Download or read book The Last Lords of Palenque written by Victor Perera and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1985 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Last Lords of Lalenque is an extraordinary firsthand account of life among the Lacandon Indians of Nah in southern Mexico. A community of 250 whose genealogy has been obscured by the absence of a written tradition, the Lacandones may nevertheless be traced back linguistically and culturally to the great Maya civilization. They are the sole inheritors of an oral tradition that preserves-more than 400 years after the Spanish Conquest-a cosmology, a morality and a psychology as sophisticated as our own. Journalist and novelist Victor Perera and linguist Robert Bruce have lived among the Lacandones, chronicling their imperiled Mayan culture.
Download or read book Reinventing the Lacand n written by Brian Gollnick and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2022-08-23 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Before massive deforestation began in the 1960s, the Lacandón jungle, which lies on the border of Mexico and Guatemala, was part of the largest tropical rain forest north of the Amazon. The destruction of the Lacandón occurred with little attention from the international press—until January 1, 1994, when a group of armed Maya rebels led by a charismatic spokesperson who called himself Subcomandante Marcos emerged from jungle communities and briefly occupied several towns in the Mexican state of Chiapas. These rebels, known as the Zapatista National Liberation Army, became front-page news around the globe, and they used their notoriety to issue rhetorically powerful communiqués that denounced political corruption, the Mexican government’s treatment of indigenous peoples, and the negative impact of globalization. As Brian Gollnick reveals, the Zapatista communiqués had deeper roots in the Mayan rain forest than Westerners realized—and he points out that the very idea of the jungle is also deeply rooted, though in different ways, in the Western imagination. Gollnick draws on theoretical innovations offered by subaltern studies to discover “oral traces” left by indigenous inhabitants in dominant cultural productions. He explores both how the jungle region and its inhabitants have been represented in literary writings from the time of the Spanish conquest to the present and how the indigenous people have represented themselves in such works, including post-colonial and anti-colonial narratives, poetry, video, and photography. His goal is to show how popular and elite cultures have interacted in creating depictions of life in the rain forest and to offer new critical vocabularies for analyzing forms of cross-cultural expression.
Download or read book Lacandon Maya written by James Nations and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-08-30 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Lacand�n Maya are heirs to a wealth of traditional knowledge gleaned from hundreds of years of daily life in the rainforest of southern Mexico. Lacand�n Maya: The Language and Environment is a grammar and vocabulary of their native tongue, as well as a pathway into the tropical ecosystems that surround them.
Download or read book Unconquered Lacandon Maya written by Joel W. Palka and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1946, explorers stumbled upon two unexpected discoveries in the jungles of Chiapas, Mexico: a treasure of well-preserved Classic Maya murals and a thriving society of indigenous Maya peoples living in the lowland rainforest. Over subsequent decades, these Lacandon Maya were assumed to be the direct descendants of the Classic Maya, who created the spectacular temples and monumental art of the region. As impressive as this lineage may be, Joel Palka argues that many scholars have romanticized it at the expense of documenting the substantive social changes the Lacandon experienced after the Spanish Colonial Period. The Lacandon are unique among the Maya of Mesoamerica because they remained free while others were conquered; the Lacandon Maya were the only Maya people never completely colonized by Spain, which led to specific cultural adaptations to contact. Using new cultural, historical, and archeological evidence, Palka offers the most comprehensive and balanced study of the Lacandon to date. His groundbreakingargument is that other Maya, and not just the Spanish, brought extensive changes to the Lacandon way of life. The unearthing of neglected areas of Lacandon ethnohistory, the synthesis of data from archival and ethnographic studies, and the addition of compelling archaeological information from newly discovered sites all add to this complete and richly elucidated treatise of Lacandon cultural change. Palka's study is a fine and significant contribution to the story of the Lacandon Maya and is of interest to archaeologists, ethnohistorians, and anthropologists of the Maya and Mesoamerica as a whole.
Download or read book Lacand n Maya in the Twenty First Century written by James D. Nations and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2023-09-12 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the ancient traditions of the Lacandón Maya comes an Indigenous model for a sustainable future Having lived for centuries isolated within Mexico’s largest remaining tropical rainforest, the Indigenous Lacandón Maya now live at the nexus of two worlds—ancient and modern. While previous research has focused on documenting Lacandón oral traditions and religious practices in order to preserve them, this book tells the story of how Lacandón families have adapted to the contemporary world while applying their ancestral knowledge to create an ecologically sustainable future. Drawing on his 49 years of studying and learning from the Lacandón Maya, James Nations discusses how in the midst of external pressures such as technological changes, missionary influences, and logging ventures, Lacandón communities are building an economic system of agroforestry and ecotourism that produces income for their families while protecting biodiversity and cultural resources. Nations describes methods they use to plant and harvest without harming the forest, illustrating that despite drastic changes in lifestyle, respect for the environment continues to connect Lacandón families across generations. By helping with these tasks and inheriting the fables and myths that reinforce this worldview, Lacandón children continue to learn about the plants, animals, and spiritual deities that coexist in their land. Indigenous peoples such as the Lacandón Maya control one-third of the intact forest landscapes left on Earth, and Indigenous knowledge and practices are increasingly recognized as key elements in the survival of the planet’s biological diversity. The story of the Lacandón Maya serves as a model for Indigenous-controlled environmental conservation, and it will inform anyone interested in supporting sustainable Indigenous futures. A volume in the series Maya Studies, edited by Diane Z. Chase and Arlen F. Chase
Download or read book Mayan Lives Mayan Utopias written by Jan Rus and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2003 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Maya Indian peoples of Chiapas had been mobilizing politically for years before the Zapatista rebellion that brought them to international attention. This authoritative volume explores the different ways that Indians across Chiapas have carved out autonomous cultural and political spaces in their diverse communities and regions. Offering a consistent and cohesive vision of the complex evolution of a region and its many cultures and histories, this work is a fundamental source for understanding key issues in nation building. In a unique collaboration, the book brings together recognized authorities who have worked in Chiapas for decades, many linking scholarship with social and political activism. Their combined perspectives, many previously unavailable in English, make this volume the most authoritative, richly detailed, and authentic work available on the people behind the Zapatista movement.
Download or read book The Forest of the Lacandon Maya written by Suzanne Cook and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-03-15 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Forest of the Lacandon Maya: An Ethnobotanical Guide, with active links to audio-video recordings, serves as a comprehensive guide to the botanical heritage of the northern Lacandones. Numbering fewer than 300 men, women, and children, this community is the most culturally conservative of the Mayan groups. Protected by their hostile environment, over many centuries they maintain autonomy from the outside forces of church and state, while they continue to draw on the forest for spiritual inspiration and sustenance. In The Forest of the Lacandon Maya: An Ethnobotanical Guide, linguist Suzanne Cook presents a bilingual Lacandon-English ethnobotanical guide to more than 450 plants in a tripartite organization: a botanical inventory in which main entries are headed by Lacandon names followed by common English and botanical names, and which includes plant descriptions and uses; an ethnographic inventory, which expands the descriptions given in the botanical inventory, providing the socio-historical, dietary, mythological, and spiritual significance of most plants; and chapters that discuss the relevant cultural applications of the plants in more detail provide a description of the area’s geography, and give an ethnographic overview of the Lacandones. Active links throughout the text to original audio-video recordings demonstrate the use and preparation of the most significant plants.
Download or read book Xurt an written by Suzanne Cook and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2019-11-15 with total page 829 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Xurt'an (the end of the world) showcases the rich storytelling traditions of the northern Lacandones of Naha' through a collection of traditional narratives, songs, and ritual speech. Formerly isolated in the dense, tropical rainforest of Chiapas, Mexico, the Lacandon Maya constitute one of the smallest language groups in the world. Although their language remains active and alive, their traditional culture was abandoned after the death of their religious and civic leader in 1996. Lacking the traditional contexts in which the culture was transmitted, the oral traditions are quickly being forgotten. This collection includes creation myths that describe the cycle of destruction and renewal of the world, the structure of the universe, the realms of the gods and their intercessions in the affairs of their mortals, and the journey of the souls after death. Other traditional stories are non-mythic and fictive accounts involving talking animals, supernatural beings, and malevolent beings that stalk and devour hapless victims. In addition to traditional narratives, Xurt'an presents many songs that are claimed to have been received from the Lord of Maize, magical charms that invoke the forces of the natural world, invocations to the gods to heal and protect, and work songs of Lacandon women, whose contribution to Lacandon culture has been hitherto overlooked by scholars. Women's songs offer a rare glimpse into the other half of Lacandon society and the arduous distaff work that sustained the religion. The compilation concludes with descriptions of rainbows, the Milky Way as "the white road of Our Lord," and an account of the solstices. Transcribed and translated by a foremost linguist of the northern Lacandon language, the literary traditions of the Lacandones are finally accessible to English readers. The result is a masterful and authoritative collection of oral literature that will both entertain and provoke, while vividly testifying to the power of Lacandon Maya aesthetic expression.
Download or read book Indigenous Psychologies in an Era of Decolonization written by Nuria Ciofalo and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-01-25 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This groundbreaking volume explores the capacity of Indigenous psychologies to counter the effects of longstanding colonization on traditional cultures and habitats. It chronicles the editor’s extensive research in the Lacandon Rainforest in southern Mexico, illustrating respectful methodologies and authentic friendship—a decolonized approach by a committed scholar—and the concerted efforts of community members to preserve their history and heritage. Descriptions of collaborations among children, parents, students, and elders demonstrate the continued passing on of indigenous knowledge, culture, art, and spirituality. This richly layered narrative models cultural resilience and resistance in their transformative power to replace environmental and cultural degradation with co-existence and partnership. Included in the coverage: • Indigenous psychologies: a contestation for epistemic justice. • The ecological context and the methods of inquiry and praxes. • Environmental impact assessment of deforestation in three communities of the Lacandon Rainforest. • Public policy development for community and ecological wellbeing. • Oral history, legends, myths, poetry, and images. With stirring examples to inspire future practices and policies, Indigenous Psychologies in an Era of Decolonization will take its place as a bedrock text for indigenous psychology and community psychology researchers. It speaks needed truths as the world comes to grips with pressing issues of environmental preservation, restorative justice for marginalized peoples, and the waging of peace over conflict.
Download or read book Maya Roads written by Mary Jo McConahay and published by Chicago Review Press. This book was released on 2011-08 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Maya Roads, McConahay draws upon her three decades of traveling and living in Central America's remote landscapes to create a fascinating chronicle of the people, politics, archaeology, and species of the Central American rainforest, the cradle of Maya civilization. Captivated by the magnificence and mystery of the jungle, the author brings to life the intense beauty, the fantastic locales, the ancient ruins, and the horrific violence. She witnesses archaeological discoveries, the transformation of the Lacandon people, the Zapatista indigenous uprising in Mexico, increased drug trafficking, and assists in the uncovering of a war crime. Over the decades, McConahay has witnessed great changes in the region, and this is a unique tale of a woman's adventure and the adaptation and resolve of a people.
Download or read book Sun chaser written by James Wyatt Cook and published by Scholarly Publishing Office. This book was released on 2004 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Maya Forest Garden written by Anabel Ford and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-07 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using studies on contemporary Maya farming techniques and important new archaeological research, the authors show that the ancient Maya were able to support, sustainably, a vast population by farming the forest—thus refuting the common notion that Maya civilization devolved due to overpopulation and famine.
Download or read book People of the Tropical Rain Forest written by Julie Sloan Denslow and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1988-01-01 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Looks at the depiction of tropical rain forests in movies and art, discusses government policy, business exploitation, and the future of the rain forest, and describes the lives of forest people in South America, Africa, and Asia
Download or read book Mesoamerican Religions and Archaeology written by Aleksandar Bošković and published by Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2017-01-26 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The main goal of this book is to produce a methodologically sound and ethically valid interdisciplinary introduction into the exciting world of ancient Mesoamerica.
Download or read book The Way the Wind Blows written by Roderick J. McIntosh and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2012-07-24 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: -- Robert W. Harms, Yale University
Download or read book Re Creating Primordial Time written by Gabrielle Vail and published by University Press of Colorado. This book was released on 2013-06-15 with total page 534 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Re-Creating Primordial Time offers a new perspective on the Maya codices, documenting the extensive use of creation mythology and foundational rituals in the hieroglyphic texts and iconography of these important manuscripts. Focusing on both pre-Columbian codices and early colonial creation accounts, Vail and Hernández show that in spite of significant cultural change during the Postclassic and Colonial periods, the mythological traditions reveal significant continuity, beginning as far back as the Classic period. Remarkable similarities exist within the Maya tradition, even as new mythologies were introduced through contact with the Gulf Coast region and highland central Mexico. Vail and Hernández analyze the extant Maya codices within the context of later literary sources such as the Books of Chilam Balam, the Popol Vuh, and the Códice Chimalpopoca to present numerous examples highlighting the relationship among creation mythology, rituals, and lore. Compiling and comparing Maya creation mythology with that of the Borgia codices from highland central Mexico, Re-Creating Primordial Time is a significant contribution to the field of Mesoamerican studies and will be of interest to scholars of archaeology, linguistics, epigraphy, and comparative religions alike.
Download or read book The Great Encounter written by Jayme A. Sokolow and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-07-08 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Traditional histories of North and South America often leave the impression that Native American peoples had little impact on the colonies and empires established by Europeans after 1492. This groundbreaking study, which spans more than 300 years, demonstrates the agency of indigenous peoples in forging their own history and that of the Western Hemisphere. By putting the story of the indigenous peoples and their encounters with Europeans at the center, a new history of the "New World" emerges in which the Native Americans become vibrant and vitally important components of the British, French, Spanish, and Portuguese empires. In fact, their presence was the single most important factor in the development of the colonial world. By discussing the "great encounter" of peoples and cultures, this book provides a valuable, new perspective on the history of the Americas.
