The Practice and Perception of Batida (Group Hunting) In A Maya Community of Yucatan, Mexico

Abstract

The batida, or traditional group hunting, practiced by the Maya of the Yucatan Peninsula provides hunters with wild meat to sustain their families. Our study of batida hunting trips in the Los Petenes community during a 6-month period (2008–2009) provided information on the participants, the practices, and the results. Maya peasant-hunters targeted deer (Odocoileus virginianus, 81%) and peccary (Pecari tajacu, 19%), obtaining on average 2.3 kg of meat per participant. In Los Petenes the batida is open to all adult men who wish to participate within its merit-based hierarchical structure, organized by two hunters recognized for their outstanding abilities. Interview data indicates that in addition to meat, the batida provides its participants with a reinforcement of their cultural identity as Maya peasant-hunters, a sense of belonging to the group and the community, and the chance to gain prestige as hunters. We argue that these social dimensions of the batida, complemented by the practical goal of meat provision, maintain this practice in the community, and very possibly in other communities of Maya heritage.