2026/5/29

On Wednesday, April 29, the Research Center for Latin-American Studies, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies hosted a lecture titled "The Books of Chilam Balam amid Christian Evangelism: Their Contents, Formats, and Uses by Mayan Scribes."

During the lecture, Professor Olivier Le Guen of the Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social (Center for Research and Higher Studies in Social Anthropology, or CIESAS) explained that Mayan scribes did more with the Books of Chilam Balam than simply copy texts to preserve pre-Columbian-era memories and ideas. Instead, they would select and reorganize sections of existing texts, employing morphological innovations and intermixing genres to create brand-new works in response to the spread of Christian missionary activities.

The lecture session was carried out in hybrid format with a total of 18 participants joining in person and online, and the lecture itself was followed by an enthusiastic Q&A session, making it a highly rewarding experience for all.

Visit the CIESAS website for more information on the Center's activities.

Back