Most of the more than 6 million modern Maya live in rural areas of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize—where their ancestors lived.
Their culture is now a mixture of pre-Columbian Indian, European, and modern elements. (Pre-Columbian means “before Columbus.”)
Today, the Maya are not very well off. During a civil war in Guatemala, thousands of highland Indians were killed. Tens of thousands had to flee into Mexico. The Maya of Mexico are like many Mexicans. They suffer from overpopulation, unemployment, and political unrest. In many places, the Maya have had to give up their native language and clothing. They continue their old traditions only in rural areas. In Guatemala, Mayan farmers have been pushed onto hilly areas with poor land. Laborers work for very low pay.
Will the Maya survive this latest assault? That remains to be seen.
