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Resume of Maria Garcia
Itzamna Society, Chairperson
Maria Garcia
San Antonio Village
PO Box 75
San Ignacio, Cayo District
091-2023 Home • 016-7739 Cell
e-mail: life@epnp.org
Employment History
Chairperson of the Itzamna Society (1998-present)
- Elected chairperson of Itzamna Society
- Coordinate community meetings for the villages of San Antonio,
Cristo Rey, and Seven Miles
- Educate villagers and elicit their support for the Elijio Panti
National Park
- Coordinated a co-management inauguration celebration for 350 people,
which included Mayan spiritualists, environmentalists, embassies, other
NGO's, and local villagers, June 2001
- Prepared educational material for students of the United Pentecostal
School for the General Symposium, March 2000
- Awarded a certificate for "Contribucion al Desarrollo de la
Cultura Ecologica," from SEMAneta International, December 2001
- Coordinated the following seminars for community and Itzamna members:
Park Management - Friends for Conservation
and Development, 2000
Cave Tour Training - Ministry of Archaeology,
2000
Organic Cultivation - Cacao Grower's Association
in San Antonio, Toledo District, 2000
CO-management of Protected Areas - Forestry
Division, 2001
Protected Areas Conservation - Janus Foundation,
2001
Conservation, National Park Regulations and Development
plans for EPNP - Itzamna Society and Forestry Division, 2001
Pine Beetle and Fire Monitoring - Forestry
Division, 2002
National Park Conservation and Planning -
Friends for Conservation, 2002
Community Awareness in Fire Control - Itzamna
Society and Forestry Department, 2002
Professional Artist, Self-employed (1981-present)
- Opened and managed a gift shop containing local art in San Antonio,
Cayo since 1985
- Trained others to carve slate rock
- Educates visitors of the ancient Mayan religion and beliefs
- Promoted Mayan art and Culture through the Belize Tourism Board
- Awarded "Permanent Artist of Belize" at Riverfest in 1995
Tanah Museum Manager (1991-present)
- Built a museum to demonstrate traditional Mayan culture
- Collected Mayan artifacts, tools, instruments to display
- Educate visitors and students of Mayan beliefs and traditions
Chichaan Kaa Lodge Manager (1995-present)
- Designed, built, and furnished an eight-room lodge
- Responsible for the advertisements and promotions
- Maintain the lodge and grounds
Farmer/Business Manager (1976-1981)
- Monitored and accounted for family farming business
- Collected chicle
- Coordinated farmers
Other Skills/Training
- Accounting and Promotion through the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Bob
Wilson, 1996
- Introduction to and Intermediate level of Computer Use through the
Cayo Computer Center, 2001-2002
Education
- Roman Catholic School, San Antonio, Cayo
- Finished third in class
Background Information
Maria Garcia is the niece, student and inheritor of the work of the
erstwhile Elijio Panti. Before his death in 1996, Panti was renowned
in Belize and in the world of herbal medicine as a knowledgeable Mayan
herbalist and he was a spiritual leader for his people.
Maria is a native Mayan who lives in a village within the newly created
National Park. You can visit her web
site about her work in her village. Maria has dedicated her life
to her people, to her uncle’s dream of protecting and preserving
wild nature and the plant heritage of this area from increasing destruction
by humans and to education about our interrelationship with nature.
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