Defend life (Jmaktik buch’utik sk’anik spojik jkuxlejaltik) – a poem about Plantations
Jmaktik buch’utik sk’anik spojik jkuxlejaltik (Defend life)
by Jose Manuel Martín Pérez (translated from Tzotzil – original below)
What does the forest mean for a local community?
Food
water
building materials
safe space for animals
medicine
pollinators
firewood
honey
respite
the forest means life
And what happens with a plantation?
The water runs out
there is no food
nor safe spaces
nor medicine
nor pollinators
nor firewood
nor honey
nor respite
there is no life
What is there to do?
Stop the plantations!
Jmaktik buch’utik sk’anik spojik jkuxlejaltik
¿K’uyun lek k’alal oy a’mal te ta jlumatik?
Mi oy a’mal, oy ve’lil
Oy o’
Xu’ jva’antik jnatik xchi’uk k’usi oy ku’untik te ta a’mal
Oy svayeb chon-bolometik
Oy vomol-poxil
Oy epal mutetik
Oy si’
Oy pom
Oy bu’ lek nichim ko’ontontik jkotoltik
Me oy a’mal oy jkuxlekatik
¿Mi ech xa na’ k’alal sts’unik yansba ko’ol te’tik?
Mo’o, mauk ech sjam. Chlaj o’
Chlaj te ve’lile
Ch’ay batel svayeb chon-bolometik
Chlaj vomol-poxil
Chlaj ch’ul-balamil
Chlaj si’
Chlaj snichimal ko’ontontik
Solel chlaj jkuxlejaltik
¿K’usi xu’ chapas o’ote yu’un mu chlaj skotol?
MAKO BUCH’U SK’AN STS’UN YANSBA KO’OL TE’TIK.
