Last night we told you about a fiery press release from the Mayan Leaders Alliance and the Julian Cho Society questioning the legitimacy and authority of the director of the Institute of Archaeology Jaime Awe. The release was timed for maximum effect as Awe is holding court right now at the 7th Annual Archaeology Symposium. As the Director of Belize’s Institute of Archaeology it’s his show, but the release directly addresses those participating in the symposium pointing to the fact that in an affidavit before the court, as government’s experts witness in the land rights case, Awe describes the Maya of Toledo as recent immigrants. The release signed by activist Christina Coc concludes that Awe’s position is that the Mayas are not entitled to their rights as indigenous peoples of Belize.
Coc class his claim, quote “profoundly offensive and wrong”, and “asks the archaeologists at the Symposium to carefully evaluate the evidence presented by Dr. Awe.” Today Awe asked for time to respond to that very direct attack on his credibility and the soundness of his research. Here’s what he had to say.
Dr. Jaime Awe, Director of Archaeology
“Jules you know I rarely ever prepare a statement but I did this time. I think I would like to make a few things clear. First of all I think that all Belizeans know or should know that I have spent my entire career trying to protect, preserve, and promote Maya culture and civilization in Belize. I also want to make another thing clear, let me emphatically and unequivocally state that I support the right of the Toledo Maya to enjoy every right and privilege that all Belizean citizens are entitled to. That right is and always has to be none negotiable. It is a right we all enjoy as Belizean citizens.
What I do state in my affidavit and I think it is out there, it has been made public, what I do state is that archaeological and historical evidence points to the fact that the original inhabitants of Toledo were people known as Chol. They were in Toledo when the Europeans arrived but where eventually wiped out or forcibly removed from Toledo by the reduction policies of the Spanish. Later at the end of the 19th century, the Mopan and the Ketchi people migrated into Toledo and begin to establish the modern settlements we know of today. I further state in my affidavit that it is ironic that same position, this same position has been published in several books and articles by Dr. Richard Wilk, the main supporter of Ms. Cristina Coc and her affiliates.”
Jules Vasquez,
Does it not however undermine your reputation as Belize’s most pre-eminent Maya-ologist and certainly one of the most well known in the region if the Mayas of Belize are pulling your past are saying not valid, illegitimate, that’s what they are saying?
Dr. Jaime Awe,
“It depends when you say that the Mayas of Belize, you mean that some.”
Jules Vasquez,
The Maya of southern Belize.
Dr. Jaime Awe,
“And even then are they all the Mayas of southern Belize?”
Jules Vasquez,
The Maya Leaders Alliance.
Dr. Jaime Awe,
“Okay so that’s just one group and I would hope that all Belizeans would see that I have spent like I said my career and I will continue to champion the protection, preservation and promotion of Maya culture throughout this country.”
In her release Coc also said that Archaeologists working in Belize have, quote “often ignored, and alienated the living Maya communities where they work.”
