In a regional international court on Monday, October 23rd, 2017 Maya leaders attested there has been a “complete failure” by the government of Belize to abide by the court order to identify and protect the proprietary rights of the Maya Peoples to their customary lands.
"In my 12 years of being involved in community radio, I had never had the opportunity to produce my own radio spots. This was a task always performed by men, so I came to think that it was something complicated. Now after participating in this workshop I learned not only radio production but I also realize that there is nothing a woman cannot do,” said Petronila “Nila” Ch'umilkaj Tax of Radio La Niña in Totonicapán, Guatemala.
The celebration of Columbus Day for the past century in the US has perpetuated a narrative that glorifies a Eurocentric world view, while allowing us to ignore a history of violence and oppression towards Indigenous individuals throughout Turtle Island/Abya Yala, lands which were mistakenly referred to by Columbus as "The New World."
Radio Xilotepek, an Indigenous community radio station that has served the San Luis Jilotepeque community in Jalapa, Guatemala for over 13 years is a crucial source of information on Free, Prior and Informed Consent regarding the growth of extractive industries such as mining in the area.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
