Support literacy and learning for 1,900 Maya youth

With a grin, Kendall proudly explained that he had learned the value of being polite and getting along well with his friends. As one of the Limitless Knowledge Community Library’s most frequent visitors, he has demonstrated his cooperative nature on many occasions. But this time, the lesson came from his star role as Max, the main character of Where the Wild Things Are.

As part of the library’s end-of-year celebration, the play was performed in front of library-users, parents, staff, and visitors. Kendall hadn’t ever acted on stage before, but couldn’t contain his excitement at having the lead role in the library’s theatrical production. Max, the naughty boy who is sent to bed without any dinner, watches his room hang with tree vines and fill with a tumbling ocean. He sails off through night and day to reach the land of wild things with terrible roars and terrible teeth.

With a loud voice and big gestures, Kendall inhabited Max’s personality as he shouted, “Be still!” and the monsters fell to the floor around him. Afterward, they all got up and danced around the stage, in their carefully rehearsed “wild rumpus” scene.

The group of library-users, who are all under ten-years-old, had auditioned to be part of the cast. Together, they read the library’s well-thumbed copy of Where the Wild Things Are and discussed how they would represent it on stage. Afterward, they talked about the significance of Max’s journey and return to his home in time for a hot dinner. They agreed that they must listen to their parents and have good manners. Instead of being King of the monsters, they said that Max should have shared nicely with his friends and not shouted at them.

Crowding together to share their thoughts, the cast was eager to talk about the excitement of learning through acting. For all of them, standing in front of a full hall of people with scary monster stances was no small feat. Also, remembering their lines in Spanish was a great achievement for children who speak Ixil at home and, through the library’s programs, have only just started to learn their second language.

The Limitless Knowledge Community Library opens up imaginations in Chajul. Here, young people can think of values and good behavior through reading stories and bringing them to life on stage. They can explore character development with arts and crafts and lots of laughter. Indeed, the cast of the play had made their monster costumes the week before in a flurry of activity at the library, involving paper cut-outs, coloring pens, and lots of scissors and glue.

The happy scene is part of the Library’s everyday vibrancy and color. Away from the public education system’s rote lessons and homes that most often have no books or electricity, children are able to dive into different worlds and learn diverse modes of storytelling. By supporting the Limitless Knowledge Community Library, you are helping us to ensure that we can engage more of Chajul’s youth through the creative power of the arts.