Eduardo Halfon’s work published in Mayan
Asymptote Blog discusses the translation of Halfon's El boxeador polaco into Mayan, Guatemala's indigenous language. The translator, Raxche’ Rodríguez, describes similarities between his people (the Mayan) and Halfon's (the Jews), both persecuted and victims of genocide.
“The work of Eduardo Halfon has been translated into English, French, Italian, Dutch, German, and many other languages. However, this year, thanks to the work of educator and translator Raxche’ Rodríguez, his most celebrated short story, and the one from which his entire bibliography sprouts out, El boxeador polaco (The Polish Boxer) has found its way to Maya readers. Entitled Ri Aj Polo’n Ch’ayonel, Halfon’s semi-autobiographical story about a grandfather telling his grandson about the origin of the fading tattoo on his arm was published in August by Editorial Maya’ Wuj.”