The Maya
Today
The Maya civilization is an old one — nearly 4,000 years old! With that sort of long history, you might think that they've long been relegated to ancient history. The Maya, one might suppose, are now but an echo — nothing but archaeological digs of primitive temples deep in the jungles. In fact, the opposite is true. There are more than six million Maya currently living, most in and around Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. "We are not myths of the past, ruins in the jungle or zoos," said Nobel Peace Prize winner, Rigoberta Menchú, a Guatemalan human rights activist. "We are people." Those millions of people are a bridge between their ancient past and their coming future, focusing on farming the land that they've always called home.
Due to immigration, the Maya live in many parts of the world today, including the United States. There are Maya communities in California, Texas, and Florida.
It hasn't been easy. They've been dispossessed from their land. First, by the Spanish who conquered the Maya and forced many to work on plantations. Second, the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century took hold, changing farming practices from subsistence to production, causing the people to lose more of their land as well as their cultural identity. Throughout history, the Maya fought back, and although struggles continue, they have endured.
The Maya's tie to the land has been passed down from generation to generation. The Maya have a special relationship with Mother Earth and Mother Nature," notes the International Mayan League, an organization that has formed partnerships with allies, human rights organizations, scientists, scholars, faith-based communities, and others to stand in solidarity with the struggles of the Maya to protect the earth. Ancient beliefs are meeting modern times. Guided by the teachings of their ancestors, many Maya perform ceremonies in honor of the land, all the while entering into political positions in towns and cities to create change to preserve the lands and minimize climate change. For the Maya, there is hope, not only for their future but for the future of the earth itself.