Supporter of the Month: Marcelo Jiménez Santos

This month we received a donation of books for the school library from Marcelo Jiménez, a cultural promoter who worked as a political cartoonist for thirty years and has been retired for the past four years. 

Among the donated books, we found several copies illustrated by him that have been translated into Maya, as well as a copy of a book written by his daughter, Deira Jiménez, and Lidia Serralta, titled “Lool and Little Neek’ – Guardians of Medicinal Plants,” which was also illustrated by Marcelo. The books cover a variety of topics such as astrology, numbers written in Maya, nanotechnology, and more.

He began drawing at a very young age, and although there were no artistic materials available in Noh Cah, his hometown, he used to make drawings in elementary school. It was not until 1976 that he arrived in the municipal seat of Felipe Carrillo Puerto and participated in a workshop, where he became acquainted with and began working with painting materials. There, he created his first works, and to this day he continues painting.

Marcelo Jiménez found in art a way to express himself and communicate with the world through what he portrays in his paintings, as well as through the colors and shapes he uses in each one. At first, he experimented with art, painting a bit of everything without a defined theme. Over time, around the 1980s, he began to define his technique and what he wanted to paint: the heritage of Maya culture. Most of his works revolve around aspects of everyday Maya life, ranging from music, dance, gastronomy, medicine, stories and legends, to contemporary expressions of living Maya culture. In doing so, he leaves a testimony of how everything evolves according to lived experiences.

To learn more about Na’atik’s English language program for local and Indigenous students in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, visit our Impact Page. We are only able to provide this much needed program thanks to the support of generous donors and the funds raised from our award winning Maya and Spanish Immersion Program. If you would like to support our mission please consider donating today or take a look at our immersion programs and online class packages.