Maya Children in Rural Yucatán Share Their Stories

Their work reflects what organizers describe as 'a kaleidoscope of expressions that captures the universe of Maya childhoods

Children from two small Maya communities in rural Yucatán have published their first literary anthology after nearly two years of creative writing workshops. The book, “En mi comunidad” (In My Community), showcases original stories and narratives from young authors in Cantamayec and Mayapán.

The civil association Educación, Cultura y Ecología (EDUCE) organized the literary workshops that produced the anthology. EDUCE has worked in the Maya Peninsula region since 1989, focusing on integral education and sustainable development in Indigenous communities.

The Maya children presented their book at a ceremony held on Wednesday at Cantamayec’s ejidal commissary office. The event drew child authors, teachers, and mothers who witnessed the young writers read their work aloud. Many parents appeared visibly moved as their children shared their original stories.

“This workshop shows that we can still disconnect children from constant use of digital applications available on cell phones,” said Mauro Mex Uxul, a professor at Mayapán’s Community Telebachillerato. The literary workshop emerged organically from an earlier puppet-making activity focused on material reuse.

“The inspiration for this workshop comes from the children’s interest, who began imagining and telling their own stories when they had their puppets,” explained Nancy Chan Poot, workshop facilitator in Cantamayec.

Primary education teacher Guadalupe del Rocío Moo Cauich from Tahdziú praised the children’s work. “They demonstrate that a world full of imagination is possible, where solving problems can be less difficult. Sometimes, as adults, we believe that children have nothing to contribute, but it’s not true. Through these stories, we realize they have many capabilities.”

The Maya language faces significant preservation challenges across the Yucatán Peninsula. Despite being the second-most spoken Indigenous language in Mexico after Nahuatl, the Maya-speaking population is shrinking due to discrimination and other factors. About 800,000 people speak Yucatec Maya across the southeastern Mexican states of Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche, and parts of Tabasco and Chiapas.

Cantamayec, located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Mérida, has a population of approximately 2,500 residents and covers 194 square miles (502 square kilometers). Nearby Mayapán, historically significant as the ancient Maya capital, now hosts about 3,000 residents in its municipal seat.

Both communities face economic challenges that are common to rural Maya areas. Most families depend on agriculture, particularly corn production, though many residents now work as day laborers in larger peninsula cities like Mérida, Cancún, and Playa del Carmen.

EDUCE workshop facilitator Alfredo Cetina Morales, a preschool teacher in Mayapán, emphasized how alternative education spaces differ from traditional classrooms. “Classroom education is different from what happens in these spaces. At school there isn’t always enough time to foster creativity. These workshops allow us, through play, to promote writing from imagination, from what they like, but also from what they don’t like.”

The organization promotes organic agriculture, beekeeping, and community savings programs alongside educational initiatives. Their work aims to provide tools that improve local production while supporting personal growth in Maya communities.

Educational challenges persist for Indigenous children across Mexico. Research shows that Maya girls in particular face barriers, including poverty, rural isolation, and language discrimination. Only 43% of rural Indigenous children complete primary school, with much lower secondary and higher education rates.

The children’s anthology represents their immediate environment and experiences and their ability to address serious problems through creative expression. Their work reflects what organizers describe as “a kaleidoscope of expressions that captures the universe of Maya childhoods.”

EDUCE’s broader mission includes supporting solidarity, economic initiatives, promoting food sovereignty, and organizing annual seed exchange fairs across the Peninsula. The organization maintains teams in both Yucatán and Quintana Roo, working at the community level to preserve Indigenous knowledge and cultural practices.

For the young authors in Cantamayec and Mayapán, publishing their stories marks an important milestone in maintaining their cultural identity while developing new forms of creative expression.