Engendering Mayan History - Kaqchikel Women as Agents and Conduits of the Past, 1875-1970 (Paperback)

Drawing on years of research among the Maya, David Carey documents the role of women in modern Mayan Communities. The text presents the fascinating oral histories of women as told in their native language, Kaqchikel, covering their views on education, labour, work in the home, female leadership, and globalization. Significant events in Mayan history are explored, focusing on their importance to women and how the inherent gender differences in Mayan society impact on their historical perspectives approaches to recording history. This intimate view of modern Mayan history reveals the extent to which women's diligence and creativity has provided them with increased autonomy in their society, bolstered their earnings, and helped them to assert their indispensable roles within communities. One of the first books to present the history of Mayan women in their own voices, this text will be of interest to students and scholars of anthropology, history and gender studies.