In this lesson, you will hear the testimonies of people who talk about how migration to the United States has changed their community and family. They describe both the positive aspects—such as economic support—and the negative ones—such as family separation and addictions. Through their words, we will reflect on the reasons why many people decide to migrate, the challenges they face, and how these decisions affect those who stay behind.
¿Jas jun k’extajem ya’tajnaq pa le tinamit ruk’ le kib’enam le e winaq pa Estados Unidos?
Le kaqil waral le uk’exb’em, na je ta wa’ ri’ le qatinamit ro’jer, ja cha’ ri xoj k’iy la oj, janche, maj taq la’ le ja k’olik, pero ja cha’ le chanim, ya jer k’extajnaq chik, e kowinaq kakiwok chi jun staq ko’ch, kiloq’om jun staq jub’eq taq kulew, are la’ le uk’extajbém le ke’e jela’.
¿La are k’u utz we kab’e jun pa Estados Unidos?
K’o utz enam le je la’, y k’o parte no’ porque k’o xa ke’kana perder kik’astemal chi la’, qeta’am ri chi chla’ perdición chuqe, k’o ko’k pa q’ab’arik, k’o jastaq kaka’no, na are ta kakilij chi ri kirajawaxik, y we chuq utza pensar kakojo, juntir le jastaq utz kelik, jachike le sin arajawaxik a chomamb’ik are je katel pwi, we chuq na utz ta le a pensar kakojo, ko’k pa q’ab’arik, jastaq kaka’no, y are chi k’or chuq kakik’am la kikamikal chi la’ kekam loq.y mas na kipensar kakikojo, are la’ le kinkowinik kimb’ij.
¿Jas uwach uk’axal kakiriq kan le upaja a re taq ka b’e jun pa Estados Unidos?
Le uk’axal le mas na ja cha le jun kuya kan sin ro’ch pa qajik, y we xtoj tu’loq ke’lesax b’i le e familiares juntir, y are la le mas na uk’axal porque we e k’o kan e ralk’wal jun janche na keril ta chu’loq y janche le mas na are la’ le taq a’k’alab’ le kakiriq k’ax.
¿Jas che keb’e le e winaq pa Estados Unidos?
We le tat waral k’o wi, we maj sin re’tamab’al, na kakowin ta le tat kuya restudio le ralk’wal porque waral na nim ta kach’akik, we xub’an ut’iso’m le nan na nim ta kuch’ako, y le tat we sin xb’e pa mosayil nim ta chuq kuch’ako, en cambio we xb’e le tat je la’ si a re wi utz kek’oji’ le upa ja k’o chi sin kakitijo, k’o chi le sin kijastaq, kawok la sin ko’ch.
¿La are utz chi kik’aslemal le upaja are taq kab’e jun pa Estados Unidos?
K’or utz, k’or chuq xa kayojinik kojcho’qa che, koma la’ tzij le kaqab’ij are le kipensar le a’chijab’ we kakikoj utza pensar janche utz la’ par we no le’ janche k’or janche kayojin le upataq ja, chuq le ixoq qa’nampe che we xuchajij apan rib’ y chuq we na kuchajij ta rib’ jache chi la’ kape taq wi le problema, chi la’ jer keyojinik kojcho’qa che, kok le jun jachoj ib’, je la’ la’ le le’ le´.
¿Jas uwach uk’axal kakiriq le a’k’alab’ are taq kaya’taj jun jachoj ib’ chkixo’l le e tat e nan?
Janche koma la’ kakiriq na k’u k’ax la’, koma ja pa cha le kinb’ij we xok la’ le jastaq le’, b’ay kayojtaq le achajilom, kok pa q’ab’arik chi la’, b’ay chla’ janche jer kesachan le a’lk’walaxelab’ pa kik’u’x, na kekib’isoj ta chu’loq bay ja ne che, chi la’ k’u la’ kakiriq k’ax le a’kalab’.
¿Jas xb’an la che utzukuxik le pwaq le xek’amb’ex wu’b’i kech le a’lk’wal la?
Xa xqaqajo,y xya’ik; ja wi le xqaqaj wi, b’a ne la awas chuq maj prenta xkito, xaq xkiya chwe pa qajik, y tyox che ri Dyos xekowinik, la’li: le are’ xkowinik xutoj le jub’eq’ re, pero como le are’ na xaq si xb’e ta ne chraqan de una vez ta ne xb’ek sino que xa xuk’aq b’i rib’ pa jun lado chik y xkowinik xq’axik xutoj sin uk’as, are k’u le alaj nuch’i’p, le are’ xkowinik xutoj le re le are’, tyox chehc ri Dios xkowinik xutoj le re, le are’ tajin kinuto’la algo kamik, na nim ta ne’ kutaq loq, pero tajin kinuto’ loq chwi le sin nurajawaxik in, porque in ja pa cha kinb’ij, xaq in; xa nutukel chik, xkam le wixoqil, xaq nutukel, maj chi k’o wuk’ chanim ri’, e k’o le walk’wal par ri a’re’ k’is e k’o chi le kifamilia, par a’re’ katajin kini’low kamik, tyox che ri Dyos le jun laj walk’wal k’o je la’ katajin kinuto’la algo kamik, la’re’ katajin kuriq sin utz chi la’ kinwilo, kintyoxij in che ri Dyos cher je la’ katajin kub’ano, xa umak sin urajawaxik xb’ek, porque oj waral maj sin qulew, maj qulew ja wi chi’ ta ne’ kaqawok ju sin qo’ch, entons kub’ij le are’ chwech entons kib’ek kintzukuj jas kinb’an chech rajil sin wo’ch para que kinriq sin utz kacha, entons chanim ri’ maltyox chech ri Dyos xel sin uk’as le are’, xumajij uch’akik sin re rech sin uk’olb’al, kaqiye’j chech ri Dyos jas chub’an ri Dyos chi qech, we chin k’a si’ na in y kin wil na ri’ ja wi chi’ sin chk’oji’ wi, y are la’ le kinkowinik kinb’ij chi we, ja ne che, tyox chi we chech chech taq le pregunta katajin ki b’an chwech, ja ne che kinq’alaj saj wa’ ri’ porque Dyos chuq naj uwi’ chwech na xaq ta chuq kinb’ij, ja ne che, je la’, chuq na kinkowin taj kinb’ij, no’ katajin kuriq k’ax le walk’wal chi la’, no’ chuq na kincha taj sib’alaj k’o urajil, no’ maltyox chech ri Dyos k’or kuriq staq rech chuq k’or maj sin uchak, xaq je la’ ub’anom chanim ri’, kinki’kotik chech le jun laj walk’wal k’o chi la’, are la’ le keb’ oxib’ kinb’ij.
What changes have occurred in the town with migration to the United States?
What we see here, the transformation—our town didn’t used to be like this, not like when we were growing up. Back then, there weren’t houses like the ones there are now. So now there’s been a change: people have been able to build their little houses, they’ve been able to buy small plots of land. That’s the change brought by those who migrate over there.
Is it better if someone migrates to the United States?
Sometimes it’s good to migrate there and sometimes not, because some people end up wasting their lives over there. We know there are many vices there. Many fall into the vice of alcohol, do other things, and leave behind their goals and dreams. But if a person is conscious, then things turn out well—the humble needs they set out with are achieved. But if they’re not conscious, they or others become alcoholics and get into other things, and that’s how they sometimes meet their end over there—they return dead. So I would just say: people should use their conscience.
What negative things does the family left behind experience when someone migrates to the United States?
The most negative thing is when someone leaves their house as collateral and if the debt isn’t paid, the family is evicted. That’s the negative part, especially if someone has left children behind—they can’t care for them from over there. So it’s the little kids who are left behind who suffer the most.
Why do people migrate to the United States?
If the father is here and has no academic education, he can’t provide one for his son or daughter because you don’t earn much here. If the mother does sewing, she doesn’t earn much either. And if the father works as a day laborer, he doesn’t earn much. But if the father migrates there, the family’s situation improves—they have something to eat, they have some things, and eventually a house gets built for them.
Are living conditions better for the family when someone migrates to the United States?
Sometimes they’re better, and sometimes the family falls apart. Like we say, it depends on the man’s conscience—if he’s responsible, then it’s good. But if not, that’s when family dysfunction happens. And also, the woman—if she carries herself with respect, things go well. But if not, then problems start, and that’s when separation happens—there’s divorce. That’s how it is.
What kind of difficulties do children face when their parents divorce?
Yes, they face difficulties. Like I said, when that happens, the husband changes, he falls into alcohol over there, and he sort of forgets about his kids—he stops caring about them. And that’s when the children suffer.
How did you get the money that was used to send your children?
We just borrowed it, and we were given the loan where we requested it. To be honest, thank God they didn’t charge us interest—they just gave us the loan. Thank God it worked out. My daughter was able to pay hers off, but she didn’t take the full journey—she found another alternative and was able to cross and pay her debt. And now my youngest son, he was able to pay off his part too, thank God. He’s been helping me a little lately. It’s not a lot of money that he sends, but he helps me with my needs. Because I, as I said, am a widower—my wife passed away. I have no one with me now. I have my children, but they all have their own families, and they’ve been taking care of me up to now. Thank God my son who’s over there has been helping me a little now. He’s being blessed there, I see that, and I’m grateful to God that he’s doing okay. He migrated only because of his needs. We don’t have any land here, no land where we can build a house. So he told me, “I’m going, and I’m going to find a way to get money so that you can have a house, so that you can have well-being.” So now, he’s paid off his debt and has started to earn money for a place to live. We hope in God for what He has prepared for us. If I’m still alive, I’ll get to see where he establishes himself. That’s all I can say. Thank you, thank you for the questions you’re asking me. I’ll just clarify this: God has a purpose for me—it’s not just random. And I can’t say my son is suffering over there—no! But I also can’t say that he has a lot of money—no! Thank God, sometimes he has work, sometimes he doesn’t. That’s how he’s getting by. I’m happy with this little son of mine who’s over there. That’s all I can say.
| Jun | One |
| Tinamit | Town, city |
| Winaq | Person (male or female) |
| Uk’axal | Difficulty |
| Upa ja | Family (not possessed) |
| Waral | Here |
| Chuqe’ | Also, as well |
| Ak’alab’ | Kid, child |
| K’or | Sometimes |
| Nim | Big |
| Pwaq, rajil | Money |
| Tyox | Thank you |
| Chi’p | ´The youngest child of the family |
| Chanim | Now |
| Naj | Far |
| Ali | Young lady |
| -O’ch | House |