[Aztlan] 2009 Austin Maya Meeting Workshop Descriptions

[Lynda Manning-Schwartz]

Following are the expanded descriptions of the 2009 Austin Maya Meetings
Workshops, which will be held February 23 through February 26, 2009 (Monday
through Thursday) in the AT&T Center on The University of Texas Campus
(www.meetattexas.com). Talks by participants of the 2009 Workshops will take
place in the AT&T Center Amphitheater (Meetings Level Two, Room 204) on
Friday morning following the Workshops. On Friday afternoon, Friends of the
Maya will host talks in the same place by Maya scholars who have
participated in these Workshops (see www.friendsofthemayainc.org). These
talks are free and open to non-participants.


2009 Austin MAYA MEETINGS WORKSHOPS
Note for all workshops: 

Research materials are available. Most study materials supplied free are
group-specific. Students may wish to budget for optional photocopies or
printouts of additional reference materials. 

Free Wi-Fi access is provided for conferees. Internet access using an
Ethernet or modem port is limited.

GLY 1:  Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphic Writing - English (There are no
prerequisites.)
- Marc Zender (Harvard) and Daniel A. Law (UT Austin).
This workshop provides beginning students an in-depth study of Maya
Hieroglyphic Writing with hands-on experience working in small groups.
Materials will be provided. 

JER 1:  Introducción a la Escritura Jeroglífica Maya: Básico  En español 
(No se requiere tener experiencia previa).
- Erik Velásquez García (UNAM) 
Diseñado para principiantes que hablan español. Parte del curso se integra
con el nivel Intermedio.
Este taller es un curso intensivo sobre escritura jeroglífica Maya con
experiencia práctica trabajando en grupos pequeños. Los materiales a
trabajar se proporcionan durante el taller.

POP:  Popol Vuh: Creation and Death, the Mythic History of the Gods -
English 
(There are no prerequisites.)
- Allen J. Christenson (Brigham Young University, Provo, UT)
This workshop introduces the Popol Vuh, the most important source for
ancient highland Maya myth and history.  It will consist partly of a
directed close reading of the text, emphasizing especially the initial
creation account and the descent of the Hero Twins into Xibalba (the Maya
underworld).  The primary text will be the Popol Vuh itself, particularly
Allen Christenson's own new electronic version that is being distributed
through the University of Texas Press. These readings include the text in
both grammatical and literal English, Spanish, modern orthographic Maya, and
the original modified-Latin text. 
During the afternoons, workshop participants will split into small groups to
do close readings of selected passages of the Popol Vuh text.  The topics of
these small group will depend on the special interests of those who join the
workshop and may include, among others, Xibalba and underworld lords,
analysis of poetic forms, iconography of deities, K'iche' linguistic
studies, comparison with other Maya mythic migration accounts, the nature of
K'iche'-Maya deities, and other possible topics. 
In addition to the CD-ROM version of the Popol Vuh, there are hundreds of
Justin Kerr's photographs, as well as photographs of geographical landmarks
and maps, people, flora, fauna, and archaeological sites. Because these can
all be opened up in the same window using a special Windows-compatible
program, participants can jump back and forth between versions of the texts,
images, maps, and so on. It is recommended that participants bring their own
Windows-compatible laptop computers, if possible. Those with Macs that
cannot run Windows programs can receive an electronic copy of the text, but
the fancy program is unfortunately not in Mac format as yet. Participants
without computers can follow along on the projection screen or from a
printed copy of the text. There are no other requirements and no special
linguistic skills are needed. This workshop is open to everyone. 

Some materials written by or related to the leader of this workshop can be
found at www.mesoweb.com and www.famsi.org:
1. Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book of the Quiché Maya. Translated from the
Original Maya Text by Allen J. Christenson;
www.mesoweb.com/publications/Christenson/index.html
2. "An Encounter with Allen Christenson" by Andrew Weeks;
www.mesoweb.com/features/fabric/interview.html
3. Balancing the Cosmos, a film by Andrew Weeks;
www.mesoweb.com/features/balancing/index.html
4. "Weaving the Fabric of the Cosmos" by Allen J. Christenson;
www.mesoweb.com/features/fabric/fabric00.html
5. K'iche'-English Dictionary by Allen J. Christenson; www.famsi.org (under
Resources: Dictionaries) 

ICO:  Iconography of Maya Painted Vases - English (There are no
prerequisites.)
- Justin Kerr (Kerr Associates, New York City) 
This workshop features a lecture series with members interacting and
commenting on the talks. The 2009 session will open with a talk on what is
known about the provenience of many vases, including their places of origin
and where they were found, if known.  The leaders will be revisiting a
number of topics that have been discussed and written about in the past,
concentrating on the Baby Jaguar series and related topics. The groups will
also discuss the possibility that in many of the Palace scenes, the
protagonist is already dead, although portrayed alive, and is taking part in
the ongoing activities. Also under discussion will be the Great Serpent,
sometimes known as the Vision Serpent, to see if there are any new ways to
understand its function. Other topics will probably come up as the various
images are viewed and discussed. From time to time, epigraphers are asked
for help to elucidate a passage that might help to understand the scene.
Justin and Penny lead an open workshop that welcomes visitors to pop in and
take part in the ongoing discussions. Participants can view and download the
pertinent material from www.mayavase.com <http://www.mayavase.com/> . Other
related research materials can be found at www.famsi.org (under Resources:
Kerr).

GLY 2:  Intermediate Maya Hieroglyphic Writing and Linguistics - English 
(Prerequisite: Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphic Writing o Introducción a
los jeroglifos Mayas)
- Barbara MacLeod (Independent Scholar, Austin) and Stanley Guenter
(Southern Methodist University, Dallas)
This workshop will focus on an in-depth study of Palenque's Temple of the
Inscriptions, using the text and iconography of its associated Tablets and
Pakal's sarcophagus, as a launching pad to discuss many issues related to
the script: concise historical narrative, discourse structure, esoteric
calendrics, reckonings into the future, methodology of syllabic and
logographic decipherment, and Maya hieroglyphic script and grammar. Temple
of the Inscriptions research materials will be provided. Special projects
using research materials provided by participants are welcomed. This is an
open workshop that welcomes visitors to visit and take part in the ongoing
discussions.  

See the related article by Stanley Guenter at
www.mesoweb.com/articles/guenter/TI.html.

JER 2:  Taller Escritura Jeroglífica Maya: Intermedio - En español
(Requisito: Introducción a la Escritura Jeroglífica Maya o Introduction to
Maya Hieroglyphic Writing).
- Erik Velásquez García (UNAM)
Diseñado para principiantes que hablan español. Parte del curso se integra
con el nivel básico.
Este taller es un curso intensivo sobre escritura jeroglífica Maya con
experiencia práctica trabajando en grupos pequeños. Los materiales a
trabajar se proporcionan durante el taller.

YUC:  Northern Yucatán Inscriptions, Maya Codices, and the Books of Chilam
Balam - English 
(Prerequisite: Introduction to Maya Hieroglyphic Writing or Introducción a
los jeroglifos Mayas) 
- Bruce Love (Independent Scholar, Jupiter, CA). 
This workshop focuses on the Maya culture of Yucatán, which includes the
hieroglyphic inscriptions of the northern sites, especially Chichén Itzá;
the workings of the Maya codices, or painted hieroglyphic books; and the
Colonial Period Books of Chilam Balam.  There will be illustrated lectures
on specific topics, but the main emphasis will be on student projects.
Participants may come with projects in mind, or the instructor can suggest
projects that each participant can dive into for four days, culminating in
student presentations to the group. Working in teams is encouraged. The
excitement of research and discovery is the key to this guided workshop.

ADV: Advanced Linguistic Problems:  Zapotec Writing 
(Prerequisites: Experience with writing systems; working knowledge of
Zapotecan family of languages.)
- Terrence Kaufman (University of Pittsburgh) and John Justeson (SUNY
Albany)
This workshop will work on an in-depth study of the current status and
problems in Zapotec writing.