Research Catalog

Title

Lacandón Maya in the twenty-first century : indigenous knowledge and conservation in Mexico's tropical rainforest / James D. Nations ; foreword by Diane Z. Chase and Arlen F. Chase.

Author

Nations, James D.

Publication

• Gainesville : University Press of Florida, [2023]
• ©2023

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Chase, Diane Z.
• Chase, Arlen F. (Arlen Frank), 1953-

Description

xx, 291 pages : illustrations (black and white), map; 24 cm.

Summary

• "This book tells the story of how Lacandón Maya families have adapted to the contemporary world while applying their ancestral knowledge to create an ecologically sustainable future in Mexico's largest remaining tropical rainforest"--
• "From the ancient traditions of the Lacandón Maya comes an Indigenous model for a sustainable future. Having lived for centuries isolated within Mexico's largest remaining tropical rainforest, the Indigenous Lacandón Maya now live at the nexus of two worlds-ancient and modern. While previous research has focused on documenting Lacandón oral traditions and religious practices in order to preserve them, this book tells the story of how Lacandón families have adapted to the contemporary world while applying their ancestral knowledge to create an ecologically sustainable future. Drawing on his 49 years of studying and learning from the Lacandón Maya, James Nations discusses how in the midst of external pressures such as technological changes, missionary influences, and logging ventures, Lacandón communities are building an economic system of agroforestry and ecotourism that produces income for their families while protecting biodiversity and cultural resources. Nations describes methods they use to plant and harvest without harming the forest, illustrating that despite drastic changes in lifestyle, respect for the environment continues to connect Lacandón families across generations. By helping with these tasks and inheriting the fables and myths that reinforce this worldview, Lacandón children continue to learn about the plants, animals, and spiritual deities that coexist in their land. Indigenous peoples such as the Lacandón Maya control one-third of the intact forest landscapes left on Earth, and Indigenous knowledge and practices are increasingly recognized as key elements in the survival of the planet's biological diversity. The story of the Lacandón Maya serves as a model for Indigenous-controlled environmental conservation, and it will inform anyone interested in supporting sustainable Indigenous futures. A volume in the series Maya Studies, edited by Diane Z. Chase and Arlen F. Chase"--

Series Statement

Maya studies

Uniform Title

Maya studies.

Alternative Title

indigenous knowledge and conservation in Mexico's tropical rainforest

Subject

• Lacandon Indians > Mexico > Social conditions
• Lacandon Indians > Social life and customs
• Lacandon Indians > History
• Lacandon Indians
• Lacandon Indians > Social life and customs
• Mexico

Genre/Form

History

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents

Introduction -- Part I. The True People -- Sanctuary -- Lacandones Don't Kill Dogs -- Part II. "Where Did We Come From?" -- The Ancient Ones -- A Memory of Lakes -- The Wooden People -- The Story of the Stolen Skulls -- Part III. Creating a Culture from a Forest -- How to Eat a Rainforest -- Farming with the Ants -- Teaching a Canoe to Swim -- Fibers, Vines, and Fire in the Night -- Part IV. Mysterious Spirits -- Flying Monkeys -- The Jwan T'ut' K'in -- The Lord of the Monkeys -- The Snake in the Lake -- Part V. The Will of the Gods -- Creating the World -- Paying the Gods -- A Special Place in Hell -- Part VI. Conservation: The State of the Forest -- What Happened to the Selva Lacandona? -- Saving a Rainforest -- Part VII. Resilience: The Forest and the Future -- A Question of How We Will Live

Call Number

JFE 24-768

ISBN

• 9780813069784
• 0813069785
• 9780813080246
• 081308024X
• 9780813070568 (canceled/invalid)
• 9780813072937 (canceled/invalid)

LCCN

2023012292

OCLC

1369510383

Author

Nations, James D., author.

Title

Lacandón Maya in the twenty-first century : indigenous knowledge and conservation in Mexico's tropical rainforest / James D. Nations ; foreword by Diane Z. Chase and Arlen F. Chase.

Publisher

Gainesville : University Press of Florida, [2023]

Copyright Date

©2023

Type of Content

text

still image

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Series

Maya studies

Maya studies.

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Added Author

Chase, Diane Z., writer of foreword.

Chase, Arlen F. (Arlen Frank), 1953- writer of foreword.

Other Form:

Online version: Nations, James D. Lacando̹n Maya in the twenty-first century 1. Gainesville : University Press of Florida, 2023 9780813070568 (DLC) 2023012293

Research Call Number

JFE 24-768