Meanwhile, Maya Descendants Face Discrimination And Poverty
Henry Morales, Agence France Presse|Dec. 19, 2012, 8:14 AM
At its peak, the Maya civilization had one of the richest cultures in the Americas. Today, ethnic Mayas in central America and Mexico suffer from discrimination, exploitation and poverty.
In Guatemala, where nearly half of the population is indigenous, descendants of the once-mighty ancient civilization have even fallen victims to genocide.
The rich Mayan culture will be in the global spotlight Friday when revelers -- and doomsday watchers -- will mark the end of a 5,200-year era as sketched out in the elaborate Mayan calendar.
But the plight of indigenous Mayas in the region will likely go undiscussed.
"The indigenous population was always seen as cheap labor and this persists to this day," said Guatemalan anthropologist Alvaro Pop, a member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
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Meanwhile, Maya Descendants Face Discrimination And Poverty (Original post)
Judi Lynn (77,629 posts) 
