Experience the Untold Stories of Maya Women: ‘K’AJLAY: Migration Chronicles’.

Four elderly Maya women take center stage to share their personal stories of violence endured since childhood. This unique blend of play and documentary takes audiences on a journey into the past to better understand the present. Yaremi Chan, the creator, presents 'K'AJLAY: Migration Stories', a community documentary theatre project, performed in both Maya and Spanish languages. The piece is born from Chan's desire to shed light on the pervasive violence against women, especially within Maya communities.

The four women, Aurora Huicab, Julia Vázquez, Nelly del Carmen Zuñiga, and María del Pilar Padilla, hail from Seybaplaya, Campeche. All are over 60 years old, with two in their mid-eighties. This is their first foray into theatre. "The resilience of these women is astounding. Despite their experiences, they continue to live and share their stories. They provide their testimonies, and also follow the play's instructions, waiting for one to finish speaking before the next begins," Chan observes.

Chan is also impressed by their mental clarity and stage presence at their age. "They inspire me. If I am fortunate to reach their age, I hope to have their clarity and ability to overcome life's challenges," she shares. 'K'AJLAY: Migration Stories' will be performed on July 11 and 12 at the Olimpo Cultural Center and on July 13 at the Institute for the Strengthening of the Maya Language. Tickets are priced at 100 pesos. The final performance in Mérida will take place on Sunday, July 14 at Puerta al Techo, with tickets costing 100 pesos in advance and 130 on the day.

Chan chose to create a documentary theatre piece to incorporate visual elements like photographs of the women's hometowns and testimonies, which also serve as a record of their experiences. "This is a story that explores their childhoods, delving into their past and memories. The identity of a people is shaped by the collective memory of its inhabitants, hence the title of the play: K'AJLAY, which means history in Maya. We talk about migration stories because even though some live in Seybaplaya, others migrated from Pomuch, from Calkiní, and their ancestors emigrated from Yucatán.

Chan believes it's crucial to acknowledge that people constantly migrate. "You can be born in one place, but your ancestors probably came from elsewhere. These women migrated in search of a better life, and sometimes they didn't find it," she explains. Chan is committed to performing in both Maya and Spanish, in light of the significant loss of the Maya language. She also emphasizes the importance of telling women's stories to understand their diverse experiences. "I aim to inspire women. Life can be complicated, and we need role models," she says.