Reyes Ical, age 65 was born in Guatemala. He then moved to Pueblo Viejo, a faraway village situated at the Belize Southern Western Border. As a strong young man, in the past, he worked on their farm along with his dad. All this he did until he got married to Mrs. Thomasa. As the head of the family and the breadwinner, he produced his own food. How so?
“Well”, he explains that “as for a living he had to do much planting. you might wonder what?? He said he planted lot of corn, beans, rice and also did something he loved the most growing pigs and chickens. He also had an opportunity to sell some but later discontinued all because of the economy. In his days things never had much value as now, a 100 lbs of corn would only cost just $6.00 BLZ, but it at least covered up for the things they couldn’t produce such as soap, kerosene, and salt.
Presently for him, work has changed “big time”. How is that so? As far as he can see in his surroundings and others from his culture, many start following other people and work as teachers, architects, chefs….etc and left farming behind. Also, a huge problem for him is that kids aren’t taught the Mayan language and so is done with dressing, many have taken up the ” world of styles ” but as for him, as long as he is alive yet, he says that he and his wife is going to dress and speak as a Mayan.
His native place was Pueblo Viejo As mentioned previously. There was where he made his life and lived most of his life. Finally, he got tired of there having no road, the products he was getting from farming were then no longer able to be sold to the local market as there was no road to go into town. So looking at the condition he was in he decided to move from there but would still be able to do his farming, and so did others, and that is where their change began. He chooses SILK GRASS to be his new hometown. The others that moved adapted to the local language and culture and forgot their original. Nevertheless, he never left himself to be influenced by them.
To help him not lose track of his culture he did his own kitchen utensils. Was also known as arts for him.. To keep him “hype”, as he says, while doing his handicraft work he listened to harp strings being played along with the marimba. That was also the kind of music he liked as he rejects the new version of music we now have, just a slight change; as in the past he played it a little but now he only listens to them on his radio. That entertains him and keeps his head and foot moving, unlike many from his culture create now their own music. With a sad face and a broken heart of love for his culture, he wishes that his people could still be the same as in the past, but unfortunately, although he wants them to change he can’t do it for them, as for him, he will never change.
He has one message he wants the world and his Maya people to know when they read about him online which is: He wants all his Maya people to not forget their culture and of how they came about,” Stay Strong ” and not ” Ashame of being who we really are, MAYAS.
Fernando Cal – Lens of Culture Student
