Casualties of Heritage Distancing

Abstract

The archaeological park of Copán, located in western Honduras, was a seat of Classic Maya dynastic power and currently is the nexus of a complex intersection of the past with the present. While the monumental core of Copán is protected by World Heritage status, archaeological remains outside park boundaries are increasingly under threat of destruction. This situation is exacerbated by forces of alienation that distance Ch’orti’ Maya peoples from pre-Hispanic cultural heritage and a national identity that valorizes a Classic Maya past but not contemporary indigenous peoples. Such heritage distancing—evident in a public school curriculum that undervalues the precolonial past—has negative consequences for the conservation of cultural heritage in the Copán Valley. Examined here is a collaborative education program that balances heritage education with site conservation and creates space for a dialogue about the value of the past. Designed for Ch’orti’ children living near Copán, the initiative employs creative and participatory methodologies, which are considered in reference to the tensions within what is referred to as the Copán “archaeoscape” and in light of the indigenous politics of Honduran Ch’orti’ communities. The long-term impact of this education initiative bears upon the future of an indigenous archaeology within the Maya region.