Classic Maya language written in Mayan hieroglyphs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Rap is being used across the world by young indigenous people to express and revitalize their culture and language. The Mayans, as it turns out, are no exception. Among the Mayan MC’s that are making it a point to use their native language is Pat Boy, a 22 year old rapper who is reaching across generations. “Old people like it for the language. Young people like it for the genre,” he said in a recent interview.
According to the young MC, rapping in Maya helps him better understand his culture. He says the common perception is that the Maya “collapsed,” but that the truth is “the Mayans are here, just evolved.”