Modern Mayan Culture

The Mayan culture in my experience has been stereotyped as inferior and unable to adapt to modern conditions.   The mestizo and Spanish populations have for the most part isolated the native population from participation in the modern economy and social classes, seemingly leaving them left to exist in the realm of poverty and an almost slave-labor class.   The plight of the population is horrible.  The concept of equal opportunity, where as skill, intelligence and character are determined by the individual not by the ethnicity of a group of people seems to need to be fought for in modern day Meso-America.   The concept of individuality and equal opportunity if embraced, as it has been in the United States, might help to break the barriers of ethnic stereotypes in Mexico and Central America.

From an anthropological point of view the term “Race” is a misnomer, I prefer to look at the different ethnicities or local identities.   Certainly the exclusion of particular ethnicities is an aspect of human culture that has reigned supreme since civilization was founded.   The labeling of other ethnicities and cultures as inferior, weak or barbaric was typically a precursor to rationalization for removing an indigenous culture from their native lands often leading to war, slavery and genocide.    In the modern day society, especially in the United States and Europe there has been a movement to separate ethnic stereotypes allowing for equal opportunity; both socially and economically; based upon the individuals character and motivation.   Although there are still prejudices among the US population its prevalence is dissipating and such views are typically shunned by the majority of the population.  

Although I do believe in maintaining and recognizing an individual’s ethnic identity, as it can be a source of pride and community coalescence, I believe that the extreme emphasis on an individual culture within our society can be quite detrimental.     Ethnic tensions can arise when there are no shared values or goals for making the society better.   In some instance it seems as if identification of belonging to one ethnicity or another has started to preempt the individual skill, moral fiber and character being replaced with an ethnic identity which creates divisiveness and hostility.  There is a fine balance between the recognition and celebration of ethnicity and the stigmatizing of ethnic groups in a negative fashion dis-allowing equal opportunity in our diverse society.