Synopsis:
"This beautifully illustrated book. . . . [is] Both an ethnographic study and an homage to a culture."
-Los Angeles Times "Text and pictures combine to give us a profound sense of the Mayan past and the living present."
-Houston Chronicle This acclaimed volume, now in paperback, is the first to document the life of the Maya of today, a remarkable people who are the direct heirs to the magnificent Maya culture of Pre-Columbian times. Walter F. Morris, Jr., a highly respected expert in the field, and Jeffrey Jay Foxx, a well-known ethnographic photographer, capture the spirited story of this extraordinary people, who live in Central America and southern Mexico. Living Maya reveals daily rituals, religious ceremonies, colorful markets, and stunning landscapes. Myths, legends, and songs are explained and depicted, and there is a special emphasis on the Maya's weaving, the one art form to have persisted virtually unchanged throughout the last 2000 years. 25 photographs in full color, 60 line drawings, 2 maps, 9 x 11" WALTER F. MORRIS, JR., has been studying and writing about Maya culture since 1972. He has curated several collections of Maya art and has contributed to many publications and documentaries on the subject. He is fluent in several Maya languages. In 1983 Morris' work with the highland Maya, in particular his efforts in setting up the first Indian-run weavers' cooperative in Mexico, was recognized by a five-year MacArthur Award Fellowship. He lives in Chiapas, Mexico. JEFFREY JAY FOXX has been documenting the life and arts of the Maya for more than two decades for such publications as LIFE and National Geographic. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States. Foxx is the photographer of two other Abrams books, The Turquoise Trail and The Maya Textile Tradition. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
From Publishers Weekly:
Curator Morris and photographer Foxx here offer a rare glimpse of the vibrant contemporary Mayan culture. Classic Mayan civilization collapsed in the 10th century, but, writes Morris, three million Maya reside in Yucatan, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Another million "extremely conservative" Maya, isolated from outsiders, live in the Chiapas Highlands of Mexico, and they are the subject of this volume: "The food they eat, the way it is prepared, the stories, myths and dreams they tell..., the festivals they celebrate each season of the year are all parts of a tradition that the Maya say God gave to them 'at the beginning of the world.' " This rich tapestry of history, myths, pen-and-ink drawings and striking color pictures evokes multifarious landscapes, textiles, people and ritual. The detailed description of the ancient technique of weaving will interest students of art, anthropology and religion alike.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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