Shamans, Witches, and Maya Priests: Native Religion and Ritual
in Highland Guatemala, by Krystyna Deuss, is an outstanding contribution
to the field of ethnographic studies in highland Guatemala. Not
only is it an informed and insightful account of her work among
the Maya Prayersayers in the Cuchumatanes region of Guatemala,
but it is also a truly great read—an evocative portrait
of Maya traditionalists attempting to maintain the practice of
their ancient faith in the face of remarkably trying circumstances.
Many of the ceremonies she describes have already ceased to be
performed, and others are in imminent danger of disappearing forever.
This book is therefore, in some cases, the last eyewitness account
of traditional rituals that had survived for centuries
—ALLEN
J. CHRISTENSON
Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities, Classics
and Comparative Literature at Brigham Young University
A comprehensive study of a little-known area of Guatemala,
this book is an invaluable contribution to Maya studies. The author’s
attention to ethnographic detail is revealed through the text,
diagrams, and the astonishing photographs, which set a new standard
for documentation. At the same time, the succinct style of writing
assures the accessibility of the book to non-specialists. Highly
recommended.
—MATTHEW
G. LOOPER
Associate Professor of Art History, California State University,
Chico
