encomienda: system that rewarded certain
individuals (encomenderos) with the
rights to goods and labor of a specific
group of native people; the encomendero
was responsible for Christianizing the na-
tives.
epistemology: the study of theories or the
theory of knowledge.
estancia: farm or ranch, usually for live-
stock.
ethos: the characteristic spirit and cultural
patterns of a people.
expropriate: taking control of productive
goods, as when a government takes con-
trol of what was once private property.
extensive agriculture: agricultural practices
that utilize relatively simple technology; re-
quires large areas for cultivation. An ex-
ample is swidden or slash-and-burn
agriculture; contrasts with intensive agri-
culture.
federalist: in nineteenth-century Mexico
and Central America, those who sup-
ported liberal ideals of social progress, a
secular state, and regional political and
economic power.
feminism: a movement that promotes equal
rights and opportunities for women; an ap-
proach that analyzes the concept of gen-
der and the meaning of sexual differences.
fiscal: in indigenous communities, a reli-
gious official who acts as the priest’s assis-
tant and oversees the affairs of the local
church.
Formative period: the period from around
2000 B.C. to A.D. 200, during which many
societies in the Mesoamerican region be-
came more complex; Preclassic period.
friar: a member of a Catholic religious
order such as the Franciscans or Domini-
cans; may be an ordained priest or a lay
brother.
GAM: Mutual Support Group. Human
rights group originally formed by Indian
536 GLOSSARY
widows of men who were killed or “disap-
peared” as part of the violence (1970s and
1980s) in Guatemala.
gender: culturally prescribed behaviors,
roles, and relationships between the sexes.
genre: class or category, such as speech
genres.
halach uinic: prehispanic Mayan term for
the ruler of a town or region; governor.
henequen: a plant that produces fiber used
for cordage.
indigenismo: public policy and institutions
that address the educational, economic,
health, and social needs of the Indian pop-
ulation, with the underlying goal of assim-
ilating Indians into the national culture.
indigo: a plant from which blue dye is pro-
duced.
intensive agriculture: agricultural practices
that use labor-intensive techniques to pro-
duce high yields. Examples include ter-
racing, irrigation, and raised fields;
contrasts with extensive agriculture.
ladino: in the Colonial period, an accultur-
ated or Spanish-speaking Indian; in the
modern period, a non-Indian, a mestizo,
or a person of European or mixed descent.
latifundio: a large rural estate; plantation.
Liberation Theology: movement within the
Catholic Church in which criticism of op-
pression and exploitation is central to the
practice of theology.
long count: a dating system used primarily
by the lowland Classic Maya in which a par-
ticular day was defined as occurring in a
specific baktun (cycle of about 400 years),
katun (cycle of about twenty years), tun
(cycle of 360 days), uinal (cycle of twenty
days), and kin (day), also including the ap-
propriate date in the 260-day secular cal-
endar.
macehual (plural, macehualtin): Nahuatl
term for commoner or vassal.