Rush Evans
ANT 324L
Dr. Runggaldier
5 May 2015
Modern Political Economics and Maize Culture in Guatemala
Maize in its domestic form is believed to have been born in Mexico and introduced to Guatemala at least 4,000 years ago (FAO). After its introduction, it became an integral part of ancient Maya society and daily life (FAO). In fact, it was so crucial to the ancient Maya, that the Popol Vuh maintains that maize was decided by the gods to be what people were made of (FAO). Moreover, even many modern Maya people hold the belief that it is quite literally what they are made of, referring to themselves as “people of maize” (Carlsen 2003). This idea is not far-fetched, provided that rural Guatemalans on average consume 1 lb. of corn per day, harvesting 72% of their calories from it (Isakson 2014). Even today, many indigenous Maya are known to call Guatemala “land of maize” (Isakson …show more content…
Steinberg and Taylor’s 2002 study, however, only found 13 out of the 30 varieties found in Stadelman’s 1940 study done in 5 villages. The second half of the 20th Century brought about immense amounts of political and economic restructuring that shifted the methods and amounts of maize production (Isakson 2014; Steinberg & Taylor 2002). The factors with some of the most dramatic impacts on maize production patterns in Guatemala are the 36 years of internal armed conflict, and Structural Adjustment Programs enacted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (Isakson 2014) that harmonized with the effects of the Green Revolution to usher in an era of heightened competition (Steinberg & Taylor 2002). Furthermore, population growth reduces opportunities for experimental maize varieties as generation by generation, milpas are divided among offspring (Steinberg & Taylor
ANT 324L
Dr. Runggaldier
5 May 2015
Modern Political Economics and Maize Culture in Guatemala
Maize in its domestic form is believed to have been born in Mexico and introduced to Guatemala at least 4,000 years ago (FAO). After its introduction, it became an integral part of ancient Maya society and daily life (FAO). In fact, it was so crucial to the ancient Maya, that the Popol Vuh maintains that maize was decided by the gods to be what people were made of (FAO). Moreover, even many modern Maya people hold the belief that it is quite literally what they are made of, referring to themselves as “people of maize” (Carlsen 2003). This idea is not far-fetched, provided that rural Guatemalans on average consume 1 lb. of corn per day, harvesting 72% of their calories from it (Isakson 2014). Even today, many indigenous Maya are known to call Guatemala “land of maize” (Isakson …show more content…
Steinberg and Taylor’s 2002 study, however, only found 13 out of the 30 varieties found in Stadelman’s 1940 study done in 5 villages. The second half of the 20th Century brought about immense amounts of political and economic restructuring that shifted the methods and amounts of maize production (Isakson 2014; Steinberg & Taylor 2002). The factors with some of the most dramatic impacts on maize production patterns in Guatemala are the 36 years of internal armed conflict, and Structural Adjustment Programs enacted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (Isakson 2014) that harmonized with the effects of the Green Revolution to usher in an era of heightened competition (Steinberg & Taylor 2002). Furthermore, population growth reduces opportunities for experimental maize varieties as generation by generation, milpas are divided among offspring (Steinberg & Taylor