Please join the Department of Anthropology in hosting Dr. Pio Saqui (Maya Mopan) of the University of Belize on Friday, June 10, 2022, in the Brooks Hall 2nd Floor Conference Room from 1:00 PM-3:00 PM. Professor Saqui is one of the first members of the Maya Mopan community to earn a PhD and he is a leading scholar in Indigenous ecologies, language revitalization, and cultural heritage. His talk, "Contemporary Mopan Maya: Language, culture, and integration in the developing nation of Belize," will interest students and scholars of Indigenous languages, Latin American studies, globalization, and environmental humanities. A reception will follow the talk.
Abstract: Mopan Maya is a group of lowland Maya that still practices their traditional way of life, closely tied to shifting agriculture. Oral transmission of traditional ecological knowledge is still dominant. Recent economic development and global pressures have highlighted some concerns as cultural practices, language and traditions become more at risk. This talk will engage some of these topics as new opportunities are charted for integration of the indigenous in contemporary Belize.
Please contact Eve Danziger (ed8c) with questions about the talk or to meet with Dr. Saqui during his visit.
