This weekend the small, rural community of Tzucmuc in the municipality of Chankom opened its very own community library.
The library is open for free to the public at large and contains a wide variety of literature for readers of all ages, as well as a large selection of works in the Yucatec-Maya language.
The library is named in honor of the Yucatecan poet, playwright, and promoter of the Yucatec-maya language, Feliciano Sánchez Chan.
“We are proud of our new library and its namesake who has done so much for our people,” said Candelaria May, the library’s director.
From Xaya, Yucatán, Sánchez Chan is best known for his books “Seven Dreams,” “Ukp’éel wayak’” and “Maaya ts’aak.”
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Earlier this year, Sánchez Chan was awarded the prestigious Bellas Artes art award by Yucatán’s state government.
The project was funded by the human rights group Casa Colibrí and Amazili Ecological Reserve, with cooperation from state authorities.
The municipality of Chankom has long been considered a bastion of contemporary Maya culture since the 1934 publication of “Chan Kom: A Maya Village,” by Robert Redfield.
The community is also home to the remains of several non-restored ancient Maya archaeological sites including Ticimul, Xcocail, Cosil and Kochilá.
