Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Sociology Women and alcohol in a Highland Mayan Town Women and alcohol in a Highland Mayan Town It is apparent from Christine Eber’s research in her work, Women and Alcohol in a Highland Maya Town, that the gender roles and relations for men and women in the town of Chenalho have gone through somewhat dramatic changes since the 1960’s and 1970’s. They have gone from clearly defined roles for both men and women, to a more skewed framework that allows for a great deal of gray area. These roles have not only changed within the household and community, but also outside of them. The effects of these shifts in gender roles can be identified in relation to the Pedranos’ traditional belief structure, the influence of religion, and the use/misuse of alcohol in the community. In the 60’s and 70’s, the structure of the household in Chenalho was simple and clearly defined. “True men plant and harvest corn. True Women transform corn into food for humans.” Although this may seem a gross misrepresentation of the actual duties performed by both husband and wife in this community, in essence it paints a simple and valuable picture of the traditional gender roles. Men typically would work in the corn and bean fields, while women would generally work in and around the home. Indeed, it is said that men and women are “indispensable” to each other. They are given duties upon marriage that are handed down from their parents that dictate their required role in the family and community. However, men have historically been able to manipulate and take advantage of the patriarchal system. Until recently, that is. With the beginning of the 1980’s came the introduction of a debt crisis. This put extraordinary financial strain on a community that prided itself on self-reliance and providing all that ones’ family needs through farming. However, with the added financial burden, farming as a sole means of survival was not a viable solution. Therefore, women were forced to take 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 indirectly through their growing voice in religious and traditional matters. Women are thus gaining a stronger platform for voicing opinions and contributing in the decision-making process outside the household. Bibliography: none available Word Count: 654
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