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Maya in the Marketplace
The selling culture is mainly based in the tourist economy. Tourism growing
greatly as time passes brings new monetary flow to the area. Natives realize
that and are slowly shifting their trades to capitalize on the new monetary
income. Otherwise, the natives have established an economy of their own,
separate from the tourism.
Gender roles among the Maya are changing while the definitions remain the same.
Tourism is changing the role of women from households to marketplaces and bread
winners. Men are becoming the household caretakers, but retain their status as
head of the house. The market still "belongs" to the male, and they only perform
a woman's task when no woman is available.
The living history museum refers to the practice of the natives of performing
antiquated tasks and perpetuating antiquated stereotypes in order to please the
tourists visiting the area. The natives also neglect the present state of the
area while around tourists, acting as though the political state is that of the
past.
Antigua, in particular, acts as transnational borderzone in a manner that
reflects the tastes, history, comfort, and needs of multiple nationalities. The
borderzone is also a reflection of the mix of economic forces between tourism
(multinational unto itself), Ladinos, and Mayas.
The changing domestic dynamic as well as the changing economic demographic in contrast to the functionality of the locations as living history museums is the focus of "Change and continuity"