12. The Maya of Yucatan

The Fertility of Maya and Ladino Women

“…The Tzotzil, Tzeltal, and Tojolabal, who are referred to collectively as the highland Maya, maintain much of their traditional culture and patterns of social organization (Colby 1966; J. Collier 1968;Laughlin 1969;Montagu 1969;Villa Rojas 1969a;Vogt 1969cVogt , 1970Nash 1970;Cancian 1975;G. Collier 1975).…”

“…The Yucatan Peninsula is a vast, rolling limestone plain that gradually descends to the sea. It is almost entirely comprised of the Mexican states of Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo, whose com-bined population in 1970 was over one million (Villa Rojas 1969b;Direccion General de Estadistica 1972). The northwestern corner of the peninsula is the region where commercial henequen is produced.…”

“…Nonetheless, he identified a "social gradient" beginning in Merida and moving southeastward into the forests of Quintana Roo along which modem Spanish features gradually give way to traditional Maya forms. The northwestern area is characterized by compact towns and the less acculturated areas by small, dispersed villages (Villa Rojas 1969b;Press 1975;Elmendorf 1976Elmendorf , 1977Ryder 1976;Webber 1980). Outside the henequen region, the men make a living growing corn while the women everywhere perform the usual domestic chores.…”