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Photography by Cory Zimmerman

“POEMS I BROUGHT DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN”

The Maya of Guatemala (2019) by Cory Zimmerman

I'm drawn to these places where the world is still real, where I can feel the past and the connection between things and the course of events that led to this point, where I can look back and see the journey I've traveled, a path that can't be quickly paved with denial or disillusionment.

Upon arrival, we glance at each other askance, yet Mayan kindness shines through, welcoming me into a home many perceive as little more than a cattle shed. Despite unimaginable discrimination, forced hardship, and genocide, this family has managed to endure on the mountaintop to which they have been relegated, finding the will to survive with dignity on dirt floors. Although the Maya of Guatemala speak two dozen languages, we communicate solely through the eyes. I have yet to glimpse any dreams hidden behind dark pupils as a young girl’s earthen feet slip away from the shadows; I cannot yet sense those dreams that flee into the mist and corn stalks.

After taking a few portraits, we squat by the wood stove to feast on a hearty stack of hand-slap tortillas and a dozen boiled eggs. I imagine staying for a while, sleeping on the ground, grinding corn, and relinquishing all complexity of mind, but I know the time has come to bid farewell to the coals of life. I exit the shed and the glowing eyes within its darkness. I emerge into a shimmering mist, my blurred shadow cast lightly across the cracked ground. Starting down a dusty path that rises between two barren fields, I feel the sword's sharp edge upon which the remnant of an ancient civilization survives.

As I approach a bend and prepare to continue down the mountain, I turn back to see a set of gleaming golden teeth in a broadening smile emerging from the stalk, accompanied by a small child. Dragging the boy’s unsteady feet to the edge of their land, I finally sense that she truly longs to be seen, somehow fearing she may never be recognized again. In her own world, walking away, lest visiting eyes catch sight of her again, might just feel akin to death. I raise the finder to my eye, and with the shutter snap, I fear her young, weary eyes will be viewed through a filter of false hope and pity. Lifting the child to her hip with one tough yet adolescent arm, her free arm waves wildly, now a fading silhouette in the mist, and yet somehow, I see a dream as clear as day.                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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Cory Zimmerman: Documentary Photographer 

Cory Zimmerman is a documentary photographer based in Mexico City, where he has lived and worked for nearly a decade. With a focus on humanitarian, social, and cultural themes, Zimmerman’s photography aims to promote human connection and empathy while shedding light on injustices and diverse ways of life. 

Zimmerman studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as various other art schools and universities, enriching his artistic vision and technical skills. His work has taken him across the globe, capturing powerful narratives from within Central American migrant caravans to the Maya communities in Guatemala to the slums of India. Each project reflects his commitment to highlighting the resilience of the human spirit amidst adversity. 

Currently, Cory is completing a new photo book dedicated to his work with the Maya, alongside efforts to curate an exhibition in Latin America. He believes that the grain of a photograph parallels the grit that settles in the cracks of society, embodying the grime of life that binds us all together as one species. 

“Compassion is my religion,” Zimmerman asserts. He emphasizes that while empathy is the foundation of civilization, conscious awareness—the ability to see clearly—truly births the realization that when one man suffers, we all suffer. For Zimmerman, the camera is an unparalleled tool for building a just world and a lethal weapon against injustice. 

Through his lens, Cory Zimmerman continues to inspire a deeper understanding of our shared humanity, urging viewers to engage with the stories that connect us all.