Jeanet Maduro de Polanco is a history academic and aspiring historical nonfiction writer. Since she was a young girl, Jeanet has fostered a deep love and fascination for history. Growing up in Italy, a country rich with incredible history, she was constantly surrounded by the events of the past—serving a reminder of how old, wise, and big the world truly is. 

“We are not makers of history, we are made by history.” – Martin Luther King Junior

However, what Jeanet loves most about history is the lessons it beholds for both the individual and society as a whole. History is real, and it’s the easiest way to evaluate humanity and why we act or do the things we do. Even better, history is often more interesting and entertaining than fiction. Need some proof? 

One of Jeanet Maduro de Polanco’s favourite pieces of odd history is the fact that in Mayan culture, turkeys were revered as vessels of the gods. They were even domesticated so that they could take part in religious ceremonies. Today, if you were to visit the ancient Mayan ruins or look into their iconography, you’d see turkey symbols everywhere!

But beyond the fascinating aspects of history lie the deep truths about human civilization—the facts we know but find hard to talk about given what they reveal about our nature. Given the common colloquialism, “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it,” we understand that learning and having knowledge of our past is important to our future. However, as Jeanet Maduro de Polanco has often been reminded, learning such information can, at times, be extremely uncomfortable—but also insightful opportunities for growth. 

For further growth and knowledge, Jeanet’s passion for history evolved and expanded into an appreciation for philosophy. A natural progression, understanding the events of the past goes hand-in-hand with a knowledge of the great minds of an era and their beliefs. What’s more, learning philosophy is a fantastic way to better analyze the world around us and the world created before our time.

To foster her love for history and philosophy, and to promote others to learn more about the past, Jeanet pursued a career as a history writer. She received her Bachelor’s degree in both the Classics and History. A few years later she obtained her Master’s degree in History. Now, Jeanet Maduro de Polanco is working to obtain her Ph.D. in the subject, hoping to forever learn about the events of the past for the entirety of her career.