From Quotidian Tasks to Entrepreneurial Opportunities: Mayan Women and Labor in Highland Guatemala, 1890–1965

Just as Mayan women's participation in coffee plantations helped to fuel the international economy, their quotidian labor and ingenuity was vital to their households, communities, and nation. For Maya, diligence is highly valued and women's work ethic serves as an example for their people. ¹ Mayan women controlled highland markets, developed entrepreneurial endeavors that expanded local employment opportunities, sustained infrastructure development, promoted regional trade, and contributed to the national economy.