Guatemalan Women Visit Hanover College
Kelly Stephens
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: News
During this past week, Hanover students and faculty were privileged to meet two women from the K'astajib'al Bilingual Intercultural School in Guatemala. Elizabeth Idalia Ollej, director of the school, and Rosa Cándida Cúmez, a teacher there, toured and visited Hanover classes all week. Their visit comes at a time when Hanover is establishing an internship/volunteer program in conjunction with their school in Guatemala, which preserves traditional Mayan heritage for its elementary school-aged children.
Aside from visiting four classes as guest speakers on Guatemalan issues, they also gave a presentation to the campus and Hanover/Madison community on Tuesday. Their presentation covered current and past Guatemalan issues such as the Civil War, the resulting peace agreements and the discrimination against Mayan descendents that was experienced during that time. The Guatemalan Civil War caused the deaths of thousands upon thousands of innocent Guatemalan people. Most of those people were indigenous -- Mayan descendents. As those people disappeared, they took many ancient Mayan customs and traditions with them. Cándida Cúmez spoke of the urgency to preserve what language and customs they have left. This discussion led directly into their Bilingual Intercultural School where they teach Mayan customs and language. Both women are Mayan descendents and feel strongly that the Mayan traditions and language should be preserved before they are lost all together.
They spoke about the difficulties faced by the students that attended the school. Many times students feel ashamed of their Mayan heritage when they begin classes there, but they quickly learn to be proud of their heritage and use the Mayan language of Kaqchikel openly. Students also engage in concerts, festivals, and parades that exhibit and celebrate Mayan music and dance. Parents also have to be convinced of the necessity and importance of teaching Mayan traditions to their children, but teachers are quick to point out the culture's importance. The students' enthusiasm helps convince them as well.
Aside from visiting four classes as guest speakers on Guatemalan issues, they also gave a presentation to the campus and Hanover/Madison community on Tuesday. Their presentation covered current and past Guatemalan issues such as the Civil War, the resulting peace agreements and the discrimination against Mayan descendents that was experienced during that time. The Guatemalan Civil War caused the deaths of thousands upon thousands of innocent Guatemalan people. Most of those people were indigenous -- Mayan descendents. As those people disappeared, they took many ancient Mayan customs and traditions with them. Cándida Cúmez spoke of the urgency to preserve what language and customs they have left. This discussion led directly into their Bilingual Intercultural School where they teach Mayan customs and language. Both women are Mayan descendents and feel strongly that the Mayan traditions and language should be preserved before they are lost all together.
They spoke about the difficulties faced by the students that attended the school. Many times students feel ashamed of their Mayan heritage when they begin classes there, but they quickly learn to be proud of their heritage and use the Mayan language of Kaqchikel openly. Students also engage in concerts, festivals, and parades that exhibit and celebrate Mayan music and dance. Parents also have to be convinced of the necessity and importance of teaching Mayan traditions to their children, but teachers are quick to point out the culture's importance. The students' enthusiasm helps convince them as well.
Be the first to comment on this story