A Mayan Life

by Gaspar Pedro González, Gaspar Pedro González

This novel, the first ever by a Mayan writer, is thus the first in which the Maya themselves tell their own story. It narrates the life of Lwin, a Q'anjob'al Maya, living in the hamlet of Jolomk'u, high up in the isolated Cuchumatan Mountains in the Department of Huehuetenango. Through the eyes of Lwin, we live the drama of an oppressed people struggling to survive and maintain its dignity five centuries after the Spanish invasion. Rich in personal and ethnological detail, the reader comes away knowing better just what it means to be a contemporary Maya in Guatemala.

Born in San Pedro Soloma in 1945, Gaspar Pedro Gonzalez is a graduate of Universidad Mariano Galvez, having majored in educational planning. He currently teaches Mayan literature and oral tradition at his alma mater, and is a member of the Academy of Mayan Languages of Guatemala.

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Alesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel ever written in the native Mayan language, aboug a village in Guatemala. It's brutally sad, documenting the oppression of the Indians, but also sweet in a way, because he's trying so hard to capture the goodness of the old ways before they're gone forever. This may not be excellent literature, but it's still a powerful book, and a unique view into a way of life that we very rarely have an opportunity to learn about.

[Kimia · Rating 3 out of 5]

erg leuk en interessant boek om te lezen terwijl je in guatemala verblijft

[Bethan Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soo cute! If you like learning about Mayan culture and indigenous people mixed with a bit of social justice and resisting oppression then this one’s for you hunnieezz. Writing/translation a little clunky in parts but powerful story.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not your typical read. The story is gripping and based on true events and real struggles that many of The Mayan people faced in the past and to this today. It tells the story of a group of people whose voices who have gone unheard and have been ignored by the majority. Through this book we see Indigenous values and culture weaved through every page of the book. We also see their struggles for basic human rights. I really loved this book because, along with the class I am taking, it made me more aware of Indigenous people and the issues they face like discrimination, poverty, exploitation, and so much more. I feel as though Indigenous peoples are forgotten about or disregarded in our society and if they are talked about they are misrepresented and in this novel it is not like that at all because it a testimony to real issues and events that have and are still happening. Through this novel you learn so much about Indigenous people and their customs and values and because you come out of it with that new knowledge you start to see the reality of how they are misrepresented and treated all over. I have to say that after reading this book I notice these things much more now in our society and after reading this book, becoming aware of and seeing those misrepresentations, stereotypes, and maltreatment towards Indigenous peoples, it makes me upset to see such a group of wonderful people being forgotten, disregarded, ignored, disrespected, exploited, and abused and has been encouraging me to speak up more about these issues that Indigenous people face and hopefully by speaking up we can bring more awareness to these issues, help support the community, and hopefully spark good changes for the good and health of the people.

[Roy Madrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart churning tale of oppression and hope from the eyes of the Maya. The message and experiences elucidate the ignored suffering born from discrimination and prejudice. A strong reminder to fight for the people ignored because of their caste.

[Alex Rappoccio]

Väldigt intressant och glad att jag läste men inte så hög nivå på litteraturen, önskar att något mer kunde läsas mellan raderna

[Dorothea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life is that of Lwin: his birth, childhood, education, courtship, community leadership, death. It's also the life of Lwin's family and community. There's the story of his parents' land and work, and how they think about them; the story of what happens to those who go away to work and what it's like if they ever come back; the story of how corrupt local government and vaguely benevolent but totally ineffective outside organizations ruin crops and prevent the building of strong houses.

On multiple levels this is a work of conscientization -- bringing to consciousness both the beloved values and ways of life, and the facts of suffering caused by systemic injustice.

It's there in the story: the seamless integration of Lwin's early life and that of his community; the rupture that occurs when he's made to go to school (the school run by Ladinos whose approach to teaching Mayan children is to ingrain the notion that everything Mayan is wrong); the gradual and painful healing when Lwin's schooling is complete.

And in the beautiful descriptive passages: there's such a powerful awareness in this book that the tangibles of life, the small everyday actions (the hearth, the women's skirts, the preparation of corn, the methods of making decisions, the view of the mountain) are cherished manifestations of the values that join these people together -- but that they also coexist with terrible physical and emotional suffering, and have done so for so long that the suffering seems to be part of this life.

It's there in the conversation between characters. Expository dialogue doesn't usually add to the merits of a novel, and it doesn't help A Mayan Life be a better novel -- but it's so important to what Gonzalez is doing that I think we're better off thinking of it as a novel written partly in the style of a philosophical dialogue.

And lastly, it's in Lwin's final career: As an older adult, he becomes a leader in his community and uses consciousness-raising techniques to help figure out what people need and how to get it. I wished this part was a bit longer, because it doesn't go into much detail about how Lwin and his community succeeded in what they achieved -- but then, this isn't a manual.

[Joaquin Castillo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy buen libro, una historia que muestra a los pueblos mayas con un gran espíritu de lucha ante situaciones adversas en la vida y llena de crítica social ante la desigualdad en Guatemala para con los pueblos indígenas.