Chan K’in Viejo was the last t’o’ohil, or traditional Maya civic and religious leader, of the Lacandones. He was born at the turn of the 20th century in the Selva Lacandona where he lived his entire life. He succeeded his father when he was still a teenager, and led his community for another eighty years. As the last of the traditional Maya civic and religious leaders, he was the subject of a great many books, articles, and films.
OH MY LITTLE BROTHER
Chan K’in Viejo
Oh my little brother
Don’t you know that I sing your song?
I sing to the markings of your coat.
Do you hear how I sing to your ears?
How beautifully marked is your tail.
You come along the trail,
Oh my little brother.
As you come you tear up the earth.
Don’t you know that I sing your song,
Oh my little brother?