Ancient Mayan Poetry: Songs of Dzitbalche, Part 1

Ancient Mayan poetry combined prophesy with personal feelings of love, passions, social injustice, nature, philosophy, spirituality. All were tied to ancient ceremonies and rituals, and revolved around the Mayan calendar, which made a science of prophesy.
The language of these poems, Yucatec Maya, remains living today, spoken by over 800,000 people.
These poems are some of the few that survived the destruction and book-burning of the Spanish invasion. They come from a book of 16 poems known as Songs of Dzitbalche, and are deeply connected with the "bible" of the Mayas in Yucatan, the Book of Chilam Balam.
The author, Aj Bam, must have been taught to write the Mayan language using a modified Spanish alphabet in a school run by the Franciscan friars, where children of prominent Maya families were sent during the colonial period. Aj Bam put his skills to use to preserve the poetry and culture of his ancestors. His name, Bam, is probably a shortened form of Balam, Jaguar.
Drums and percussion by John Hale.
This is one of a series of videos based on my book Ancient American Poets.
/ johncurlpoetry
www.red-coral.net

[@terrydoyle1141]

Thank you for one of the tiny windows we have left to see to the roots of the Maya. To hear their words and read their sentiments hundreds of years later is a gift to all humankind. Thanks, John.

[@sacrificedogculture]

Thank you for the content!

[@lesliea8510]

Thank you.

[@emanuelstrmen2848]

Beautiful

[@carlosa.valdez9104]

great work

[@ericjaviermena1696]

Hi, where is part two?

[@NosebleedPolitics]

Will there be a part 2?

[@rosslambda9613]

vowels are similar to maori of new zealand easy to read without error

[@mexicaocelot3575]

I can see where the Latin American Spanish language got some of it's pronunciation and spelling from, besides Nahuatl.

[@JF-kk2fo]

KZbin The Great Awakening

[@suatchaglan7446]

Fr brother KZbin has actually helped myself n so many others tp learn real history n think outside of the systematic cog in the machine cattle mindset…. Ppl can teach themselves all sorts history poetry survival stuff an infinite amount of things sorry brother for this long ass comment but your comment really Made me realise the major truth of what u said