Race and Ethnicityas Historical, Cultural Identities

What ethnicities exist in Guatemala?What meaning is attached to these ethnicities?

What ethnicities exist in Providence? How has the meaning of “Mayan” changed?

The Revival of Mayan Identity in Guatemala and some parts of the US (but not in Providence)

• Mayan revival, 1980s• Led to:

– Bilingualism in courts and schools

– No success in changing constitution to aid indigenous rights

– Signing of ILO Convention no. 169 (1996)

Rigoberta Menchú

International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 169

• Prohibits discrimination against indigenous people

• Special measures to safeguard institutions, people, property, labor, cultures and environment of indigenous people.

• Indigenous people are consulted on policies and development that affect them

• 28 signatories: mainly Latin America

Costumbre and Catholicism

• Hybridity: p. 27-28• Attempts to purify

Catholicism of “Mayan” elements” (Catholic Action)

• Saints• Fiestas to celebrate

the saints• Cargo system

Self-conscious Mayan Revival of Tradition

• “New traditionalists”: Gaspar, p. 162-163

• “Old traditionalists,” p. 163-164

• What are the differences between new and old traditionalists?

• Role of European organization (Las Plantas)

• Explicit instruction, p. 166-167

• Naomi Ramirez’s question

Mayan priest Roberto Poz Perez from Guatemala (center) makes an offering during a Mayan New Year celebration in North Palm Beach, California (2005)

Does being Mayan mean celebrating the Mayan religion? Are Mayans who don’t participate as neo-traditionalists not Mayan?

Witchcraft in Xinxuc and Soweto