Crisanto Kumul Chan from Sisbicchen, Yucatán, is already well known to many of our readers, with more than two decades of experience teaching children and adults the hieroglyphs and calendar (he was the star of the final scene in the film Breaking the Maya Code by Night Fire Films [released in 2008, available at http://www.nightfirefilms.net/store/store.htm]).

When film makers Lebrun and Halpern arrived in Sisbicchen in 2005 they were greeted by Maya children holding a welcome sign in glyphs.

At the Congreso de Epigrafistas Mayas, Crisanto acted as co-host, representing Educación Indígena of the Secretaría de Educación. Continue reading →

As stated in the agenda (see 13 Ajaw 3 Xul, July 14 blog post), an extended session at the congreso was devoted to presentations by Maya epigraphers with experience in giving workshops in Mayan-speaking communities.

On the program for Wednesday, June 13, were special presentations by Maya epigraphers experienced in giving workshops.

The first group to present was referred to as the OKMA group. Although OKMA itself no longer exists, these epigraphers were leading participants in OKMA workshops during its heyday in the 1990s and 2000s.  Continue reading →