Aisha Sharif

Change in Economy and Diet in the Lacandon Community of Mensäbäk Aisha Sharif

This book examines cultural change through examples of economics and diet among Lacandon Maya families in the small community of Mensäbäk as they become actors integrated into the larger, global economy. Due to a changing mode of economy, wealth disparities have been created between members of Mensäbäk resulting in new kinds of tension between community members. In addition, the new Lacandon economy has had some effects on diet as well. Today, the Lacandon are active participants in the global economy and capitalism, choosing to cease traditional subsistence for wage work and now desire Western goods. This materialism has brought about new kinds of conflict that was not present before among more egalitarian agrarian Lacandon earlier in the twentieth century.