Full Description
An advanced Kaqchikel textbook that blends language learning with Maya culture.
About half a million Maya in the highlands of Guatemala speak Kaqchikel, making it one of the most widely used Mayan languages. Kik'aslemal ri Kaqchikela' offers guidance for advanced students. Unlike many language textbooks, it is designed with not only fluency but also cultural competency in mind.
Inspired by conversations with native speakers, Kaqchikel teachers, and anthropologists focused on Maya communities, Kik'aslemal ri Kaqchikela' supports language learning through readings on topics important to speakers in Guatemala, including Maya' Nimab'äl K'u'x (Maya cosmology); Ri Tiko'n (agriculture); Yab'il rik'in Aq'om (disease and medicine); Samaj pa Jay, pa Tinamït (work at home and in town); and more. Chapters present readings on each theme, alongside worksheets, discussion questions framed around Maya history and culture, and a contextualizing essay in English. A Kaqchikel/Spanish/English glossary, extensive grammar appendix, and English translations of the readings support learning. The result is not the usual explanation of language mechanics but instead a nuanced lesson in communication across porous boundaries of cultural difference.
Contents
Introduction
Choltzij richin kib'i tinamït
Chapter 1. Nimab'äl K'u'x Maya' (Maya cosmology)
Essay: Maya Spiritual Participation in Guatemala
Language Lessons
Jun. Cholq'ij (The 260-day calendar)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri rusamajixik ri Cholq'ij
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri loq'oläj Nimab'äl K'u'x Maya'
Ka'i'. Taq kotz'i'j (Ceremonies)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri samajib'äl richin taq kotz'i'j
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ronojel richin jun jeb'ël xukulem
Sidebar: Rutzijol ri xukulem (Explanation of ceremonies)
Oxi'. Kisamaj ri ajq'ija' (Daykeepers' work)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri loqoläj rusamaj ri ajq'ij
Sidebar: Kik'exel ri loq'oläj taq q'ij (Signs of the days in the Holy Calendar)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Kisamaj ri ajq'ija'
Kaji'. Kina'oj ri aj Katolika' (Catholicism in Maya thought)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Kina'oj ri aj Katolika' Pa Pwaqil
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri kaxlan nimab'äl k'u'x
Wo'o'. Kina'oj ri aj Ewanjeliko'i' (Protestantism in Maya thought)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Nimab'äl k'u'x kichin Ewanjeliko'i'
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Xe'oqa na ri Ewanjeliko'i'
Chapter 2. Ri tiko'n (Agriculture)
Essay: Planting and Eating: From the Field to the Table
Language Lessons
Jun. Ri ixim, ri awän (Maize and milpa)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Rejqalem ri ixim
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Loq'oläj xim
Sidebar: Kik'iyik wachinäq (Growth stages)
Ka'i'. Ri k'ak'a' tiko'n (Nontraditional agriculture)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri k'ak'a' tiko'n
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri ütz chuqa ri itzel rik'in ri k'ak'a' tiko'n
Oxi'. Tikonïk (Planting)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Jun ala' niretamaj ri tikoj pa juyu'
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri tiko'n ixim
Kaji'. Jach'onïk jäl (Corn harvest)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri rajawal juyu'
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri jach'on jäl
Sidebar: Ri rub'onil ri jäl (The colors of corn)
Wo'o'. B'anon q'utu'n chuqa ri wa'in (Food preparation and eating)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Jun jeb'ël tzijonem pa ruwi' ri q'utu'n pa ri nimaq'ij
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Achike nikitïj ri winaqi' pa jun tinamït
Sidebar: Ri ütz chuqa itzel taq ruxla' pa Kaqchikel (Good and bad smells in Kaqchikel)
Chapter 3. Banob'äl (Handicrafts)
Essay: Maya Handicraft Production in the Global Economy
Language Lessons
Jun. Rub'anik pop pa Santiago Zamora (Making mats in Santiago Zamora)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Jun ch'utin tijonïk pa ruwi rub'anik pop
Kojsik'in (Let's read): K'atzinel jun xupub'äl
Ka'i'. Rub'anik chakäch ke la Pwaqil (Making baskets in San Jose Poaqil)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Achike roma k'ayew rub'anik chakäch?
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri chakäch chupam ri Maya' k'aslemal
Oxi'. Rub'anoj b'uk'üt, xajab' Pa Ajyuq' (Making shoes and sandals in Pastores)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Loq'onïk pa jun k'ayb'äl Pa Ajyuq'
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Retamab'al ri ajb'uküt
Kaji'. Rub'anik b'ojo'y pa San Juan SacatepÉquez (Making pottery in San Juan SacatepÉquez)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ajb'anöy b'ojo'y
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Samaj richin ri b'ojo'y
Wo'o'. Rub'anik xik'awuj pa Pa K'im (Making kites in Santiago SacatÉpequez)
Sidebar: Etamab'äl pa ruwi' ri xik'awuj (Knowledge about kites)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ch'akonïk chrij ri xik'awuj
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri loq'oläj sipanïk xik'awuj
Chapter 4. Kamulunïk: Ri k'ayb'äl (The market)
Chapter 5. Samaj pa jay, pa tinamït (Work at home and in the town)
Sidebar: Maya' rochoch q'atb'äl tzij (AlcaldÍa indÍgena)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Eleq' chupam ri k'ayb'äl
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Jun k'ayewal ruk'in ri potz'
Wo'o'. Ri samaj chupam ri champomal (Work in the government)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Jun tikonel aj B'oko' chi xretzetäj ruwex
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri sokanel wi'aj
Kaji'. Ri sokanel. Ri t'isonel (The barber. The tailor)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Jun samajel pa ri b'ey pa Pan Ajache'l
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri winaqi' chi yesamäj pa b'ey
Oxi'. Ri taq samaj pa b'ey (Street work)
Sidebar: Ixoqi' aj AFEDES (The women of AFEDES)
Sidebar: Ri che' richin ri (The weaving sticks)
Sidebar: Kab'anoj richin b'atz'inïk chuqa t'isoj (Transitive verbs for spinning and sewing)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri samaj ajkem wakamïn chuqa ojer kan
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ajt'ison
Ka'i'. Ri t'isonel. Ri ajkem (The seamstress. The weaver)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ojer rub'anikil jay pa Junajpu
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Xtb'an jun jay pa Pan Ajache'l
Jun. B'anonïk jay, ojer chuqa wakamïn (House-building in the past and present)
Language Lessons
Essay: Mayas' Work in Contemporary Guatemala
Chapter 6. Champomali' (Transnational and national politics)
Essay: Kaqchikel Life in the Postwar Period
Language Lessons
Jun. Q'axawinaqi' (Migration)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Achike roma jun winäq nib'e pa Pa Jotöl
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Elenïk pa taq tinamït
Ka'i'. K'ayewal pa taq tinamït (Violence in communities)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Eleq'oma' pa tinamït
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri k'ayewal kik'in ri itzel taq moloj
Oxi'. Keleq'axik ak'wala' (Stealing children)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk). Achike roma nik'atzin kichajixik ri ak'wala'
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri nimaläj mama'aj nuya' rutzij pa ruwi' jun mo's
Kaji'. Ri raxkeja' chuqa ri aj pa q'ayïs (Army and guerrillas)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Rax kij chuqa aj pa q'ayïs
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Jun tijonel xok aj pa q'ayïs
Wo'o'. Ri k'aslemal chrij ri Nuk'ulem chi rij Kib'anikil, chuqa Kich'ojib'al ri Achamaq'i' (Life after the Peace Accords)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ruk'atz ri Ruximik Uxlanib'äl K'u'x
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Rujuxik ri Rujunumaxik Uxlanib'äl K'u'x
Sidebar: Nimab'äl K'u'x Maya', ri champomal, ri ajq'ija' (Maya Spirituality, the national government, and the daykeepers)
Chapter 7. Yab'il rik'in aq'om (Disease and medicine)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): E tik'asäs koma kach'alal kaminaqi'
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Jun, ka'i', oxi' na' oj chrij ri kamïk
Wo'o'. Kamïk (Death)
Sidebar: Q'eqaläj jïq' ojöb' (COVID)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri itzel yab'il rub'ini'an jïq' ojöb'
Sidebar: Choy Quinizilapa (Lake Quinizilapa)
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri k'ayewal kik'in ri taq xane'
Kaji'. Yab'il. Ri aq'om, q'ayïs chuqa kaxlan (Disease and medicine, herbal and chemical)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri rukusaxik ri q'ayïs aq'om
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Achike ruma Jun B'atz xukanuj ri ajq'ij töq xukül yab'il
Oxi'. Kisamaj ri ajq'ija' pa ruwi' ri aq'om (Daykeepers' work with medicine [revisited])
Sidebar: Kirayib'al yawa' ixoqi' (Pregnant women's cravings)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri kikotemal roma ralaxik jun ti ne'y
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ka'i' ixoqi' k'exeloma' yetzijon pa ruwi' kisamaj
Ka'i'. Ri rusamaj ri iyom, k'exelom (A midwife's work)
Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri nimaläj rusamaj ri Aq'omanel Raxq'ij
Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Rusamaj ri aq'omanel
Jun. Ri rusamaj ri aq'omanel (A doctor's work)
Language Lessons
Essay: Kaqchikel Healing: Approaches to Individual and Community Well-Being
Chapter 8. Kamulunïk: Ri ik' (The moon)
Taq tz'aq'atb'äl (Appendixes)
Appendix C. Translations of Readings
Appendix B. Kemchi' (Grammar)
Appendix A. Choltzïj (Glossary): Kaqchikel-Spanish-English
Pa Ruwi' ri Tz'ib'anela' (About the Authors)
