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To Abandon Our Culture Or Not? A Real Look At Indigenous Guatemalans, Allison A. Kretz

Joyce Durham Essay Contest in Women's and Gender Studies

A month spent in Guatemala shed light on issues surrounding the rights of the indigenous Mayans and the importance of their traditional dress. I combine my experiences and work in the field with bibliographic research to convey the extent to which the Mayan population has been discriminated against, particularly indigenous women. Historical background focused on the progression of discrimination adds to the depth of understanding of race relations in Guatemala. However, it is not enough to simply discuss this population's plight. Therefore, I present three schools of thought on education as building blocks for implementing a more democratic system, and …