Editorial Cholsamaj

What Editorial Cholsamaj does

Editorial Cholsamaj is a Guatemalan non-profit social service entity and publishing house founded before 1990 and headquartered at 5ta calle 0-47 zona 1, Guatemala City (Iximulew). It is operated by Maya professionals and self-taught indigenous experts, with a stated mission to preserve and disseminate Maya history, culture, languages, cosmovision, indigenous rights, and educational materials for Guatemala's multicultural society. The catalog exceeds 250 titles, published in Spanish and in multiple Maya languages including K'iche', Kaqchikel, Mam, Q'eqchi', Ch'orti', Tz'utujil, and Popti'. Product categories span bilingual dictionaries, grammars, language-learning self-study materials (e.g., Maja'il Kaqchikel series with audio CD), historical and anthropological studies (e.g., Los Kaqchikeles de la época colonial, Kaji' Imox), bilingual ceremonial discourse editions, traditional medicine texts, the poetic Popol Wuj, and contemporary political documentation such as La Vara Manda (covering the 2023–2024 Indigenous Uprising).

The publisher's distinguishing technical component is a proprietary typographic and design system: it has developed scalable digital fonts for Mayan numbers and calendar glyphs, and applies Mayan numeration to page numbering and Maya calendar dates at the start and end of every book. This domain-specialization tooling — combined with a 35-year content library — constitutes the firm's primary differentiating asset.

Editorial Cholsamaj operates a small team of approximately 8 employees. The business model is direct-to-consumer unit sales of physical books priced in Guatemalan Quetzales (Q35–Q425 per title) through an e-commerce website, WhatsApp ordering, and phone orders, with free shipping within the Guatemala City capital area. The entity is organized as a non-profit social service organization (not for profit) with no external investors, parent company, or venture capital ownership, and revenue is not publicly disclosed. The company has received multiple international recognitions including the 2000 Expo2000 Hannover innovation award, the 2004 International Quality Summit Award in New York (BID), and a 2010 Government of Guatemala / CONALIBRO recognition.

Name

Editorial Cholsamaj

Legal name

Editorial Cholsamaj

Website

https://cholsamaj.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Editorial Cholsamaj is a Guatemalan non-profit publishing house founded before 1990 that produces 250+ educational and cultural titles in Spanish and multiple Maya languages, serving Guatemalan society and Maya indigenous communities with bilingual dictionaries, language-learning materials, and historical/cultural texts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indigenous Language and Maya Cultural Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Health, Wellness & Fitness Trade Publishing (MPAJAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Language Content Libraries & Digital Readers (Leveled Readers, Graded Content) (EDAFAOAM)

Keywords

• Maya culture publishing
• Indigenous language books
• Bilingual educational materials
• Maya historical literature
• Cultural preservation publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Guatemala City (Iximulew)

HQ country

Guatemala

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Editorial Cholsamaj is a Guatemalan non-profit publishing house that creates, produces and sells books and educational materials dedicated to Maya history, culture, technology, languages, land tenure, territorial administration, indigenous rights and multicultural education. It has published more than 250 titles in Spanish and in multiple indigenous Maya languages, including K'iche', Kaqchikel, Mam, Q'eqchi', Ch'orti', Tz'utujil and others, and it sells these publications directly through its own e-commerce website (with WhatsApp and phone ordering) primarily to Guatemalan readers, educational institutions, researchers and Maya communities.

Product overview

Editorial Cholsamaj is a Guatemalan non-profit publishing house focused on preserving and disseminating Maya culture, history, and languages. Founded before 1990, it produces a portfolio of educational and cultural publications including bilingual dictionaries, grammars, and language learning materials (such as the Maja'il Kaqchikel self-learning series with audio CDs), historical and anthropological texts, literary works, children's literature, and books exploring Maya cosmology and traditional knowledge. The publisher has developed distinctive design elements incorporating Maya numeration and calendar glyphs. With over 250 published titles, its catalog spans multiple Maya languages including K'iche', Kaqchikel, Mam, Q'eqchi', Ch'orti', Tz'utujil, Popti', and others, serving educational institutions, researchers, and the general public in Guatemala and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lo que nos hace humanos – Multilingual Maya Series A series of bilingual and monolingual books exploring human identity and cultural concepts, published by Editorial Cholsamaj in multiple Maya languages (Uspanteko, Q'eqchi', Mopan, Kaqchikel, Itza', Ch'orti') aimed at families, readers and language learners in Guatemala and the diaspora.
• Nik El Cero Maya' / Nik The Maya Zero Bilingual (Spanish–English) book by José Mucía Batz examining Maya philosophy, language and mathematics through the concept of 'Nik', the Maya zero; aimed at academic and general readers interested in Maya mathematics and cosmovision.
• Tilb'lal yol Mam – Metáforas en idioma Mam Book exploring metaphors in the Mam language and their relationship to context and human experience, for Mam-speaking readers, researchers and language learners in Guatemala.
• La Vara Manda Book documenting the 106-day Indigenous Uprising in Guatemala (October 2023–January 2024) and testimonies of indigenous leaders defending democracy, for general readers, journalists and researchers.
• Maja'il Kaqchikel – Kaqchikel Self-Learning Collection Multi-level self-learning course for the Kaqchikel language (basic, intermediate, advanced) developed with the Dirección General de Educación Bilingüe Intercultural, including audio CDs, for self-learners, schools and indigenous-language programs.
• Diccionario kaqchikel – Proyecto Lingüístico Francisco Marroquín Kaqchikel–Spanish dictionary developed over decades under the Proyecto Lingüístico Francisco Marroquín, with examples and translations for the approximately 400,000 Kaqchikel speakers, used as an academic reference in Guatemala.
• Discurso ceremonial k'ichee', Tz'onob'al Tziij (Bilingual K'iche'–Spanish) Bilingual (K'iche'–Spanish) edition documenting ceremonial discourse for marriage formalization in Santa Catarina Ixtahuacán, Sololá, for K'iche'-speaking communities, linguists and anthropologists.
• Los Kaqchikeles de la época colonial Historical study translating and analyzing the adaptations of Highland Mayas to Spanish colonial government during 1600–1700, for historians, anthropologists and general readers.
• Ukojik Ri Tuj – El Uso del Tuj Book on the Tuj (temascal/sweat lodge) as a therapeutic resource in traditional Maya medicine and daily life in the Western Guatemala highlands, for general readers interested in Maya medicine and health practices.
• Maya' Amaq' – Mundo Maya Comprehensive catalog-book compiling Maya knowledge across the three major pre-Columbian periods, including mathematics, astronomy, writing systems and cultural achievements, priced approximately Q425 for general and academic audiences.
• Vocabulario comparativo de los idiomas mayas de Guatemala Comparative vocabulary reference for the Maya languages of Guatemala, with Spanish and English translations, serving linguists, researchers and language students.
• Kaji' Imox Historical narrative documenting the Kaqchikel resistance led by Kaji' Imox and B'eleje' K'at against Spanish invasion, focused on Kaqchikel heroes and identity, for general readers and students of Mesoamerican history.
• Uwujil Kulewal aj Chwi Miq'ina' – El Título de Totonicapán Historical K'iche' document presenting the genealogies and ethnographic details of pre-colonial K'iche' society, considered by the publisher to be more complete than the Popol Wuj, for historians, linguists and Maya cultural readers.
• Kik'ulmatajem le K'iche'aab' – Evolución del reino K'iche' Comprehensive study of K'iche' cultural development, social organization, political geography and the archaeology of Utatlán, for historians, archaeologists and advanced students of Mesoamerican civilization.
• Popol Wuj – Versión poética Poetic Spanish-language version of the Popol Wuj, the sacred book of the K'iche' Maya people, rendered by Sam Colop, marketed to literary readers, students and cultural audiences in Guatemala and internationally.
• Yab'il Xane K'oqil – Enfermedades o Consecuencias (Illustrated Edition) Illustrated K'iche' book bridging ancestral knowledge with contemporary dilemmas from the perspective of the Ajq'ijab' (Maya spiritual guide), for K'iche' readers, families and general cultural audiences.
• Rujunumaxik ri Kaqchikel chi' – Variación dialectal en Kaqchikel Academic study comparing phonological, morphological, lexical and syntactic variation across Kaqchikel-speaking communities, for linguists, advanced students and Kaqchikel-language programs.
• Oxlajuj B'aqtun 2012 Book on the Maya Long Count calendar date Oxlajuj B'aqtun 2012, exploring Maya timekeeping and the cosmological significance of the date for general readers and students of Mesoamerican cosmology.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 published titles

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Editorial Universitaria USAC: Publishing arm of the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, producing academic, cultural and Guatemalan-identity titles in Guatemala City. Closest local geographic peer, sharing the mission-driven publication of Guatemalan cultural and educational content and overlapping author/researcher networks.
• Ediciones Siruela: Independent Spanish publisher known for cultural, mythological and anthropological titles including indigenous and pre-Columbian content. Comparable as a mission-driven cultural publisher whose catalog depends on specialty indigenous and mythological material rather than mass-market fiction.
• Editorial Pax México: Mexican educational and cultural publisher producing titles on indigenous cultures, anthropology and Mexican identity. Comparable to Cholsamaj as a Spanish-language publisher with explicit focus on indigenous cultural content and bilingual education.
• Fondo de Cultura Económica: Mexico-based cultural and academic publisher with deep Maya and Mesoamerican studies catalog and active distribution across Guatemala. Most directly comparable Latin American cultural publisher in terms of editorial scope (history, anthropology, indigenous studies) and bilingual Spanish/indigenous-language focus.
• Editorial Akal: Spanish-language publisher specializing in cultural, anthropological and educational titles for general and academic readers. Comparable editorial profile (multilingual cultural/anthropological content) and similar reliance on catalog-driven sales rather than mass-market blockbusters.
• Editorial Piedra Santa: Historic Guatemalan publisher of educational and cultural titles with strong distribution in Guatemalan schools and bookshops. Comparable in being a Guatemala-rooted publisher focused on education, culture and national identity content.

Broad incumbents

• Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial: Largest Spanish-language trade publisher with presence across Latin America. Sets the competitive ceiling for Spanish-language cultural and general-interest publishing, against which niche Maya-focused publishers like Cholsamaj must differentiate on cultural authenticity and bilingual content.
• Ediciones SM (Grupo SM): Major Latin American and Spanish-language educational publisher with broad school and textbook distribution. A larger incumbent that competes for the same institutional educational and bilingual-textbook budget that Cholsamaj addresses at a much smaller scale.

Others

• Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala (ALMG): Guatemalan official institution for Maya language standardization and research, frequently referenced as a collaborator in Cholsamaj publications. Adjacent ecosystem institution that shapes the demand for Maya-language educational materials rather than competing as a publisher.
• Kaqchikel Foundation (Kaqchikel Moloj): Guatemalan foundation that originated from the same Kaqchikel Linguistic Community that co-won Operation Journey Denmark's 'Manos Amigas' award with Cholsamaj in 1997. Closely related ecosystem participant in Maya-language preservation rather than a commercial peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Cholsamaj
• Instagraminstagram.com/editorial_cholsamaj
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/editorial-cholsamaj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Editorial Cholsamaj