Cultural Invigoration
The Mam people are the most ancient of the Maya people, dating back to 2500 B.C. Today they are one of the four largest groups of the 22 ethnic Maya groups in Guatemala. They live in Guatemala's departments of Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Retalhuleu, and San Marcos, as well as in several towns of Chiapas, Mexico. They speak their mother language, Mam.
The arrival of western culture over 500 years ago, migration to the U.S. beginning in the mid 1980’s, the arrival of the Evangelic movement during the 36-year civil war, and on-going poverty have put pressure on much of the culture. However, a good portion of the community still practices the traditional culture and the entire community speaks Mam as their mother tongue.
Harmony with nature and the intimate relation that man has with the earth and the cosmos
One of the pillars of Grupo Cajolá’s work is strengthening the practice of the Mam cosmovision and culture.
The cosmovision of the Mam people is based on harmony with nature and the intimate relation that man has with the earth and the cosmos. Although Mother Earth does not belong to them, the Mam people love her and work the land with the care and love of parents for their children.
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Grupo Cajolá’s goal is to ensure all activities and procedures are based in the Mam culture. That means decisions by consensus, collective work, respect for nature.
The marimba has been accompanying the Mam people since the 17th century but has roots in pre-hispanic musical instruments as well.
Mam value of listening to elders