Rigoberta Menchú with Dante Liano, illustrated by Domi, translated by David Unger,
The Honey Jar
Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press, 2006
(translation edition)

Ages 9-11

"In ancient times, when there were no clocks and time passed without passing..." starts one of these retellings of twelve folktales by Nobel Peace Prize winner and Maya Activist, Rigoberta Menchú. She returns to the world of her childhood, explored in her memoir The Girl From Chimel, and passes down to future generations the ancient stories her grandparents told her.

As our early ancestors studied the world around them, they began to tell stories to try to explain the natural phenomena they observed; and to make sense of such things as the changing seasons, natural disasters, life and death, etc. The stories were largely influenced by the natural environment that people found themselves in, the animals they hunted, and so on.

Through creation myths and legends, the stories in The Honey Jar portray and try to explain the natural world and the underworld, supernatural beings, gods and demigods; and thus we come to know more about the elements that helped shape the Mayans' view of the world.

Children and adults everywhere now have an opportunity to experience a sense of cultural difference that shoudn't be denied. This is as it should be: it is a view different indeed as regards their values, preoccupations, and narrative forms. The tone of the stories is true to Mayan as well as other oral traditions and it expresses, affirms and supports a worldview that is their own, and that should be cherished and respected.

According to these stories,"the Makers and Creators of men" will bestow either their gifts or their punishment upon them, depending on their conduct. That's how we encounter beings such as Rajaw Juyub, "the keeper of things, the one who judges the way people treat nature", who appears when someone violates Nature's laws... But theirs is not a merciless world: if people "apologize, if they ask for forgiveness and make an offering to the Creator, then they will live a long time. Their hair will turn white and they will become respected elders".

Many of the stories are about learning to live in peace with Mother Nature. Something we all can and should learn to do, whichever corner of the universe we find ourselves in.

Domi's well-known talent honors Mother Nature with her luscious and colorful style, bringing the full-page illustrations of plants, animals and rivers to life. We can almost feel the heart of the jungle beating...

Children will enjoy this book and it would provide teachers with a great springboard to encourage children to investigate some of the creation myths and legends from their own cultures.

Aline Pereira
July 2006