Indigenous Geographies in the Yucatan

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xix

   PDF

2. Contextualizing My Research with the Yucatec Maya

   • Miguel Sioui

   Pages 1-9

3. Colonialism, Rights-Based Thinking, and the Evolution of Yucatec Maya Relationships with Their Homeland Since European Contact

   • Miguel Sioui

   Pages 11-22

4. Indigenous Geographies and the Study of Indigenous Knowledges

   • Miguel Sioui

   Pages 23-35

5. Research Design and Methodology

   • Miguel Sioui

   Pages 37-45

6. The Evidence of Responsibility-Based Thinking in Present-Day Maya Land-Use Practices

   • Miguel Sioui

   Pages 47-80

7. Being Part of the Land

   • Miguel Sioui

   Pages 81-114

8. Conclusions and Lasting Thoughts

   • Miguel Sioui

   Pages 115-122

9. Back Matter

   Pages 123-128

   PDF

This book is part of a broader attempt to decolonize colonial histories and understandings about Indigenous peoples and their relationships with their territories, and argues that the land ethos of "being part of the land," specifically among the Mayan community of Xuilub (Yucatan), Mexico, is guided by the cultural precept of 'responsibility-based' thinking. The work uniquely adds much needed insights into 'responsibility-based' thinking for land-use practices, and develops a theoretical framework for assessing historical impacts on Indigenous cultures and livelihoods. In six chapters, the text bridges Western and Indigenous Knowledge (IK) approaches to achieve deeper understanding of IKs, focusing on more Indigenous-centered methods, with the goal of expanding the disciplinary perspectives of postcolonial scholarship and Indigenous geographies. The book contains useful information for environmental planning/management scholars and geographers who may not be familiar with Indigenous approaches to land-use, and to Indigenous geographers working to bridge Western and Indigenous methodologies. 

• The Yucatec Maya
• Indigenous knowledges
• Indigenous geography
• Responsibility-based thinking
• Xuilub, Mexico
• Colonialism
• Cultural heritage
• Land-use practices

• Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Canada

  Miguel Sioui

Miguel Sioui is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. His current research aims to bridge Indigenous and Western academic epistemologies to foster the development of environmental strategies that are more likely to promote responsible and respectful relationships with the environment over the long term. It is his hope that this effort will help Canadian and global societies to deal more effectively with increasingly complex local, regional, and global environmental management challenges. 

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