Humberto Ak'ab'al

Humberto Ak'ab'al also Ak'abal or Akabal (born 1952 Momostenango, Totonicapán department) is a K'iche' Maya poet from Guatemala. His poetry has been published in French, English, German, and Italian translations, as well as in the original K'iche' and Spanish. His book "Guardián de la caída de agua" (or "Guardian of the Waterfall" in English) was named book of the year by Association of Guatemalan Journalists and received their Golden Quetzal award in 1993. In 1995 he received an honorary degree from the Department of Humamnities of the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala. In 2004 he declined to receive the Guatemala National Prize in Literature because it is named for Miguel Ángel Asturias who Ak'ab'al accused of encouraging racism. He said Asturias' 1923 essay "The Social Problem of the Indian", "Offends the indigenous peoples of Guatemala, of which I am part." [http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2004/01/23/briefs230104.html]

ources

*cite web
url = http://www.mcd.gob.gt/MICUDE/directorios/directorio_cultural_deportivo/letras/inst15040512/
title = Humberto Ak´abal
accessdate = 2007-02-23
date = 2005-05-31
publisher = Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes
language = Spanish

*cite news
title= Poet rejects literature award
url= http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2004/01/23/briefs230104.html
publisher= CBCNews
date= 2004-01-23
accessdate= 2007-02-23

External links

* [http://akabal.com/ Humberto Ak'abal official site]
* [http://international.poetryinternationalweb.org/piw_cms/cms/cms_module/index.php?obj_id=434&x=1 Humberto Ak'abal] at Poetry International Web