Maya News
Commemoration of the International Day of Indigenous Pueblos
August 9, 2010, Morelia, Mexico. Over 50 Million indigenous people from native pueblos call Latin America home. The majority lives in Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador.
Translated from Spanish; original version below.
On Monday, August 9, 2010, according to an official of the United Nations, Latin American governments were asked to improve their efforts to meet the criteria of the Declaration of the United Nations regarding the Rights of the Native Pueblos of America.
“It’s urgent to increase efforts to accomplish the principles and rights contained in the Declaration (approved for 143 countries in September, 2007),” said Carmen Rosa Villa, representing the United Nations’ Central American High Commission for Human Rights.
According to Villa, it is “essential” to guarantee the rights of the Indigenous Pueblos to participate in the decisions that affect them; to “make space for inter-cultural dialogue between the States and the Native Pueblos.”
For this reason, Villa called on the countries of the region to fulfill the Declaration in offering respect, protection and human rights for those ethnic groups.
The United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, Navy Pillay, sees a “long road” between the Declaration’s statement of principles and its implementation for the pueblos of the region. He cites: “continued suffering discrimination, marginalization, extreme poverty, and exclusion from the decision-making process.”
In Latin America there are 522 indigenous pueblos, dispersed among 20 countries. There are 420 extant languages from 99 linguistic families, according to recent statistics from the United Nations International Children’s Fund, UNICEF.
Brazil hosts 241 indigenous pueblos; Colombia, 83; Mexico, 67; and Peru, 43. These four countries have the highest number of indigenous pueblos in the region, as opposed to Belize (4), El Salvador (3) and Uruguay (0).
Bolivia’s indigenous inhabitants comprise 60% of the total population, followed by Guatemala (40%); Peru (14%); and Mexico (9%).
The Andean Quechua pueblo is the largest, with nearly six million indigenous residents, succeeded by 2.5 million Aymara, divided among Bolivia, Peru and Argentina. More than 2 million Nahuatl natives as well as
1.3 million Maya reside in Mexico. 1.2 million K’iche and approximately 800,000 Q’iqchi’ live in Guatemala.
Amazonia boasts 313 indigenous pueblos, the highest native population, while Mexico and Central America host 126. The Chaco zone holds 39; the Andes, 37; and the Caribbean, 18.
Spanish Version. Versión en Español.
HOY SE CONMEMORA EL DÍA INTERNACIONAL DE LOS PUEBLOS INDÍGENAS
Morelia, México, 9 de Agosto de 2010. El día de hoy, diversas poblaciones alrededor del mundo, conmemoran el Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas, mismo que fue proclamado en 1994, en recuerdo del grupo de representantes que participó en la ONU el 9 de agosto de 1982.
Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link:
Indigenous Leaders Claim Discrimination and Racism Persist
Guatemala, August 8, 2010. In Guatemala, where Mayan pueblos have little access to politics, education or legal recourse, indigenous leaders claim that discrimination and racism persist.
Translated from Spanish; original version below.
According to Nobel Peace Prize winner, Rigoberta Menchu, “…the problem is still there, although it’s been discussed for 30 years. Politics are needed, because the discrimination continues, though stealthily.”
Menchu indicates that the plight of indigenous people stems from a lack of pluralism within the government: “There is no estate (representation) in Guatemala for the indigenous pueblos. For instance, if we go to Ixil (northwestern Guatemala), the Estate (State) reduced the participation to one indigenous representative.” In the opinion of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Guatemalan Mayan pueblos report only slight political progress after decades of conflict.
“Although many indigenous citizens from the pueblos qualify for Public Administration positions, the State maintains a colonialist…environment,” opines Menchu.
Isabel Cipriano, leader of the Mayan Women’s Association, “MOLOJ,” believes that the disease of racism motivates the manipulative use of indigenous peoples and pueblos as de-humanized “ornaments.”
Cipriano claims that clear evidence of discrimination against indigenous populations emerges in their limited access to political power, education and legal recourse.
Alvaro Colom, President of Guatemala, ostensibly formed a government with a Mayan face. However, Minister of Culture, Jeronimo Lancerio, remains the sole indigenous cabinet member. Furthermore, of the 158-member Congress, only 15 are Maya.
But, Alvaro Pop, a member of the Permanent Forum of the United Nations for the Indigenous Pueblos, sees important political progress on the local level. Out of a total of 333 mayors in Guatemala, 129 are indigenous.
On August 9, 2010, Guatemala celebrates the International Day of Indigenous Pueblos. These Pueblos survive against all the odds of poverty and political exclusion. But, we must “…celebrate that we are here, “ claims Cipriano.
Guatemala boasts 23 ethnic Mayan groups, including the Garifunas and Xincas. According to the most recent census, completed in 2002, these indigenous groups account for 42 percent of Guatemala’s total population of 11 million.
Rigoberta Menchú
Spanish Version. Versión en Español.
LA DISCRIMINACIÓN Y EL RACISMO SIGUEN EN GUATEMALA, SEGÚN LÍDERES INDÍGENAS Guatemala, 8 ago (EFE).- La discriminación y el racismo continúan en Guatemala, en donde los pueblos mayas tienen acceso limitado en el ámbito político, educativo, sanitario y justicia, según coinciden varios líderes indígenas en declaraciones que publica hoy la prensa local.Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link:
After “Agatha” storm, at least one hundred of Indigenous Communities has been affected in Guatemala.
Translated from Spanish; original version below.
Guatemala, Guatemala, June 3rd, 2010. At least one hundred of Indigenous Communities with high levels of poverty have been affected for “Agatha” Storm; unfortunately they have not received help. The population starts to feel food shortage, because they have not been attended, denounced the Peasant Unity Counsel (CUC).
These populations, most of them placed in regions faraway at the west of Guatemala, report fields of corn and beans being destroyed and big losses.
The executive Secretary of the Coordination of Disasters Prevention, Alejandro Maldonado, informed that after the rains got less, by air traffic started, bringing food and sheets for more than one hundred thousand of the victims of this natural disaster, recognizing that because of the vial roads damage around the country the transportation were really hard and slow.
After the storm, members of Help Institutions have started seeking for human rests, under tons and tons of mud, caused by the mud slides. So far there are 156 death people, one hundred missing people, 24 thousand houses damaged, and 16 damaged bridges.
On the meantime, International Assistance started to help Guatemala; Spain Government gave $187,000 destined to help the damaged population of Sololá, the West area of Guatemala.
Also the Government of United States, helped with four helicopters for transportation.
Guatemalan Government will assign a loan applied at Mundial Bank of $85,000,000 to face the emergency caused by “Agatha” storm.
Spanish Version. Versión en Español.
Tras el paso de la tormenta ‘Agatha’ al menos cien comunidades indígenas y con altos niveles de pobreza han resultado afectadas en Guatemala.Guatemala, Guatemala, junio 3, 2010.- Al menos cien comunidades indígenas y con altos niveles de pobreza, afectadas por las lluvias provocadas por la tormenta ‘Agatha’, no han recibido ayuda y sus habitantes empiezan a sufrir escasez de alimentos porque aún no son atendidas, denunció el Comité de Unidad Campesina (CUC).
Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link:
Argentina: The Indigenous Face.
Translated from Spanish; original version below.
Servindi, Argentina, May 22nd, 2010. The mystic Square of May, where noble events happened; like “The March of the Mothers and Grandmothers of May” honoring the missing persons at the military dictatorship period, was the scenario of one crowded march of Native Pueblos, reclaiming for the very first time in its history, the re-foundation of Argentina as a Plurinational Country like Bolivia or Ecuador.
There, the children of “Pachamama”placed a flag with the colors of an “Indigenous Argentina”, celebrating the bicentenary of that Country, stressing the future coming of a new period of time in the historical process of this South Country, said the Indigenous leaders.
“Walking into the truth, through a Plurinational State” Was the consign of the march, that happened on May 12, which its goal was not only the restitution of an ancestral land and other rights, but the re-foundation of the Country into a Plurinational State.
Thousand of Indigenous people, representing the 30 Indigenous Pueblos in Argentina, wearing their multi-color ponchos and typical clothing, which designs they kept through more than 5 centuries, walked almost two thousand kilometers in this National March of the Native Pueblos, until they got together at Buenos Aires from the four cardinal points.
Wichis, Kollas, Tobas,Mapuches, Huarpes, Guaranís, between others Indigenous Pueblos and Communities were present in this enormous manifestation, with very emotional moments like when the Mothers and Grandmothers of Square of May, children and relatives of the missing persons, personalities like the Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Social movements, students, intellectuals and artist, received them in a warm welcome that never happened before.
Spanish Version. Versión en Español.
ARGENTINA: EL ROSTRO INDIGENA Y PLURINACIONAL DE ARGENTINA
Servindi, Argentina. 22 de mayo, 2010.- La mítica Plaza de Mayo, lugar en donde se desarrollaron nobles gestas como la “Marcha de las Madres y Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo” por los desaparecidos en la dictadura militar, fue el escenario de una multitudinaria marcha de pueblos originarios que reclamaban por primera vez en su historia la refundación de Argentina en un país plurinacional, como Bolivia o Ecuador (Foto: Efe).
Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link:
http://www.servindi.org/actualidad/26099#more-26099
Guatemalan Mayas Indigenous receive the year 5126, ruled for the Deer.
Translated from Spanish; original version below.
Guatemala, February 22 nd, 2010. Religious Ceremonies and cultural acts, stressed this Monday the beginning of the year 5126 of the Mayan calendar, which will be ruled by Kej (Deer) prognosticating ability and strength in order to find a balance between physic, mental, spiritual and emotional energies of their authorities.
On the Maya Cosmo vision, each year brings an specific energy a “charger”, for this year it is the Deer; according with the specialist Emilio Ajquejay, of Cultural Ministry, who thinks that this year will be a fast year and “the authorities of the world will be strengthen”.
The deer symbolize also the four cosmic points that strength the energies, that is why it is going to strength “the energies of the governors”, explained Ajquejay.
In the meantime, Indigenous leader María Quezada said that because it is an animal of “four legs” the Deer emphasized the balancing between the four energies: physic, mental, spiritual and emotional.
“In that order, the leaders are in harmony, they will be able to unify. Otherwise, they will divide” expressed Quezada.
In order to welcome the new year, after the end of the Wayeb¨ (period of five days of reflection, meditation, dialog and projection of goals) Indigenous leaders in different areas of the Country made a wakefulness on Sunday night and this Monday they celebrated a Mayan ceremony.
According with the Mayan Cosmo vision, the Ab¨ (name of the year 5126 started this Monday) is the year of 365 days based on the rotation movement of the earth around the sun, conformed for 18 months of 20 days each, plus the Wayeb¨, which become in a month of five days inside of this calendar.
“In this calendar each day has its own name and refers to a specific characteristics and human behaviors with the nature, and the incidence of the Cosmos over human beings and nature, then it is possible to anticipate and organize the Agricultural work and the norm of social interaction”, affirmed the Mayan Elder Cirilo Pérez.
The director of collective Indigenous Organizations, Roberto Cajas, said that the celebration of the new year represents an opportunity to express “a profound gratitude to the nature” for providing all people with all the elements needed to live.
“During the Ceremony, besides to gratitude the earth, we also ask to the Mayan Gods to strength the weaknesses of each person” said Cajas.
Mayan Elder Cirilo Perez
Spanish Version. Versión en Español.
INDIGENAS MAYAS GUATEMALTECOS RECIBEN EL AÑO 5126, REGIDO POR EL VENADO
Guatemala 22 de Febrero de 2010. Ceremonias religiosas y actos culturales marcaron este lunes el inicio del año 5126 del calendario maya, que será regido por Kej (venado) y que augura habilidad y fortaleza para encontrar un balance entre las energías física, mental, espiritual y emocional de sus autoridades.
Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gph0Jqmqzuyas_xtcyBNEOQRw7cg
Guatemalan Indigenous Pueblos ask for recognition of their Mayan Sacred Places
- Translated from Spanish; original version below.
Guatemala April 12, 2010. In Guatemala Catholics and evangelic churches, have their own space to venerate their God, but we the Mayans don’t have sacred places, regrets Oxlaj, who is a spiritual guide for the actual president Alvaro Colom.
Guatemala April 12, 2010. Guatemalan indigenous leaders demand to the Congress the approbation of a law that recognizes the sacred places of the Mayas and its ancestors, to be responsible of the conservation, administration and access to the cities that in its majority are touristic destinations.
Cirilo Perez Oxlaj, migrant ambassador of the indigenous Pueblos, questions, how is it possible to see that Catholics as well as Evangelic have the right to adore their God, and he questions why the Mayas can’t have sacred places to venerate their Gods.
The Guatemalan congress after receiving a favorable commission where the pueblos have their own space to give thanks to the creator of life, of water, of the sun, of the air, an of the mother earth, explains Oxlaj, whom considers an insult to the Mayan beliefs because the government has promote tourism, in the old Mayan cities.
If they approve the law, doesn’t mean that they Mayans will deny access to the visitors to the sacred places, but they will have to do it with respect to the Mayan ancestors.
The indigenous ambassador has argued that the law is based upon the politic constitution, in the 169 agreement of the International Organization of Work and the convention for the protection of the cultural and natural patrimony.
The government has disowned us, the Mayans have been abandoned, and they only remember us for the presidential elections. The sacred places have been abandonee, and their valuables have been sold abroad.
He mentions to be interested in promoting the preservation of natural recourses, of the indigenous pueblos in regards of the climatic changes.
The indigenous pueblos represent 42% of the 13 million Guatemalans. In which percentage is the mayor concentration of poverty that affects 51% of the population. If the law is approved they will have sacred places for the other two pueblos: the Incas, in the east of the country as well as the Garifunas in the Caribbean.
Spanish Version. Versión en Español.
INDIGENAS GUATEMALTECOS EXIGEN RECONOCIMIENTO A LUGARES SAGRADOS MAYAS
Guatemala Abril 12, 2010. Líderes indígenas guatemaltecos exigen al Congreso la aprobación de una ley que reconozca los lugares sagrados de los Mayas y sus ancestros, para responsabilizarse de la conservación, administración y acceso a estos sitios que en su mayoría son destinos turísticos.
Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link:
Anthropological text is found
- Translated from Spanish; original version below.
Comalcalco, Tabasco, Mexico. December 29, 2009. The History and National Anthropology studies, text found in the excavations in the archeological site of Comalcalco, Tabasco.
The text has 260 hieroglyphs, referring to 14 years of the life of an important priest of the VIII a. C. has indicated Ricardo Armijo Torres, director of the Archeological Project of Comalcalco.
The inscriptions are based upon the life of a priest, not about a gubernator or its consort, as it was usual in the old Mayan culture, which makes us believe that this priest have been consider a high sacerdotal status.
The texts obtained in 1998, have been written in tortoise shells that were deposited in the funeral urn, located in the front of the south Temple II and IIA of the Northern prehispanic site, where the individual in question was shrouded and covered with abundant red pigmentation.
The content of the funerary urn it is analyzed in the lab of the Center INAH Tabasco. Armijo Torres has informed that the rest of the offerings are distribute in jewelry, tortoise shells, jade, shark teeth, with perforations, black obsidiaria, knifes of black and gray obsidiaria.
The Content
The text gathers a total of 260 hieroglyphs, 80 of which are identify by the Mayan anthropology, detailed by Ricardo Armijo Torres has inscriptions that can be read and interpreted, they have a religious connotation relevant to the annual rituals made by Yajaw K´ahk, the God of fire, Aj Pakal Than.
The hieroglyphs are found in a descendant other, and the first brings the date of the larges account equivalent to 31 of January of 771 a. C., that belongs to the beginnings of the majority of texts rescued in the offerings that is detailed in the 14 years of the life of this Mayan priest.
The texts describe rituals of self sacrifice that include blood and punishment before the spring solstice, during which Aj Pakal was accompanied by divers heavenly gods, related to the Mayan god of the rain, Chaac.
The epigraphic information described in the texts of Comalcalco, have shown and allow us to see it, as well as see in the neighbor city of Palenque, Chiapas, also had taken place similar rituals for the celebration of the opening of the temples as the one temple of the clouds.
The offerings
This funerary urn located in Comalcalco, it is particularly different in its size and the masonry which delimited the urn, build and consisting of 260 bricks ensemble with lime.
Spanish Version. Versión en Español.
EL DOCUMENTO SOBRE LOS RITUALES MAYAS
Villa Hermosa, Tabasco.México, Diciembre 29 de 2009. -El texto epigráfico maya más largo encontrado hasta la fecha en el estado de Tabasco es estudiado por especialistas del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH-Conaculta). El documento fue hallado en una urna funeraria descubierta durante las excavaciones del sitio arqueológico de Comalcalco.
Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link:
http://www.informador.com.mx/cultura/2009/166215/6/el-documento-sobre-los-rituales-mayas.htm
