Maya Ethnolinguistic Identity: Violence, Cultural Rights, and Modernity in Highland Guatemala

186 Pages·2010·1.845 MB·English

by  Brigittine M. French

The University of Arizona Press
Tucson
The University of Arizona Press
∫ 2010 The Arizona Board of Regents
All rights reserved
www.uapress.arizona.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
French, Brigittine M.
Maya ethnolinguistic identity : violence, cultural rights, and
modernity in highland Guatemala / Brigittine M. French.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-8165-2767-0 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Mayas—Ethnic identity. 2. Mayas—Languages. 3. Mayas—Violence
against. 4. Anthropological linguistics—Guatemala. 5. Mayan
languages—Guatemala. 6. Language and culture—Guatemala.
7. Politics and culture—Guatemala. 8. Guatemala—Social conditions.
9. Guatemala—Ethnic relations. 10. Guatemala—Politics and
government. I. Title.
f1435.3.e72f74 2010
305.80097281—dc22 2009035835
Publication of this book is made possible in part by the proceeds of a
permanent endowment created with the assistance of a Challenge
Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal
agency.
Manufactured in the United States of America on acid-free, archival-
quality paper containing a minimum of 30% post-consumer waste and
processed chlorine free.
15 14 13 12 11 10 6 5 4 3 2 1
For my mentors,
Nora C. England and Virginia R. Domínguez

Contents
List of Figures ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xvii
List of Abbreviations xix
Introduction: Language Ideologies, Collective Identities, and
the Politics of Exclusion 1
1 The Paradox of Ethnolinguistic Identity: Essentialisms,
State-Sponsored Violence, and Cultural Rights 19
2 Political Linguistics: Expert Linguists and Modernist
Epistemologies in the Guatemalan Nation 40
3 Traditional Histories, Local Selves, and Challenges to
Linguistic Unification 63
4 Modernity and Local Linguistic Ideologies
in Chimaltenango 77
5 Traditional Maya Women and Linguistic Reproduction 110
6 Conclusion: Vernacular Modernities and the Objectification
of Tradition 125
Appendix 135
Notes 137
References 145
Index 157

Figures
1. Ethnolinguistic and political map of Guatemala x
2. ‘‘The Officialization of Mayan Languages’’ 38
3. K’iche’ and Achi ethnolinguistic communities 66
4. Chimaltenango department within Kaqchikel area 80
5. Oversized kite made for All Saint’s Day festival 112
6. Men’s linguistic identification 120
7. Women’s linguistics identification 120
8. Linguistic identification of men ages 12–39 121
9. Linguistic identification of women ages 12–39 121