Kik'aslemal Ri Kaqchikela': An Advanced Kaqchikel Maya Language Textbook

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. Following the 2006 publication of ¿La ütz awäch?, an introduction to Kaqchikel, 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'äl K'u'x (Maya cosmology); Ri Tiko'n (agriculture); Yab'il rik'in Aq'om (disease and medicine); Samaj pa Jay, pa Tinamït (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.