Geography Anthropology

Geography Anthropology

In Sons of the Shaking Earth, Eric Wolf describes Mesoamerica as “dissected” into a “multitude of islands.” The natural landscape is highly diverse with respect to the availability of resources, exposure to risks, and relative isolation from other regions. Together, this diversity simultaneously encouraged trade & contact among regions while allowing for the diversification of language and culture.

Review the lecture notes on Mesoamerican geography and language. Choose two non-adjoining states/districts in Mexico and/or Guatemala for observation and comparison. For a clickable map of states in Mexico, go to http://www.inegi.org.mx (there is an option for viewing pages in English). The equivalent site for Guatemala is only in Spanish and does not present information in the same way (http://www.ine.gob.gt).

Part I: Fill in this table

Please refer to attachment

Part II: In your own words, describe the physical geography of the two states/districts you have selected (in approximately 500 words): Go to Google maps http://maps.google.com/and search for the state or district. Explore both locations using regular map view, satellite view and, if possible, street view.

Briefly orient the reader by describing each state/district generally. In what part of Mexico or Guatemala is it found? What important features can be seen via Google maps? Then describe each of these two regions in some detail in your own words, as if you are a traveler (a study abroad student, a reporter or a tourist) in the area. You might comment on transportation options, features such as water, beach, wooded areas, mountains, schools, markets or commercial regions, volcanoes, border crossings and so on. What is the infrastructure (roads, public spaces) like? Does the area appear economically developed or less developed? Include clickable links in your report so the reader can see what you are describing. Most of this should be in your own words, but if you use other resources, be sure to cite them correctly. Organize this section for clarity. Optional: Compare the region to the geography of a place you consider home.

Part III: Language and culture (approximately 300 words). Choose one indigenous language spoken in one of the states/districts you have chosen using lecture notes, the list of indigenous languages from Suarez (1983) The Mesoamerican Indian Languages (posted as a separate document on Blackboard), Most Common Mexican Languages http://www.native-languages.org/most-mexico.htm, and/or Native American Tribes of Guatemala http://www.native-languages.org/guatemala.htm.

You may search for more information by language name on the Ethnologue website: https://www.ethnologue.com/browse/names

How is the language classified? What family does it belong to? What branch(es) does it belong to? What other languages belong to that family (give examples) or is it a linguistic isolate?  Is it endangered?  Where is it spoken?  How many people speak it?

Find one interesting video clip about the language or depicting people speaking the language. Include the title and a clickable link to the video in the body of your paper. Write a paragraph describing the video(s). You may not understand what is being said (unless it is translated into a language you speak or has subtitles). If not, focus on what you see. You might also comment on the comments that follow the video(s), if any. Feel free to try translating material using Google translator (if you do, please say so). Feel free to use other resources to make sense of the video(s). What do you find interesting about it? What questions does it raise? Note: Do not use an animated Bible story for your video.

Part IV (approximately 200 words): What else is interesting or important about the area? Here you may use other sources including The Encyclopedia of World Cultures (available electronically via the Healey Library), high-quality news items about the region (the state, district or city, town etc.), up-to-date information for tourists, and/or social media. End with some concluding remarks.