David Johnson Lee’s, Ph.D., assistant professor of history, article “Ri ubix ri ulew: Translating Humberto Ak’abal between Languages and Worlds,” was accepted for publication in the journal Translation Review. The article analyzes the differences between K’iche’ and Spanish versions of poems by Maya poet Humberto Ak’abal, highlighting linguistic and epistemic differences across languages and communities in contemporary Guatemala. The article also highlights Ak’abal’s own theory of language and translation, and the importance of Guatemala’s recent history of violence and genocide for Ak’abal’s life and work. The publication will also include original English translations of Ak’abal’s poems produced in collaboration with Pablo Francisco Hernandez of Cantel, Guatemala.
