The Maya, Yesterday and Today
By M. Leonor Monreal
Chapter 1- Review Questions:
1. Give a brief overview of each of the following periods in history of the Maya,
Archaic, Pre-classic, and Classic.
2. What enabled the Spanish to colonize Mexico and how was the Maya territory
different from the rest of Mexico? What is the encomienda system and why
was it used by the Spanish?
3. What did anthropological investigations of ethnic Maya groups tell us about
their language and identity?
4. Who are the Tzotzil? Where do they live? What is their population, roots of
their language, clothes, diet, and festivals?
Chapter 2- Review Questions:
1. Describe the history of Mexican anthropology as it relates to indigenous
people and their treatment,
2. Define Indigenismo, its history, main proponents, and effects on Mexican
indigenous people.
3. What are some of the key aspects of the indigenous community? How has
history shaped their identity and current conditions? What are some of the
main social customs of Highland indigenous people?
4. What are the medical practices or curanderia of the Tzotzil/Chamula? List the
various practitioners and give a brief description of their duties.
Chapter 3- Review Questions:
1. How do Tzotzil of Chamula’s social relations function to maintain cultural
separatism? (Give various examples)
2. Describe the living arrangements of the Chamula, practices of making a
living, kinship system, and changes brought about by globalization (i.e.
NAFTA).
3. Describe the Chamula’s gender relations, and the process of courtship
and marriage. Briefly describe the two ceremonies for marriage. Finally,
describe some of the gender issues such as divorce or separation,
problems women face and how the community deals with such issues.
4. What are the attitudes towards children and elderly among the Chamula?
Provide examples where these attitudes are evident in the case study.
5. What is the “cargo” system, its origin and significance? Describe the
function of the cargo and the requirements among the Chamula. List 3 of
the cargo posts and their duties and the issues surrounding the fulfillment
of a cargo.
Chapter 4- Review Questions
1. What is the main religion of the Chamula and why?
2. What is the function of the church in Chamula, when and why do the Tzotzil
go there?
3. What is Liberation Theology? Who is its main leader in Chiapas?
4. What is the relation between religion and rebellion among the Chamula? Why
is there conflict between Catholics and Protestants?
5. What factors led to the expulsion of many Chamula?
Chapter 5- Review Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What economic practices have the Chamula relied on through their history?
Why have there been so many changes to their economy?
What would be the effects of a tourism-based economy for the Chamula?
Describe the impact and relation of the sheet to the Chamula culture?
What are the effects of globalization to the socio-economic system of the
Chamula?
6. Describe the dilemma the Chamula face with ethnic tourism. How can they
continue their approach towards separatism and still benefit from ethnic tourism?
Chapter 6- Review Questions:
1. What are the forces of globalization pressuring the Tzotzil culture?
2. What strategies do the Tzotzil use to resist globalization and other pressures to
assimilate? Explain each strategy, its strengths and weaknesses.
3. Who are the Zapatistas? When and why did they emerge?
4. How did NAFTA impact indigenous people in Chiapas? How did they respond to
the political changes that took place?
5. What is the relationship between the indigenous education programs or
Educacion Indigena and the Zapatistas? What evidence is there to support this
relationship?
6. Explain the Elementary Education System in Chiapas. Describe the challenges
they face and how it can be strategy to cultural preservation.
7. List and explain the benefits and challenges of bilingual/bicultural education.
8. Do you think that indigenous people have no other alternative but to become part
of a global economy? Will they be better off?