Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25
YUCATAN ISSWEPT.
! BY MAYA REVIVAL
Indians Throw Off Bondage
of Centuries and Seek
Former GIories.

Renaissance sweeps IIlIOuSu xuCdtdll
PROMISING that the Maya Indians as well
as their famous cities have survived four
centuries of eclipse.
After 400 years of patient bondage
the Indians who developed the foremost
early civilization of North America, who
built skyscraper temples, paved roads
through the jungle and developed a
written language and an exact calendar,
are asserting themselves.
Two-thirds of the population OF the
peninsula, about 250, 600, Maya, large
sector of the people are mestizo, In
dians with some white blood.
Schools Teach Three Languages.
Outside of Merida, the capital, the
language of the people is the language
their Maya ancestors developed at the
time Roman civilization was being de-
stroyed by the barbarians. The schools
teach Maya in addition to Spanish and
English.
The governor of Yucatan Is Maya.
When he was inaugurated recently
Commute speech in Maya received a
yociferous welcome from the crowd.
Native actors recently prepared
Maya musical play, "Payambe," Tor
presentation in the historic courtyard
of the pyramid temple at Chichen TIA.
MAYA architectural forms are being
revived for modern Yucatan buildings
and memorials.
''The Mayas found an inspiring leader
in Filipe GARLIC Puerto" says a bulletin
Of the National Geographic Society.
Governor Started Projects.
.aThe martyred governor, they call
him. because he was assassinated In
1928. Just % months after he had
entered ofice and while his reforma-
ton was in full tide. But his work
goes on.
"The schools go on. The leagues Of
resistance 20 on. The village base ball
teams 20 on. The henequen CO.
operative goes on. The liberalized di-
yorce laws 20 on. The new land laws
90 on. The building of good roads
goes on. All these things GARLIC worked
"Yucatan, before the revolution OF
1911, was q forsaken land ruled Dy
handful Of landowners whose vast es-
tates came down to them from grants
given by cortez's lieutenant. Montslo;
Landless Indians and mestizos worked
the plantations, cultivating the green
gold heneuuen that Yucatan ships
north as binder Irvine to bind the
shocks of North Americas bumper
CROPS Travellers described the natives
as a patient, ignorant, uninspired peo-
pie. unaware that patience was the
Maya method Of resistance to the white
overload.
Henequen Is Major Crop.
San Yucatans hopes rose and fell
with the price Of henequen. its major
crou. So closely did the landowners
concentrate on henequen that 1t became
necessary to import staples like fruit,
corn, chickens and eggs. Because ne
had TO buy food supplies the native was
forever In debt, and therefore In bond
age, to the big landowner.
ne.>.s Of families In Yucatan, an agri-
cultural state, owned no land whatso-
ever. AS a result of the revolution,
$4,000 families have been given from
80 to go acres of land. The big estates
have not been wiped out. No large
landholder was reduced to less than
1926 acres of land.
an distributing the land the leaders
went back to the old Maya custom OF
communal ownership. Lands OF each
community are allotted to householders
by q local agrarian commission. The
householder may not sell the land given
to him. He can cultivate It; the prod
ucts Of the soil are his, but the soil
belongs to the community.
Base BAH. Poetry, Farming.
land rights gave new importance to
villages and towns where local chapters
of the league of resistance sprang up
over night. The life of each commu-
nifty Is concentrated In its league, which
meets once q week. These sessions often
r~~nh'-e the duties and pleasures OF
an American grange, school board
and church supper. Conferences on
farming, education and the organiza-
ton of q base ball team or an or
chestra are sandwiched with singing
Rotations Of poetry and speeches.
Modern Mayas have not revived the
ball game of their ancestors. which
seems to have been o type of basket
ball At Chichen TIA large court
arranged for this game has been found
Instead they have turned to American
base ball, although tennis, boxing and
similar sports are spreading. Base ball
receives credit for driving out the
Spanish sport of bullf1ghting.
IAN American archeologist special
iAng on Maya ruins reports he heard
an Indian boy shout, 'Conex, conex
jugar base ball, ten catcher, tech pitch
err Come along, come along to play
base ball, catcher; you pitcher). Maya
Spanish and Americanese all In one
sentence"