Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Volunteer Artists and Anthropologists Needed in Yucatan for Mayan Culture Revitalization Project



My wife Laura and I have recently purchased a traditional Mayan house in our village near Mérida, Yucatan in Mexico, the modern capital of the Yucatan Peninsula, with intentions of restoring and preserving the structure as a historic landmark and cultural conservatory. These handmade homes are disappearing quickly, along with the language that fades with time right alongside. We will be looking for volunteers to help bring this place back to life in exchange for room and board starting next fall.



We are looking for help of all kinds, including restoration work and landscaping, but also skilled professionals like teachers to give hands-on workshops taught in English as a type of community service for local citizens. We are also looking for academic assistance to continue ongoing sociolinguistic research of bilingual speakers in bilingual communities, where Spanish is the dominant language that is being superimposed over the language of the original inhabitants. In all actuality, we are investigating "why" the language of the Maya People has endured 500 years despite intense colonization and overwhelming modernization; and how to use this information can be used to preserve what is left of the original languages of the Americas.



So, if you know anybody that may be interested, feel free to pass message this along. I have attached a picture so you can see the house, although we have completely modern accommodations as well. (Yes I know, we are contributing to the modernization of the village, but the outcome will surely outweigh this incongruity.) For more information, you can check out my website: www.experienceyucatan.com and feel free to pass this along to others!





Currently, we are looking for volunteers to help us to develop our Cultural Conservatory and Language School for offering educational opportunities with hopes of attracting students from all backgrounds, including from nearby schools and from abroad. In addition, the site will also potentially serve as a community center for local community members as well, available for hosting educational “hands-on” workshops to demonstrate the local artisanship and its process.
We have already preserved the traditional palm-roof roof on the main building, where we cook our meals and hang our hammocks; though there are also two fully-furnished modern rooms for up to four people each just waiting for volunteers to inhabit them. On the other hand, the majority of the property is mostly untouched and is ready for some positive-energy input from some earthy volunteers to help this shared-vision come to life.
Our immediate plans focus on transforming the land into a cultural experience, with a traditional Mayan garden to support a traditional kitchen, including a corn field for demonstrating the process of nixtamalization from kernel to masa, and then to tortilla and tamal. As well, we are looking to develop some permanent interactive learning exhibitions, with topics to include, but not limited to:
·         Prepare, plant, and maintain a vegetable garden, with a rotation of small corn crop for demonstrating nixtamalization, an ancient and proven process for converting corn into digestible masa.
·         Design, Develop, and Present a Working-Model of one of the following Alternative Energy Sources for use at the Conservatory: A. Compost Biogas System B. Windmill Generators C. Solar Dehydrators.
·         Plant a Garden of fiber-producing plants for demonstrating the process of weaving natural textiles.
·         Research, Design, and Plant a Medicinal and Zest Herb Garden using plants endemic to the Yucatan; with accompanying didactic learning activity for preserving and sharing Mayan Cultural Knowledge.
·         Establish an Traditional Outdoor Kitchen to Demonstrate Traditional Maya Cooking Techniques.
·         Record the location and photograph the remaining Mayan Houses in Chicxulub and nearby villages.
·         Develop and Present a Visual/Interactive Exhibition demonstrating the history and value of the original languages of the Americas, designed for use as a learning tool for the general public.
·         Develop and Present a Two-week Course in Spanish for the General Public, in any of the following subjects: English for Adults; Computer Use for Beginners; Ancient Games for Children; Science for Kids; or any pre-Approved Art Form that can be taught to the General Public.



 Saludos,

Chris Eidemiller, director@experienceyucatan.com
Alias: Maestro Don Héctor de Chicxulub Pueblo
B.A. Anthropology; M.A. Teaching; M.A. Spanish Linguistics
Omniglot: English; Spanish; Yucatec Maya

La Casa de Toj2



These are images of the property we have purchased with a traditional Mayan house in our village that is near Mérida, the modern capital of the Yucatan Peninsula, with intentions of restoring and preserving the structure as a historic landmark. 




 


These handmade homes are disappearing quickly, along with the language that fades with time right alongside. 





We will be looking for volunteers to help bring this place back to its original state, in exchange for room and board next fall. 

So, if you know anybody that may be interested, feel free to pass this along. 


For more information, you can check out my website: www.experienceyucatan.com 

and feel free to pass this along to others!


Sunday, June 10, 2018

Le' Jatz Utz' Wotoch Xa'an ~ La Casa de Huano Bella ~ The Beautiful House with Palm Roof

Estrenando el nuevo hogar de Posada Chicxulub, Yucatan
Presenting the new home of Posada Chicxulub, Yucatan

 Se debe considerar estas fotos las "antes de la restauración".
One should consider these images those "before the restoration".

Mapspot Posada Chicxulub