Tzutu Kan is an educator, painter, agriculturist, builder and hip hop artist and is from San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala. He is involved in the band Balam Ajpu and as an independent musician as Tzutu Kan. Having Tzutu’s music be a part of this project provided the glue to bind all of the parts together and share the rhythm of the Mayan Cosmovision. His music is involved on so many levels and it was a blessing to have his sound be a part of this special series. The two tracks used in this project are “Ixim Ulew” by Tzutu Kan and “B’atz” by Balam Ajpu.

For more information on what Tzutu is involved in visit: www.tzutukan.com

And check his Instagram at: @tzutukan

Here are the lyrics for Ixim Ulew in Tz’Utujil Maya/ English and Spanish

Ixim Ulef, Ixim Ulef / Land of the Corn, Land of the Corn

Ixim Ulef, Qin maltyoxij che we / Land of Corn, I thank you

Ixim Ulef, Ixim Ulef / Land of the Corn, Land of the Corn

Ixim Ulef, Qin maltyoxij che we / Land of Corn, I thank you

Xachala qa maq nimalaj ulew / Forgive us wonderful land

Ix balam kej nimaktaq Teej / Majestic mother feline energy

Cuyula coj k´ax cha wech / forgive me that we walk on your face

Jun, kajmul, oxmul, cajmul, / once, twice, three times, four times

Ja qa kaslem janel ri ixim / Our existence is like corn

Coj tiki, ti qa jal, koj moli / They spread us, we transform, and they keep us

Ja ri qa Te Cox Chavajay /Our grandmother Cox Chavajay

Xu ya qa way, xu ya qa naoj / He gave us our food, he gave us wisdom

Xin k´iy to qa; maltyoox Te Mary´ / So I grew up; thank you mother mary

Xin a k´asba ruk´in ri ixim / You sustained me with corn

Ri K´um, kinaq a wachalal / The ayote, the bean your sisters

Nim ri a chojq´aq, Ixim q´apoj / great is your strength, young corn

Ixim Ixoq, Ixim Teej / Corn woman, corn mother

Paxil cayala xat sijantowi / from Paxil Cayala you flourished

Ja ri coj, xu q´ut chi qa wech / The jaguar showed us your way

janel cuqumats xat tuxani / and like a serpent, you resurfaced

ebel K´aiis Teozintle a bi / Divine Grass Teosinte

Patz´em cat jitz´ pa wochoch / Reeds tie you in the houses

Ijatz´ kat xeqebax choch li jay / Seeds hang you in front of the houses

Pa rij iboy cat k´amelbi / In an armadillo shell they transport you

Pa ri Tijkon ti tz´ij cotz´ij / In the sowings they offer you

Patak kaj kaj, cat kaj caj / in foursomes, proceed

Beleje jay qe a solij / nine transit houses in the underworld

Koj bixanq´a a wikin, Ab´ix. / we harmonize in your anthem

Sek, Sek, ti sek ri q´aiis / reel, scrape, clean the grass

they dispossess, they dispossess, they dispossess under the milpa

Kol, kol, ti k´ol xe´ Awen / the birds sing to you milpa leaf

Tz´ikin ta siq´ij ri Tzalam / They buzz, they buzz, they pollinate the milpa

Ojch´ kaq, q´en, rusmal a bin / blonde and redhead is your hair

Aj Xa q´a jalom ri a Wach / Tender corn, we inherit your appearance

Coj mejej cha Wech ixim / we kneel before you plant

Jach, jach, Ajaw Yun Kax / I harvest, I harvest, Immortal Corn

ja wa nu q´ojom kin sujuj chewe / This is the music that I offer you

ja wa ri qa tzij kin sujuj chewe / this is my rap that I offer you

xa ya nu kaslemaj, xa ya kikotemal / you gave me existence, joy

xa ya ni un way, xa ya li Te / you gave me food, you gave me a mother

xa ya li wulef, qin maltioxij cha we / You gave me the land, I repay you.

Heyaya heyaya heyaya…

Garifuna, Xinca, Mestiza

Poqomchi´ Poqomam Tz´utujil

Achi, K´iche´, Kaq´chikel

Sakapulteka, Sipakapense,

Uspanteca, Q´eqchi´, Ixil,

Awakateka, Tektiteka

Mam, Muchu´, Mocho´

Jakalteca, Akateka,

Q´anjob´al, Chuj, Tojolab´al,

Tz´eltal, Tz´ozil, Chontal, Ch´orti´

Ch´ol, Mopan, Itza´, Ch´olti´,

Lakandona , Yucateka,

Chikomuselteka, La Wasteka

Español

Tierra del Maíz, Tierra del Maíz

Tierra del Maíz, te agradezco a ti

Tierra del Maíz, Tierra del Maíz

Tierra del Maíz, te agradezco a ti

Perdónanos maravillosa tierra

Energía felina majestuosa madre

perdóname que transitamos sobre tu faz

una, dos veces, tres veces, cuatro veces

Nuestra existencia es como el maíz

Nos diseminan, nos transformamos, y nos guardan

Nuestra abuela Cox Chavajay

Nos dio nuestro alimento, nos dio sabiduría

Entonces crecí; gracias madre María

Me sustentaste con el maíz

El ayote, el frijol tus hermanas

grande es tu fuerza, joven maíz

Maíz mujer, Maíz madre

desde Paxil Cayala floreciste

El jaguar nos mostro tu camino

y como serpiente, resurgiste

Divino zacate Teocinte

Cañas te atan en las casas

Semillas te cuelgan frente las casas

En un caparazón de armadillo te transportan

En las siembras te ofrendan

en cuartetos, procedes

nueve casas transitas en el inframundo

armonizamos en tu himno

aspan, raspan, limpian el zacate

desojan, desojan, desojan bajo la milpa

los pájaros te cantan hoja de milpa

Zumban, zumban, polinizan la milpa

rubia y pelirroja es tu cabellera

Tierno maíz, heredamos tu aspecto

nos arrodillamos ante ti planta

cosecho, cosecho, Inmortal Maíz

esta es la música que te ofrezco

esto es mi rap que te ofrendo

me diste la existencia, la alegría

me diste alimento, me diste una madre

me diste la tierra, te retribuyo a ti.

Tzutu Kan // Music // Xunantunich Wayo’ob project