Returning the Atlas to Belize to Edit

The first draft of the atlas was ready by the end of May. Many parts of the text were still missing, but overall the atlas was 90 percent complete. It was time to bring it back to Belize so that the Maya could review and edit the text, maps, illustrations, and other graphics.

On June 2, 1997, the Maya Atlas was taken to Punta Gorda, Toledo District, Belize, by GeoMap cartographers Tim Norris, Madison Roswell, and Steve Rose. To display the atlas so that it could be reviewed and edited by its many authors, the GeoMap team brought two Mac 3400c laptops, an external Jaz drive with 1GB disks, a Sharp computer SVGA projector, and a 6*8 foot semi-transparent white plastic screen.

In Punta Gorda the next day, the GeoMap cartographers met with TMCC people in their office to brief them on the status of the atlas, and the many questions that remained concerning content, design and layout, and to discuss the logistics and location where the presentation would be made. During the next three days, TMCC organized the atlas meeting and helped bring the village researchers and regional coordinators from the very distant villages of San Antonio. The GeoMap cartographers worked with the Maya cartographers on major design issues and generated JPEGs (high quality computer images for easy display), in facing-page formats, for the presentation.

The atlas draft was reviewed by approximately 160 people including its 80 authors and contributors, and all the old and new alcades on Saturday, June 7, in the Mopan community of San Antonio. Among the participants were the village researchers, regional coordinators, cartographers, TMCC leaders, the TAA alcaldes, people from SPEAR, and the GeoMap cartographers. All discussion was translated into Mopan and Ke'kchi in order for all of the participants to understand the legal and practical issues involved with producing the Maya Atlas. Page by page the atlas was reviewed, missing information contributed, work assigned to complete village history sections, and colors, design