 He worked in his village as a shepherd and weaver, until leaving to find work in Guatemala City as a street vendor and porter.Despite his grandfather's cautions that “books can make you lose your mind,” Akʼabʼal decided to venture into the world of poetry.His mother actually served as a source of support and influence in this choice, as she "planted in [him] an interest in the word" as a way to "continue [his] elders' tradition."