What is your "hometown" in the diaspora?
Pomona, California, USA
Where do you currently live?
Portland, Oregon, USA
Where do you consider your homelands to be?
Motul, Yucatán, MX
What's your favorite food from your ancestral homelands and why?
Panuchos! I used to live with my Abuelos LA. They would always make food from the homeland such as Kibi, Cochinita Pibil, and of course Panuchos! Panuchos in particular remind me of my Abuelos. Every time I make them (or eat them) now I am instantly transported back to that house in LA. I can see my Abuela coming down the three short steps from the kitchen to the dining room and asking if we were hungry, and before I can say yes or no, she would already be getting the masa ready. I can see her and my Tia's opening the fresh made tortillas and filling them with black beans. I can see my Abuelos eyes light up as they came and sat down plates in front of us. Even now, my mouth is watering just thinking about panuchos, and my heart is smiling thinking of my Abuelos.
What do you value about connecting with your ancestral homelands?
I put a lot of value on the connection I have to my homelands. I am the first generation of Dzib Ku' to be born on this side of the colonial border. I have always known I am Yucateco and I grew up learning 3 languages when I lived at my Abuelos house. I would learn English from my parents and school, but I would learn Spanish and most importantly Yucateco Mayataan from my Abuelos. One of my earliest memories is my Abuela asking me how to say bellybutton in Maya. TUCH! I would say, and she would smile. I remember seeing my grandfather tend to the banana and citrus trees. They reminded him of home. I value the language that my grandparents tried to pass down to me. I value the ideals of respecting and taking care of the land that I learned from them. One thing that is very special to me and that I feel connects me in a strong way to my Homeland is my last name. Dzib means to write or a scribe. Ku' means Respectful. I am very grateful to still carry these names especially knowing the brutal history our Ancestors survived. It reminds me that we are still here, persevering.
What is something new you have learned since being part of the Chiltpes Chilerxs community?
Since joining Chiltepes Chilerxs I have learned that there are SO MANY of us scattered throughout the Diaspora and we have LOTS in common! It's been really amazing to connect with other People who descend from the Indigenous People of the Mesoamerican Area that want to reconnect with our Homelands.
What's a special memory you have where you were able to connect with your identity, whether it be in your homelands or in the diaspora?
A special memory that I carry with me is when I went to Motul, Yucatan for the first time. It was April of 2024 and I went back to help bury my Abuelo in his Hometown, per his wishes. My Grandfather had been wanting to move back for a few years already, but there never seemed to be the opportunity. I had visited him a few months before when he was still living and we talked for hours about Yucatan, our heritage, and how much he missed it there. Those last few hours I spent with him were really special. He told me how proud he was of me for re-learning the language and the culture. He said he was happy to see that even though we were living in the USA, that I was still keeping our culture alive and thriving by learning the glyphs, counting the days, and helping others to do the same. He told me that when I go to Yucatan that I will feel like I'm right at home. When I finally got to Yucatan in April, it did feel like home. My wife and I made it to the house my Abuelo built to meet up with my family who still lives there. It was surreal.
Walking around my Abuelos land and seeing all the trees and food that had been planted for generations was eye opening. One of the first things I did was cut down a bunch of bananas fresh from the tree. One of the bananas was perfectly ripe and I ate it for breakfast. That was the most delicious banana I have ever eaten. Later, at the wake, I was able to be around so much family that I either had limited memories of or never met before. Everyone already knew me, because they remember my Dad who also passed away before the 13th B'aktun. My Tio's and Primo's and extended family i haven't even heard of greeted me with open arms. It wasn't just at the funeral or the house that I felt at home. Everywhere I went people knew my family, even at the local cenote people who knew my grandfather stopped me to give their condolences. I loved talking with my family and I was amazed by how many people still spoke Yucateco! It felt very humbling to sit with my different Tios and Tias and learn from them and share what I have been learning.
Walking around the streets and seeing street signs written in Mayataan, eating traditional food, and absorbing the Sun in my homeland was astounding. I even had the opportunity to visit some ancient cities like Ake'. Although I went down to Yucatan for a sad event, it was a very special time for me to be able to reconnect with my culture, family, and my Homelands.
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