ke a much greater role as a provider for the family. They were able to take on this role through “selling agricultural products, and making and selling weavings, pottery, and chichi.” In addition to an increased provider role, women were also taking on many more duties around the house and with the children. Due to the reduced credit and skyrocketing prices, men were forced to spend more and more time away from home working on coffee, sugar cane, or cattle plantations. Women would have to go weeks at a time without the presence of her husband in the household. The increasing occurrences of this, led to a growing feeling of independence and resourcefulness among the women of the community. Men were beginning to lose their power and “capacity to fulfill their roles”. The “relative economic independence” that women were experiencing also tilted the leverage in their direction.Due to the recent shift in economic leverage, woman are beginning to gain the opportunity to contribute to decision making outside the household, and publicly voice concerns over things such as health, shelter and compulsive drinking. The Catholic Action and the cooperative movements that began in the 70’s have gained footing and are allowing women to gain strength and use their positioning within the household. This is where they gain their role in controlling rum. Their authority in the household gives them the opportunity to make sure that everyone is pulling his or her weight. Heavy drinking is the primary cause for disruptions within the household, and therefore, women have the authority to put limitations upon their spouses. There is still the basic principle of a patriarchal society that is maintained by traditional beliefs within Chenalho. However, women have been able to shift the balance of power in their direction over the last few decades primarily through their increasing economic leverage, and indire...
