 5, 2011, a wonderful little workshop took place in Tizimin, Yucatan, presented by MAM colleague Ana Patricia Martínez Huchim and supported by a mini-grant from MAM.

Patricia founded the cultural center Popol Naj Máximo Huchin several years ago and has sponsored numerous language and cultural activities here in her home town. Continue reading →

The Sak Chuen group (see previous blog, 3 AJAW 8 K’AYAB) is on call and travels throughout Guatemala to give glyph workshops.

In May, 2011, a team of Sak Chuen epigraphers went to the Department of San Marcos in the western highlands (a Mam language area) to give two workshops, a beginners and an intermediate, at the local ALMG office. Continue reading →

The Sak Chuen Center for Maya Epigraphy is a grass-roots effort making a difference in Guatemala.

Romelia Mo’ Isem, Maya Poqomchi’ and MAM colleague, is president and co-founder of the group. Continue reading →

“ ‘A people without history is like a tree without roots,’ goes the famous saying. This is precisely what epigraphy signifies for the Maya people.” Antonio Cuxil, Maya Kaqchikel, MAM colleague.

Today, 9 Ajaw (February 5, 2012), we launch our new web site with our new name MAM: “Mayas for Ancient Mayan” and “Maya Antiguo para los Mayas.”

2011 saw our transition and change in focus. We no longer emphasize bringing Mayas to the workshops, now we bring the workshops to the Mayas. Continue reading →

by Bruce Love, President, Friends of the Maya.

I am a happy to report a very successful day in Ixtahuacan, Huehuetenango with our colleague Ana Lopez. This is Mam country, on the western border of the Guatemala highlands. In fact this is the town where Nora England, one of our former board members, did her linguistic field work for her study of the Mam language. Continue reading →

Valladolid workshop with Crisanto and Patricia

by Bruce Love

In May, 2010, I gave a workshop in Valladolid, Yucatán, at the invitation of FoM colleague Crisanto Kumul. Attending were “high school” students from Crisanto’s home town of Siisbicch’en and university students from UNO (Universidad del Oriente), all speakers of Mayat’aan (Yucateco). The setting was perfect, in an old converted hacienda on the northern outskirts of town. FoM colleague Patricia Martínez Huchim from nearby Tizimin assisted.

XWOTZB’AL LI MAYA’ TZ’IIB’ SA’ XTEEPAL AJ Q’EQCHI’, SA’ AKTE’
Sharing Maya writing in Q’ekchi’ territory, Lancetillo, Uspantán, Quiché
Oct. 22, 2009

Thanks are given for the invitation made by Professor Carlos Oxom, Maya Q’eqchi’, to share the Maya writing with students of the Institute for Teachers in Bilingual Primary Schools (Q’eqchi’-Spanish) Intercultural Program, a program of the Development Project Santiago-PRODESA. Continue reading →

Dear colleagues,

Earlier this year (May 2010) I had the absolute thrill of playing ambassador to Belize for Friends of the Maya and opening up Belizean Maya communities to the possibilities of learning hieroglyphic writing and the ancient calendar.

My first stop was University of Belize in Belmopan where I was hosted by Cesar Ross. Cesar took me around campus introducing me to various directors and heads of departments as we worked together to make final arrangements and get the workbooks printed. Continue reading →