Maria Coc: Proud to be Maya

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By Juan Caal, Toledo Correspondent (661-5891)

Meet Maria Coc. 

She is a 63 year old Q’eqchi lady from San Marcus village in the Toledo district. 

She is proudly carrying on her cultural tradition, not afraid to lay her hands in the clay to make pottery, the same way her mom taught her to do. 

Coc, with a smile on her face, says that many people classify the Maya people as being poor. 

“We are not poor,” says Coc, “the nature that we posses is rich and has enough resources for us to survive.” 

It is with that in mind that Maria Coc works daily to educate her children about not forgetting their culture and to teach them how to gain from it. 

“I am surprised to see that the modern world has forced a lot of changes on people with their modern style of living,” says Maria; noting that “in my days, we did not use stove or aluminum pots.  All we had were clay pots and that is why I keep saying, there is not a day that I would forget my origin.  I am proud of being a Maya.  It is what I am. It is who I am.”

Maria Coc invites anyone interested, to come to her village of San Marcus, Toledo, to experience the real humility of being proud of her culture. And the pots she makes are also available for sale. 

Maria Coc, truly one of Belize’s Very Own.

Maria Coc holds one of her creations.

Clay pots created by Maria Coc

Maria Coc’s working tools

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