Identity and Culture of the Mam Maya in the 21st Century

The Mam Maya culture is one of the fundamental pillars of the history of indigenous peoples in Guatemala. According to the 2012 UNDP report, 99.5% of the municipality of Comitancillo—the cradle of Mam culture in Western Highlands, Guatemala—is indigenous. Their culture is reflected in the use of the native language, clothing, spirituality, gastronomy, medicine, knowledge related to astronomy, politics, economy, society, and cosmovision. However, facing colonialism, internal conflict processes, globalization, cultural alienation, migration, racism, and discrimination, the Mam Maya culture is under the threat of extinction. Each year, the census reflects the decrease in people who identify as Mam. The new generations are losing their language and traditional dress (traje), and they have been abandoned by the State. As a result of this problem, several Mayan Mam activists are organizing from different spaces to strengthen, conserve, promote, and protect their ancestral heritage. Some initiatives are promoted by academia, the media, and non-governmental organizations. In this context, it has become important to cross borders and bring the message of culture preservation as a human right to Maya Mam children, youth, and adults who have migrated to the United States.

Sponsored by: Teaching, Learning, and Campus Life Committee: The Agnes Moreland Jackson Diversity Program Fund; Latin American Studies Program @ Pomona College & Latin American Studies Lectureship; Institute for Global/Local Action & Study (IGLAS); Chicano Latino Student Affairs (CLSA); Chicanx Latinx Transnational Studies @ Pitzer College; Intercollegiate Department of Chicanx Latinx Studies (IDCLS).