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We Were Taught to Plant Corn Not to Kill: Secrets Behind the Silence of the Mayan People

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Like many Americans I had vague understanding Middle and South American politics. I knew there had been terrible conflicts. I knew that we, shamefully, had overthrown governments in one or more "banana republics" at the bidding of large corporations, in fear that their enslaved peasant workers would rise up and demand basic human rights. I knew there had been terrible atrocities committed in armed insurgent conflicts and, regrettably, my government always seemed to back the side of repression. I knew these things, but with so much conflict in the world, it was difficult keeping track of all the parties involved. It seemed like every week there was yet another story of some poor victimized group being hacked to death by yet another poor victimized group.

I came to this book because I had an interest in the pre Colombian Mesoamerican cultures, fueled in part by the romanticism of "lost civilizations" and ruins hidden in tropical jungles. These civilizations had great cities, an accurate calendar, a mathematical system that included a zero at a time when my northern European ancestors were barbarians living in small hunter gatherer societies. I have learned that the Maya today in Guatemala, have survived in large numbers, in spite of the collapse of their city/states, the Spanish conquistadores and their diseases, and the destruction of their written history. They have survived in small self governing communities, in lands that they have occupied since before the birth of Christ, only to be treated as hostile aliens, and a threat to be eliminated, by their own government.

The first step of genocide is dehumanization of the victims. The authors, through their unique perspective, have managed to give a face and a name to Maya of Guatemala. Their passionate desire is to bring the light of world attention to the darkness of dehumanization and genocide that threatens to be the final destruction of these ancient and proud peoples. This book is a must read for anyone who has an interest in Native American cultures or basic human rights.

"We Were Taught To Plant Corn Not To Kill: Secrets Of The Silence Of The Mayan People" is about the family of young K'iche' artist Tax'a Leon and the genocide of the Mayan people in Guatemala. Her father was found in a corn field having been machetied to death three years ago. After her father's murder (which was never solved by the authorities) Tax'a continues to live with her mother and twelve brothers and sisters. Just a few years ago some 200,000 Mayan people were murdered within 750 miles of Miami, Florida. Illustrated with 81 paintings by Mayan artists and co-written with her husband Doublas London, the articulate and revealing story Tax'a presents is one of daily life and culture among the K'iche', as well as a plea for help to a people to whom incidents of racially driven mass murder is still happening. "We Were Taught To Plant Corn Not To Kill" is a profoundly important book that should be a part of every academic and community library collection, and read by students of Anthropology, Native American Studies, Human Rights, Latin American Studies, and Mayan Cultural Studies.

A beautiful and heartbreaking expose of the experience of the Maya people at the hands of the Guatemalan government. Through testimonials and paintings,including paintings of author Taxa Leon London, herself indigenous Maya, Taxa and husband Douglas London, a health and human rights worker, present the torture and genocide implemented against the Maya over the last decades and through today -- overall a deeply moving and informative work.

This book opened up my eyes to a world I was not familiar with. My heart is with the Guatemalan people after reading this book.