Alternative Title

“Todas las que Sembraron”: La Construcción de los Roles de Género por Parte de las Mujeres Inmigrantes Maya K’iche’ en Canton, Ohio

Abstract

Due to state violence, poor economic conditions, and neoliberal policies, many Maya K’iche’ people have been forced to migrate to the United States in recent decades. Here in the United States, these communities face other challenges, such as navigating the hostile and complicated U.S. immigration system and enduring growing anti-immigrant sentiments from the U.S. public. This study investigated how migration affects the construction of gender roles. In interviews with four Maya K’iche’ women in Canton, Ohio, I observed two areas where immigration impacted how gender roles were defined: the division of labor and the preservation of culture. In terms of labor, the findings reveal that, in the United States, the women and their partners have been able to cross the boundaries between traditionally gendered labor with minimal consequences. Furthermore, I found that Maya K’iche’ women continue to play a crucial role in cultural preservation, engaging in social and cultural reproduction within domestic spaces. By putting the interviews in dialogue with the poem: “Para recuperar nuestro aliento” by Maya K’iche’ poet Rosa Chávez, I argue that the Maya K’iche’ women’s practices of cultural preservation serve a broader purpose in the United States. They don’t just pass traditions and cultural knowledge to the next generation; they provide healing and comfort to the women and their families while they live in an unfamiliar and at times hostile environment.

Advisor

Garonzik, Rebecca

Department

Spanish; Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Disciplines

Indigenous Studies | Latin American Languages and Societies | Latin American Literature | Women's Studies

Keywords

Immigration, Gender Roles, Indigenous Women, Maya K'iche', Guatemala, Division of Labor, Cultural Preservation

Publication Date

2025

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

Download

Share

COinS
 

© Copyright 2025 Emily sturr