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'ael K'u'x (Maya cosmology); Ri Tiko'n (agriculture); Yab'il rik'in Aq'om (disease and medicine); Samaj pa Jay, pa Tinamit (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.
Waqi' Kan (Walter E. Little) is a professor of anthropology at the University at Albany. He is the author of Mayas in the Marketplace: Tourism, Globalization, and Cultural Identity. Ixq'anil (Judith M. Maxwell) is the Louise Rebecca Schawe and Williedell Schawe Professor of Linguistics and Anthropology at Tulane University, where she directs the Native American and Indigenous Studies program. She is a coauthor of Rowinataworu Luhchi Yoroni: Tunica Language Textbook I and Kiwujil Kaqchikela'. Kawoq (Baldomero Cuma ChAvez) is a Kaqchikel language activist, teacher, author, and Maya Spiritual Guide (Ajq'ij). He is the author of Pensamiento FilosOfico y Espiritualidad Maya, Runataxik, Qak'aslem: Reviviendo Nuestra Cultura, and Tawetamaj Kaqchikel: Aprenda Kaqchikel, Camino Para Entender la CosmovisiOn. Ixnal (Ambrocia Cuma ChAvez) is a Kaqchikel language instructor at the Stone Center for Latin American Studies at Tulane Unviversity, codirector of Oxlajuj Aj, president of the Junajpu' Weavers' Council, and author of Maicitos II.
Introduction Choltzij richin kib'i tinamit Chapter 1. Nimab'ael 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'olaej Nimab'ael K'u'x Maya' Ka'i'. Taq kotz'i'j (Ceremonies) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri samajib'ael richin taq kotz'i'j Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ronojel richin jun jeb'el xukulem Sidebar: Rutzijol ri xukulem (Explanation of ceremonies) Oxi'. Kisamaj ri ajq'ija' (Daykeepers' work) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri loqolaej rusamaj ri ajq'ij Sidebar: Kik'exel ri loq'olaej 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'ael k'u'x Wo'o'. Kina'oj ri aj Ewanjeliko'i' (Protestantism in Maya thought) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Nimab'ael 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 awaen (Maize and milpa) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Rejqalem ri ixim Kojsik'in (Let's read): Loq'olaej xim Sidebar: Kik'iyik wachinaeq (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 uetz chuqa ri itzel rik'in ri k'ak'a' tiko'n Oxi'. Tikonik (Planting) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Jun ala' niretamaj ri tikoj pa juyu' Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri tiko'n ixim Kaji'. Jach'onik jael (Corn harvest) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri rajawal juyu' Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri jach'on jael Sidebar: Ri rub'onil ri jael (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'el tzijonem pa ruwi' ri q'utu'n pa ri nimaq'ij Kojsik'in (Let's read): Achike nikitij ri winaqi' pa jun tinamit Sidebar: Ri uetz chuqa itzel taq ruxla' pa Kaqchikel (Good and bad smells in Kaqchikel) Chapter 3. Banob'ael (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 tijonik pa ruwi rub'anik pop Kojsik'in (Let's read): K'atzinel jun xupub'ael Ka'i'. Rub'anik chakaech ke la Pwaqil (Making baskets in San Jose Poaqil) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Achike roma k'ayew rub'anik chakaech? Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri chakaech chupam ri Maya' k'aslemal Oxi'. Rub'anoj b'uk'uet, xajab' Pa Ajyuq' (Making shoes and sandals in Pastores) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Loq'onik pa jun k'ayb'ael Pa Ajyuq' Kojsik'in (Let's read): Retamab'al ri ajb'ukuet Kaji'. Rub'anik b'ojo'y pa San Juan SacatepEquez (Making pottery in San Juan SacatepEquez) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ajb'anoey 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 SacatEpequez) Sidebar: Etamab'ael pa ruwi' ri xik'awuj (Knowledge about kites) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ch'akonik chrij ri xik'awuj Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri loq'olaej sipanik xik'awuj Chapter 4. Kamulunik: Ri k'ayb'ael (The market) Chapter 5. Samaj pa jay, pa tinamit (Work at home and in the town) Sidebar: Maya' rochoch q'atb'ael tzij (AlcaldIa indIgena) Kojsik'in (Let's read): Eleq' chupam ri k'ayb'ael 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 xretzetaej 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 yesamaej 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'inik chuqa t'isoj (Transitive verbs for spinning and sewing) Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri samaj ajkem wakamin 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'anonik jay, ojer chuqa wakamin (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 winaeq nib'e pa Pa Jotoel Kojsik'in (Let's read): Elenik pa taq tinamit Ka'i'. K'ayewal pa taq tinamit (Violence in communities) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Eleq'oma' pa tinamit 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 nimalaej mama'aj nuya' rutzij pa ruwi' jun mo's Kaji'. Ri raxkeja' chuqa ri aj pa q'ayis (Army and guerrillas) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Rax kij chuqa aj pa q'ayis Kojsik'in (Let's read): Jun tijonel xok aj pa q'ayis 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'ael K'u'x Kojsik'in (Let's read): Rujuxik ri Rujunumaxik Uxlanib'ael K'u'x Sidebar: Nimab'ael 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'asaes koma kach'alal kaminaqi' Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Jun, ka'i', oxi' na' oj chrij ri kamik Wo'o'. Kamik (Death) Sidebar: Q'eqalaej jiq' ojoeb' (COVID) Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri itzel yab'il rub'ini'an jiq' ojoeb' Sidebar: Choy Quinizilapa (Lake Quinizilapa) Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Ri k'ayewal kik'in ri taq xane' Kaji'. Yab'il. Ri aq'om, q'ayis chuqa kaxlan (Disease and medicine, herbal and chemical) Kojsik'in (Let's read): Ri rukusaxik ri q'ayis aq'om Kojtzijon (Let's talk): Achike ruma Jun B'atz xukanuj ri ajq'ij toeq xukuel 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 nimalaej 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. Kamulunik: Ri ik' (The moon) Taq tz'aq'atb'ael (Appendixes) Appendix C. Translations of Readings Appendix B. Kemchi' (Grammar) Appendix A. Choltzij (Glossary): Kaqchikel-Spanish-English Pa Ruwi' ri Tz'ib'anela' (About the Authors)
