Church of Scientology Helps Revive Indigenous Mayan Culture

The Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce hosts a celebration of grand proportions in honor of the Mayan culture on L. Ron Hubbard Way.

The festival included 2 days of performances from folklore dances, Latin musicians and special presentations. The street was filled with Latin food, crafts and booths from different humanitarian campaigns—Youth for Human Rights, The Foundation for a Drug Free World, The Way to Happiness Foundation and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers. Hundreds of people gathered for food, culture, music and fun, making for a weekend to remember.

Why was this festival so special? Because it brought the Latin Americans of Los Angeles back to their roots, and revived their culture.

The Mayan civilization was an ancient Mesoamerican civilization developed by the Maya peoples, noted for its sophisticated and highly developed writing system—as well as for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar and astronomical system. The civilization mysteriously declined in the year 900.

Today, there are millions of Mayans and Mayan speakers still inhabiting Central America, despite modernization and intermarriage between the indigenous population and Spanish immigrants. Many Mayan communities have succeeded in preserving their identity and their ways through the centuries to current times.

However, the indigenous Mayan people are facing discrimination in present time, and have been for hundreds of years. They have been oppressed, invalidated and even enslaved at one point in history.

In face of this suppression, the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to bringing this culture back to life and did so with the help of the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles. This is a movement and new tradition that is sure to persevere throughout the generations, continuing to grow year after year.