Outside of social movements

1. Outside of social movements Dilemmas of Indigenous Handicrafts Vendors in Guatemala by Walter E. Little

2. Contrary to the expectations of the author, Maya handicraft vendors do not participate as a unified group in the Maya Movement largely because the movement’s narrow definition of the identity “Maya” limits the vendors economically

3. Compañía de Jesús Artisan Marketplace • More than 200 vending stalls • Represent Kaqchikel, K’iche, Ixil, Mam, Ladino Tz’utujil ethnolinguistic groups • Largest handicrafts venue in Antigua • 1992- Sunday market in main plaza discontinued by law • Caused vendors to seek vending locations elsewhere • Compañía de Jesús monastery- main destination

4. Other Social Factors: 1980’s • Decreased government/guerrilla military campaigns against Mayan communities • Decreased wages and property ownership for Mayan farmers • Increased tourism • Decreased political violence • Tourism promotional campaigns by Guatemalan Tourism Commission

5. 2 Levels of Economic Participation National Economy Global Market • Vending laws • Import/Export of Handicrafts • Taxes • Tourism • El Salvador • Europe • Japan • United States

6. A Look at the Maya Vendor • Sales of handicrafts of: • Vendor • Extended Family • Fellow Villagers • Generic items of weaving/blanket/rug firms • Informed about current events and Maya Movement • Utilize Mayan language between vendors, but Spanish/language of buyer in business transactions • Effort to attract tourists • Maya language for authenticity • Language of buyer to put tourist at ease

7. Comparative Wages • Maya handicrafts vendor (at Compañía de Jesús)- $2700-$8000 annually • Agricultural/Construction worker- up to $1000 annually • Rural schoolteacher- $2000 annually • Domestic servant- $1000 annually

8. Vending as Theaterical Interaction between Tourist and Vendor • Tourist- amateur, “character role” • Vendor- perpetuate romanticized Maya image • Women are main vendors • Wear traditional dress • Work at loom • Emphasize “Mayanness” of handicrafts • Use stage to voice inequalities suffered by Maya people • Discrimination by Ladino-dominated society • Decreasing Maya identity through growing U.S. influence

9. Women’s role in Handicrafts Sales • Most vendors- Kaqchikel women • Related to tourists’ conception of Maya woman as main producer of handicrafts and participant in market economy • Part of tourist theatrical performance • Involved in organizational structure • Vice President • Treasurer • Secretary • Chairs of various committees

10. Women’s roles continued… • Economic contributions through handicraft sales increased their overall importance within the household • Many female-headed households • No dichotomy of marketplace/ household • Instead, easy flow between two spheres • Household chores become part of tourist theatrical performance to emphasize authenticity • Men take over domestic duties • Women became active in decision-making where income is spent (mostly with Kaqchikeles)

11. Obstacles to Vending Practices Posed by Ladino-controlled Society • Mayor of Antigua- attempts to charge vendors even though vending on Spanish-owned space • Harassed by police when transport goods to storage units • 1997- New ordinances on vending stall and aisle sizes • Merchandise seized • Fined for non-existent violations • Imprisoned for supposed theft and illegal street sales • Confronted by stereotypes associated with the marketplace and Mayas • Thieves • Sell poor quality goods • Sell at unfair prices

12. Reactions to Discrimination • Restructure marketplace to new governmental codes immediately following mandate • Contact Human Rights Office in Antigua and the UN in Guatemala • Create deferent and collaborative bartering dialogue with tourists • Counteracts misconceptions about Mayas • Encourages greater attendance by tourists • Appeal to tourists • Outlet to voice inequalities • Refusal to participate in “Ladino” institutions • Antigua Chamber of Commerce • Greater business associations

13. Do not use striking • Souvenirs are not subsistence products • Do not contribute to local businesses • Little revenue to government from their sales • Causes vendors to have little influence from striking as a method of protest • Discontinued appeals to police when robbed • Understand that police will not intervene in these cases • Sometimes charged with illegal street vending when sought help from the police

14. Artisan Association • Establish overall image to present to tourists to encourage attendance • Monitor cleanliness • Police pick-pocketers • Clear aisles • Regulate goods- authentic, not foreign manufactured • Negotiate with government for public services, official recognition, and a secure selling location • Write demands to government • Sign documents as a group • Present documents to Mayor • Debate affiliations with economic/political organizations • Against official affiliation with Maya Movement

15. Maya Movement • Advocate against history told by the oppressors • Demonstrate distinctly Mayan perspective • Based on language, cosmology, reverence to elders, clothing, ecology • Goals at local level- • establish Maya language education • improve general education • increase political rights • improve health care • encourage cultural practices • Goals at national level- • increase political participation/representation of Maya communities • promote of Maya identity • increase political awareness

16. So, why not active in Maya Movement? • Women do not want to participate in greater political organizations because male-dominated and do not want to lose the power of their status as primary source of income • Political activity limits activities that directly benefit handicraft sales • Focus on cultural identity over efforts to improve economic conditions for Maya vendors • Vendors’ concern with economically-practical improvements • Education focused on literacy, math, useful languages (English) • Health care • Employment opportunities • “Maya” identity encouraged by movement does not correspond with the vendors’ conception of their identity, too narrow • Vendors reject concept of national identity • Ladino government relegates Mayans to the past • Homogeneity encouraged through pressures of conformity to national structures

17. Identity of the Maya Handicrafts Vendor • “Maya” term from perspective of vendors: • Seen as commercialized identity used for tourist-oriented business transactions • Success with tourists based on ability to “sell” their authenticity to the foreigners • Describes their ancestors • Due to depiction by Ladino government of Mayas as label for Pre-Colombian people • Instead, identify themselves as “indígenasartesanos,” or indigenous artisans • Identity strategically utilized to enhance their livelihoods in market vending

18. “The processes that generate the contexts in which identity is practiced constitute a global arena of potential identity formation. This arena is informed by the interaction between locally specific practices of selfhood and the dynamics of global positioning.” -Friedman (1992:87)