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

Drawing on many years of research among the Maya, this text documents the role of women in modern Mayan Communities. It presents the oral histories of women as told in their native language, Kaqchikel, covering their views on education, work in the home, female leadership, and globalization. It is useful for students of anthropology and history.

Presenting Mayan history from the perspective of Mayan women--whose voices until now have not been documented--David Carey allows these women to present their worldviews in their native language, adding a rich layer to recent Latin American historiography, and increasing our comprehension of indigenous perspectives of the past.

Drawing on years of research among the Maya that specifically documents women''s oral histories, Carey gives Mayan women a platform to discuss their views on education, migrant labor, work in the home, female leadership, and globalization. These oral histories present an ideal opportunity to understand indigenous women''s approach to history, the apparent contradictions in gender roles in Mayan communities, and provide a distinct conceptual framework for analyzing Guatamalan, Mayan, and Latin American history.