CSEE is funding Saq’ Be’s newly launched apprenticeship program that is pairing youth with community elders to learn ancestral wisdom, which includes recording of songs, documenting the Maya language as well as filming elders while they are teaching.
With the garden success under their belts, Sa q Be’ made the decision to expand their work and initiated a new apprenticeship program that partners elders with young people in their communities to advance the intergenerational knowledge transfer necessary for the Maya lineage to remain vital. Elders of the region expressed a desire to connect their wisdom to younger generations. In the words of founder, Denise Barrios, "Amidst the influence of Western society and its rush of activity, some threads of this ancient wisdom have weakened. The attraction to social media and new technologies has been distracting, steering us away from the ways of our ancestors. Saq’ Be’s mission is to help reclaim the narratives of our ancestors, of our roots, and as a result, the Mayan Lineage Apprenticeship and Documentation Program was begun".
Three months ago, the journey began with a gathering of the young women and men who came from their communities to meet Yutzil Pablo, our project manager, and each other. At this event, they received the tools and equipment needed for the year ahead. They also had the chance to learn from a professional filmmaker and an anthropologist, gaining insights on how to capture not just images, but the essence of the teachings. After the gathering, they returned to their communities to start meeting with their elders. For the past three months, they have worked together, documenting and absorbing the wisdom shared with them.
Now that they have all established meaningful connections with their elders, Yutzil Pablo, who is overseeing the project, will personally visit each elder-apprentice pair in their respective communities to observe their progress. Follow this project and learn of their successes as they document their visits with elders!