Maya Ethnolinguistic Identity: Violence, Cultural Rights, and Modernity in Highland Guatemala

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In this insightful work, ethnographer Brigittine French employs critical-theoretical perspectives from linguistic anthropology to explore the politically charged landscape of contemporary Guatemala. She begins by examining the ongoing "nationalist project" since the colonial era, interrogating the "Guatemalan/indigenous binary." In this context, "Ladino" refers to the Spanish-speaking minority of mixed European and indigenous ancestry, while "Indian" denotes the majority population, who speak one of the twenty-one Maya languages, often with high bilingualism. French illustrates how the Guatemalan state has fostered a racialized notion of "Indians" as an undifferentiated, inferior group impeding national progress and unity, which are seen as goals for "true Guatemalans" (the Ladinos). Through compelling examples, she reveals how language and collective identity are strategies employed by various institutions, including government and education, as well as social actors like linguists and activists. Additionally, French incorporates fieldwork with Kaqchikel and K'iche' speakers, demonstrating how individuals in urban, bilingual communities challenge essentializing multicultural narratives. By focusing on language ideologies, she connects linguistic forms to broader issues of consciousness, gender politics, social position, and hegemonic power relations.