Oakland’s Notes on the History of the Mayan-Mam Language

Oakland historian and educator Javier Armas presents a lecture on the social history of the Mayan-Mam language. Mam is one of the 32 Mayan languages, originating from the western highlands of Guatemala and the Soconusco region of Chiapas, Mexico. Javier will cover three main periods of its history: Mam's development in pre-hispanic periods, Spanish hybrid formations under colonialism, and the latest stage -- the development of a community in Oakland. Javier carefully weaves together several disciplines to paint the clearest possible picture of this complex linguistic history. Linguistic anthropology takes center stage, and interdisciplinary methods span geography, archeology, linguistic history, regional history, and Guatemalan and local oral histories --- including the findings from oral histories conducted by Oakland high school students.

In May of last year, Javier and two of his students, Lorena Mendoza and Miguel Ortiz, published Mam History: Oakland Notes on the History of Mayan-Mam Language. The book has had an electrifying impact on Oakland schools, winning a Partners in Preservation Award in September. Oakland’s largest newcomer group are Guatemalan Maya-Mam immigrants, including a rising group of Oakland-born generation of Mam.

About Our Presenter:

Javier Armas was born and raised in Oakland, and has taught high school history in Oakland for eleven years. He is a graduate student of History at SF State, where his focus is the history of Mesoamerican science, and helps manage UC Berkeley’s History of Science and Technology Graduate Working Group. He is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and a past intern with the History Department at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, engaging in historical research in Mexico City. His current project is a history of African and Mesoamerican mathematics, aimed at developing historically-shaped pedagogy to improve math literacy in Oakland schools. In 2020, Javier authored and published Budtender Education, covering the history and science of cannabis.

Host or Publisher Oakland Heritage Alliance