On June 11 and 12, 2015, Asociacion Waqib’ Kej hosted the Third Annual Indigenous Youth Gathering in Chimaltenango, Guatemala. These events target Indigenous youth to discuss the current political situation of Guatemala and the role Indigenous youth have and will continue to play. A fourth gathering is scheduled to be held in the western region of the country next month.
The goal of these gatherings is to hear from Indigenous youth all over Guatemala about their needs and demands in order to improve their future. “In our culture we are taught to believe whatever our parents tell us without questioning their knowledge. The problem with this is that Indigenous youth face a very different reality today than our parents did when they were growing up. We feel it is important to hear from [youth] in a place where they feel safe sharing their opinions,” said Wendy Quina, representative of Waqib’ Kej. “Combined, children and youth make up over 60% of the population of Guatemala. They are the majority and yet there are very few bills in Congress aimed at improving their lives and giving them opportunities.”There are currently countless bills in the Guatemalan Congress aimed at addressing Indigenous issues like freedom of expression and agricultural development, yet none specifically address the problems Indigenous youth face in their communities, such as lack of employment, lack of education and lack of access to proper health care.
Over 70 Indigenous youth representing over 35 different Indigenous organizations participated in the gathering in Chimaltenango. The event was opened with a Mayan Ceremony led by a young Aj´Quij (Mayan ceremonial leader) to ask for permission and the blessing of the elders to hold the event. Then, the youth began discussing the current political situation in Guatemala and what it means for them. “The saddest thing is that we all believe that we have corrupt leaders and we, as Indigenous youth, have no way of changing that. We learn at a young age that our options are limited. Education is a privilege that many of us didn’t get and because of that we know very little about political participation,” said Edgar Guarquez, an Indigenous activist and artist. “As a young Indigenous woman, I face many barriers to my professional life; the way I dress is often a limitation, the fact that I refuse to affiliate myself with any political party and the simple fact that I am a women,” said Angelica Morales of Rebellious Youth Peten.
The two days were structured around youth leadership and participation in four thematic areas: politics, culture, society and the economy. The participants were divided in four groups and were asked to identify the needs in their respective thematic areas, as well as to provide possible solutions to those needs. Four participants were selected at the end of the event to comprise a National Indigenous Youth Committee and present the proposed solutions at the national level. Wakib´Kej will create a Facebook group to connect all participants in order to continue to work on this proposal. It is the first time an Indigenous Youth Gathering focused on political participation was held in Guatemala. The youth left inspired and encouraged to continue their individual work to improve the future of Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala.
