In dedication to my Mother Catalina Davila Brignoni.... "You were the true love of my life."
Part of the journey to make ProteKt ( my passion project ) took me to exotic and not so desirable places. But in order to begin this exploration, we should look at the basics first because it is my hope that this story will bring a strong dialogue between people of different races and immigration within our great USA. The purpose was not - just create a successful product that will be popular for the sake of trending topics. Rather, to leave a profound and indelible impression for our community. And, as some people might be working on programs similarly, that is just fine, but sharing the legacy of a people from the people themselves that lived it and spawned children is necessary to preserve its importance. For those of us who have indigenous roots, and living in a modern western civilization, I feel it at least my duty to keep our stories alive so others have the courage to be individualistic and proud. As well, this is not to diminish the works of non Maya / non Guatemalan decedents because their work is as valuable as well. Rather, I hope a sense of self discovery and tolerance can be delivered through these messages.
I now bring ProteKt to the masses... a story I developed and wrote, a set of documentary style videos covers the making of this experiment to bridge misconceptions with real facts and progress of a people, and finally, a philanthropic effort to help under-represented Guatemalans through my personal message. I add images and rare intimate conversations that I am happy to have shared that discovers my own traditions and customs to that of the Maya Ancestors.
In the beginning and throughout this pilgrimage, I had been to breathtaking examples of a genius community. I followed my heart, and visited those that created the SUM of 0= Maya in frequent visits to various Guatemalan museums because Archeologists explained best the Pre and Classic Period (c. AD 250–900). My own education didn't include Latin American history as I studied classic European History and Dramatic Arts, coupled with a focus on Afro American Studies. Therefore, in order for me to grasp the breadth of the fundamentals, It was necessary for me to reacquaint myself and learn for the first time ( sadly) where and what happened to these great people. Hence, along my travels, I referenced Maya Code ( a great read on and breakdown of decipherment) .
Maya - Their sacred pyramids and temples, and areas are now left as "Maya Ruins", their language is only as of recent findings of David Stuart ( a brilliant Archeologist I had the pleasure to have discussed my project with and endorsed my interests to follow my progress). Mr.David Stuart shared on Nova and discussed his discovering of the Maya Hieroglyphic Stairways, their meaning, their formula words and shares how they would have sounded like when Maya wrote and spoke. But, as we sit in our comfy sofas here in US, there are untapped lands yet to be found, and some are still being dug up - they maybe not shared with the public right now. There are various territories and lands that seem to the eye of a western modern person like a fantasy or post Apocalyptic world but it is neither. These include: Kaminaljuyu, TIKAL, Atitlan, and the City of Guatemala, Guatemala. These serve for me as much as history and understanding as they are sacred foundations of my being.
Before we start this exploration, there was something within the fundamentally valuable in getting the basics down and understanding the modern cultures that surround the beautiful ruins, this became a pilgrimage. My Pilgrimage
And my true transformation began the minute I landed