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 in order to avoid potential problems. While many X-Hazil Sur residents considered themselves deeply 

 religious, others professed only limited beliefs. 



Several important saints are recognized by the Maya at Ejido X-Hazil y Anexos. During some 

 of these celebrations, especially prior to planting the garden or during an extended dry period, game is 

 taken on special group hunts (batidas) and consumed as part of the ceremony. Other saints do not 

 require game. San Juan, for example, is celebrated in June. For several weeks prior to the 

 celebration, representatives of the saint visit surrounding villages and gather food that will be cooked 

 and redistributed during the public ceremony. These representatives go from house to house soliciting 

 com, chickens, and other groceries. San Miguel, another important saint, is celebrated in February 

 with an extensive ceremony that lasts 10 days. There is a great deal of peer pressure to contribute 

 valuable commodities such as a pig or a sack of com to San Miguel. Failure to meet these personal 

 promises is viewed by the Maya as an open invitation for revenge by San Miguel. 



Religion plays an important role in Maya life. Of the three villages, X-Hazil Sur and Uh-May 

 have small churches, while Chancah Veracruz has a larger church that hosts many regional ceremonies. 

 Separate Catholic masses and traditional Maya ceremonies are held at these sites. Few residents of X- 

 Hazil Sur are fervent believers in the Catholic faith, but parents often bring their children to a priest in 

 order to be baptized. This baptism will facilitate obtaining legal identification papers by the child that 

 are necessary in order to attend school. These Maya see no conflict in adhering to both sets of beliefs 

 and often incorporate Catholic prayers (in Spanish) in the traditional Maya ceremonies. 



At X-Hazil Sur, the Maya see outsiders as potentially hostile and dangerous. An adult Maya 

 man will seek security through economic independence for his immediate family. This independence, 

 he believes, is achieved by hard work and looking out for one's self. Most X-Hazil Sur residents are 

 reluctant to give or seek economic aid, or to lend or borrow items from others, and, except for 

 mandatory village chores (faenas), they rarely engage in cooperative projects. 



Initially I, too, was considered an outsider and viewed with great suspicion by the residents of 

 X-Hazil Sur. During my early visits to the village, I accompanied biologists from my host agency who 



