3 Ajaw 8 Pop. Drawing by Jorge Pérez de Lara

This month, we hear back from Aj Xol Ch’ok who gives us the first report from the 2019 mini-grant recipients. Aj Xol Ch’ok (a.k.a. Hector Rolando Xol Ch’ok) is an integral member of the PLFM team who has worked very closely with MAM for many years. He is an Aj Tz’iib’ in every sense of the word, with an advanced knowledge of the Ojer Maya’ Tz’iib’, and he has revived the traditional art of creating brushes from cane, known as aj, along with natural pigments as a way for K’iche’ Maya students to revitalize and learn to read and write in the writing system of their ancient ancestors—indeed, the same very ancestors who gave us the Popol Vuh. While it may take some practice and hard work, cane is a widely available resource that can be easily implemented for this purpose in other Maya communities.

We look forward to hearing more about this exciting new development in the future!

As always, thank you for your continued support on behalf of all of our Maya colleagues.

Maltiox Chech Alak,

Michael Grofe, President
MAM

Introduction to Reading and Writing in the Tz’iib’ System

Malacatancito, Huehuetango
March 5-6, 2019

Group of K’iche’ Maya boys, girls and teachers, and the facilitator of the workshop (Photo: Aj Ch’ok. 2019).

Description

The First Workshop on the Introduction to Reading and Writing in the Maya Tz’iib’ system was held over the course of two days with a group of scholarship students and teachers of the K’amalb’e Association, of Malacatancito, Huehuetenango. K’amalb’e is a Project that works thanks to the contribution of institutions and people at national and international levels and whose contribution is to offer scholarships (basic and diversified level) to K’iche ‘Mayan children and youth in the area of Malacatancito. One of the objectives of this project is the strengthening of the cultural identity of the K’iche’ people. Unfortunately, the communities of this town know very little or nothing about their origins, history, knowledge, etc. It is in this context that the realization of this first workshop has taken shape. Continue reading →