The symbolism of subordination: Indian identity in a Guatemalan town

. a thoughtful, detailed and valuable work. . . . Any scholar interested in native peoples of Mesoamerica, in culture change and adaptation, in ethnicity and ideology, or in nationalism will find much to admire in The Symbolism of Subordination.” —Mary W. Helms, Cultures et développement. In the early 1950s a pro-orthodoxy Catholic Action congregation was established in San Andrés, Guatemala, in reaction to governmental fears that peasants had become radicalized during the revolutionary decade of 1944 to 1954. The Symbolism of Subordination is the groundbreaking study of this bi-ethnic community, examining how the Trixano Indians (Mayans) reacted—and have reacted historically—to the domination by Ladinos (non-Indian nationals). Using interpretive analysis of the belief systems and activities through which the Trixanos organize and express their self-perceptions, Warren documents the striking effort by Trixanos to reformulate their Indian ethnic identity and resist their continuing powerlessness. Warren traced the movement of younger Indians through the 1960s and 1970s as they elaborated Catholic orthodoxy to illuminate local issues, while clashing with Indian elders who support established religious practices. The youths argued that, while these traditions had perpetuated their distinctive Indian culture, they also had continued to reinforce Indian subordination to ladinos. They sought change and the result was increased factionalism within the Trixano community, a heightened ethnic consciousness, and a transformed religious basis for resisting racial domination. Kay B. Warren is professor of anthropology at Princeton. She is currently working on a twenty-year restudy of San Andrés.