Casualties of Heritage Distancing

Heritage distancing, where Ch’orti’ Maya peoples are alienated from pre-Hispanic cultural heritage despite national valorization of the Classic Maya past, threatens the conservation of archaeological remains outside Copán’s protected core. A collaborative education program for Ch’orti’ children near Copán addresses this issue by integrating heritage education with site conservation through participatory and creative methodologies. The initiative aims to foster dialogue about the value of the past while navigating tensions within the Copán 'archaeoscape' and indigenous politics, potentially shaping the future of an indigenous archaeology in the Maya region.

McAnany, P. A., & Parks, S. (2012). Casualties of Heritage Distancing. Current Anthropology, 53(1), 80–107. https://doi.org/10.1086/663687