Not having been to Guatemala since 2003, my March 2007 trip was long anticipated. It’s also hard to believe that my relationship with Guatemala and its people began in 1965! This update describes aspects of my work since the last web letter in 2005, along with highlights of my recent trip.
First, here is an overview of the four Update topics which are treated in the full Update, found on What’s New pages.
1. The Pro Arte Maya Educational Project
In 2001, the first printing took place of the Mayan/Spanish languages Artes y Artesanías Mayas de Guatemala educational coloring book about arts and crafts traditions. The primary goal for this project has remained to print and distribute copies free of charge to children and teachers. Since 1997, I have continued to collaborate with Juan Zapil, (of the Jun Ajpu Ixb’alamke Council of Maya Schools) in relation to printing and distributing the book. In our March meeting, we talked about the need for a third printing.
The coloring book is also used and distributed by ILE (the Instituto de Linguistica y Educación, Universidad Rafael Landívar). They will include 2 copies of it as part of a mini-library project which will go to 775 rural schools throughout Guatemala. Its continued utilisation by the Council of Maya Schools and Universidad Rafael Landívar encourages me to work toward a reprinting. Some donations already have been received that are in the account of our (501(C)(3) financial sponsor, Rights Action.
