Outside Social Movements: Dilemmas of Indigenous Handicrafts vendors in Guatemala

1. Outside Social Movements: Dilemmas of Indigenous Handicrafts vendors in Guatemala Written by Walter Little

2. Basic ideas • Antigua, Guatemala and the Compañía de Jesús Artisan Marketplace • Concept of flexible of identity and how it operates within an economic and political space • “In this article I discuss the interrelationship between occupation and social movements to examine the essentialized identities propagated by the Maya Movement and Ladino racism” • Examines the reaction of the Maya handicraft sellers towards the Maya Movement

3. Background Information • In Antigua, Mayas from 6 different ethnolinguistic groups sell handicrafts • Selling handicrafts is nothing new • In 1992, vendors had to relocate to the Compañia de Jesúsmonastary • These vendors are relatively wealthy ($2,700/yr and up to $8,000/yr)

4. Women Vendors • For Kaqchikeles it is normally a woman running the stall - sell woven items • For K’iche’ vendors, they sell blankets and rugs and the stalls are run by men but they sometimes hire women Kaqchikel salesclerks • Increase in importance of handicraft sales • Marketplace and the household are interrelated • “In nearly all the locales run by Kaqchikeles, the women make all the decisions about how the money earned will be used by the household” (Little 49)

5. Selling Identity to Tourists • Kaqchikel Maya women understand the role of the international tourist • Tourists want to see the image of Maya women they see on the travel brochures • Increases the importance of gender • Dramatized identity • “…even the doubters treat the marketplace as a space in which to play with Maya Indians”

6. Political Identity • They do not emphasize their Maya identity with the Ladino, and often racist government • Portray the identity “of the backward, uneducated, ignorant Indian” • “They position themselves as artisans” • Non-confrontational • “Antigua has never had a mayor who was interested in helping us” • Livelihood is tied to politics, not just economics

7. Artisan Association • Compañía de Jesús Artisan Association • 10th year, democratic institution • Women and men hold important roles • Refuse to associate with other local associations and businesses • 2 strategies – making the marketplace safe and pleasing to tourists and lobbying the local government

8. The Maya Movement • “The Maya Movement uses cultural symbols instead of class, labor, or poverty to build a political constituency to challenge non-Maya attitudes about the Mayas and to create a more equitable society” (51) • Unite all Mayas – emphasize certain historical and cultural aspects • Aim of building a Maya constituency and political base to change Guatemalan society

9. Multiple identities • Maya is only “a term used to to promote tourism and commerce” (52) • Do not call themselves Mayas although they do promote their “Mayanness” • With different identities, they can make sales and try to protect themselves politically • Flexible identities, which they prefer to use to improve their livelihood • Importance of independence

10. Conclusion • Kaqchikel and K’inche’ Maya vendors and the Mayan Movement’s ideas do not align • Role of international marketability and political positioning • Differences are both expressed and supressed • “It’s not only what we make, buy who were are that is important” – Maya vendor • Importance of identity