Near ‪Dallas‬? Come for talk and tequila while listening to Texas Christian University’s Dr. Donald Frischmann talk about Contemporary Mayan Literature

Thursday, 11/5 6-8:30pm
Latino Cultural Center
2600 Live Oak DALLAS

Dr. Donald Frischmann presents his new book “Los Nuevos Cantos de la Ceiba Tomo II / The New Songs of the Ceiba Volume II”, A Contemporary Mayan Literature Anthology / Una Antología de Literatura Maya Contemporánea

Also presenting will be The New Trova Yucateca with Tenor Juan Miguel López / La Nueva Trova Yucateca con el Tenor Juan Miguel López

Reading in Mayan and Spanish by Sol Ceh Moo, novelist and poet from the state of Yucatan /
Comentarios/Lectura en maya y español por Sol Ceh Moo, novelista y poetisa del estado de Yucatán

Presentation by Dr. Lázaro Tuz Chi, scholar and writer born in the state of Campeche /
Presentación de Dr. Lázaro Tuz Chi, catedrático y escritor nacido en el estado de Campeche

And finally, performance/actuación by/por Flor Candela: MAYA BAKTUN: EL UMBRAL

Food Tasting of Yucatec Food, Tortas and “Real Gusto” Tequila
Degustación de Comida Yucateca, Tortas y Tequila “Real Gusto”

The New Songs of the Ceiba, Volume II (2015, Yucatán State Secretariat for Culture and the Arts) by Dr. Donald Frischmann (TCU) brings together works by 30 contemporary Mayan writers from the Yucatan peninsula. As the primary literary spokespersons for their people, they produce novels, short stories, essays, poetry, and theatre works in Mayan and in Spanish. The New Songs of the Ceiba, Volume II is a bilingual edition, in Mayan and Spanish, with an introductory study by Donald Frischmann. The first volume, along with the trilogy Words of the True Peoples / Palabras de los Seres Verdaderos—prepared in collaboration with Carlos Montemayor (1947-2010)—have been presented in Mérida, Yucatán, the Autonomous University of Campeche, at the UNAM, Monterrey and Guadalajara International Book Fairs, the National Palace of Fine Arts (Mexico City), the Latino Cultural Center (Dallas) and in New York at the Americas Society and the National Museum of the American Indian. The writers and Frischmann will speak of their experiences and read from their works in multilingual format. Teatro Flor Candela will present an original creation based on the works in this volume.

Dr. Donald Frischmann is Professor of Spanish and Hispanic Studies at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. He has authored numerous books on Mexican theatre and literature in Mexican indigenous languages. With Carlos Montemayor he co-authored Words of the True Peoples / Palabras de los Seres Verdaderos, an anthology of 33 contemporary writers in 13 Mexican languages, Spanish and English (3 Vols. University of Texas Press) and Volume I of The New Songs of the Ceiba (Yucatán State Institute of Culture, 2009/2010). These works have been presented at the National Palace of Fine Arts (Mexico City) and the Centro Cultural (Dallas). He has been a Fulbright-García Robles grantee on two occasions and a National Endowment for the Humanities Research Fellow. He is currently preparing a new book on Mayan supernatural beings and their literary treatment.

Juan Miguel López, born in Guanajuato, México and a graduate of the University of Guadalajara, is a Tenor and Arts Master, as well as founder and CEO of Mito Group and Mito Financial. Juan Miguel López is successful businessman, first with his career as a tenor, then with his restaurants and now with the companies comprising Mito Group. He conducts two television and radio shows where he includes topics such as integration, development and adaptation, which are addressed to the Hispanic population in the US. Juan Miguel López continues to sing professionally at venues such as the Irving Arts Center where he has presented several recitals along with other tenors and musicians.

Sol Ceh Moo is a novelist and short story writer. Recently, she has delved into poetry. She is the author of novels exploring the struggles of the underclass on the Yucatan peninsula, including X-Teya, u puksi’ik’al ko’olel / Teya, un corazón de mujer (Mexico City: CONACULTA, 2008), the first novel published by an indigenous woman in Latin America; and T’ambilák men tunk’ulilo’ob / El llamado de los tunk’ules (Mexico City: CONACULTA, 2011). In October 2014, she was awarded the prestigious Nezahualcoyotl Prize for Literature in Mexican Languages (conferred by CONACULTA, including a substantial monetary award). Her most recent publication is Mis letras en las paredes de la vagina / Nikté t’ano’ob tu paak’il peel (Puebla: Incunabula, 2014), a very noteworthy poetry collection. All of her work is in Mayan and Spanish. She prefers not to be referred to as a “bilingual writer”, but rather as “a writer in Mayan and Spanish.” She directs the statewide Cultural Outreach Program at the Yucatán State Secretariat for Culture and the Arts (SEDECULTA).

Dr. Lázaro Tuz Chi (Ph.D., Universidad de Salamanca), is a distinguished professor at the Universidad de Oriente (UNO) in Valladolid, Yucatán, and the author of two books that are true milestones in the field of Mayan studies. Jaajal T’aan. Revelaciones Sagradas. Profecía y verdad en el pensamiento maya de Yucatán (Valladolid: UNO/SEP, 2012) is an exquisite, poetic rendering of Mayan prophecy, the result of the author’s close and sustained contact with traditional Mayan priests since 10 years of age. One of his objectives was to offer a Mayan version of prophecy in a year (2012) when, according to many non -Mayan “experts”, the world would end along with Baktun 13, one of the long, Mayan calendric cycles. His interpretation is quite different. Written in Mayan, Spanish, and French. Aj Balam Yúumtsilo’ob: cosmovisión e identidad en los rituales agrícolas de los mayas peninsulares (Merida: Secr. de Educación/Gob. del Edo. de Yuc.) is an in-depth study from within of Mayan spirituality, ritual, and culture.

Flor Candela Theater Company is a non-profit organization created in 2007 and directed by Maria Patricia Urbina. It was founded by Gloria Prieto, María Cabeza, Carlos Ortega, Carmela Lamberti, David Lemus and Jesse Morales. TFC’s company comes to us from Colombia, España, Nicaragua, Italy, Guatemala, Puerto Rico and México. For TFC, the body is the main theatrical resource. TFC has performed in Dallas at the Latino Cultural Center, the Dallas Museum of Art, SMU, the Bath House, the House of Blues and the Central Public Library; also, at Texas Christian University (Ft. Worth) and in New York at the Mexico Now Festival. TFC has taught a Certificate Program in Theatre at the Intercultural Mayan University of Quintana Roo.

At the Latino Cultural Center, TFC founded “Myths and Legends” for Target Saturdays and created North Texas’ first Latino children’s theatre company, MIRARTE. Also at the LCC, TFC presented “Sor Juana in her Colors” as part of a Tribute to Mexican Women, and adapted and presented “Bless Me, Ultima” and “Roadrunner’s Dance” as part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ “Big Read” campaign. TFC also co -produced “Colorín Colorado” radio theatre with Avance-Dallas, the Dallas Public Library and KERA Public Radio/TV, aired on Radio Univision 1270 AM. In 2014, its “Repertory of the Heart” included five productions: Sancho Panza, Mother Teresa, Emiliano Zapata, Los Zapatos Rojos and La Mujer Esqueleto. TFC has presented children’s theatre with “Los Músicos Ambulantes” (supported by OCA Dallas), “Grulla Agradecida” and “Van Gogh Estrellado.” TFC has presented Day of the Dead programs in schools and libraries. In 2015, TFC continues to offer Theatre in Homes and actors’ training workshops. TFC’s new project TEATRALIA 2015 includes four productions: “I Love,” “Him & Him” (teatro commedia dell’ arte and a poem-drama), “El Despertar” and “Una Mujer Sola” (comedy-satire by Franca Rame), along with “Cuenterías y Cuentos para la familia.” MAYA BAKTUN is a creation that incorporates elements of quantum physics.