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 ta...
