Department of Ethnic Studies

 ETHN 4800: Maya Thought & Culture

San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas  MEXICO

3 hours of BGSU credit  (additional credits possible)
Monday, 19 July 2010 through Friday, 6 August 2010

Description :

Spend three weeks of Summer 2010 learning about Maya civilization in one of Mexico’s most unique and beloved colonial cities. 

One of the oldest colonial cities in Mexico and the western hemisphere, San Cristóbal de las Casas is named after the Dominican Friar Bartholome de las Casas (1484-1566) who traveled tirelessly between Europe and the Americas defending the rights of the Mesoamerican peoples (and arguing for the lesser rights of others).  The city itself is located in a mountain valley of the Lacandón Jungle.

Daily activities begin with a seminar roundtable at the Casa de la Vista hotel classroom, Monday through Friday, 9am-1pm.  Afternoons will consist of trips to local museums, art galleries, convents, churches, cafes, educational facilities, and surrounding villages.  Sites include the Catedral San Cristobal, Casa Na-Bolom Cultural Center (House of the Jaguar)

Centro Cultural de los Altos de Chiapas, Montebello Nature Reserve, Market, Mayan Theater, Palacio de las Bellas Artes, and the Museo del Ambar.  Nearby villages include San Juan Chamula, Zinacatan, Tenejapa, and Chenalo.  Sumidero Canyon is one hour from the hotel; plans have been made to rent a boat and sail along the Grijalva River.

Weekend trips are planned for visits to the Maya ruins of Palenque, Bonampak, Altar de Sacrificios, and Laguna Miramar. We will also visit the famous waterfalls Cataratas de Agua Azul.

Dr. John Kaiser Ortiz is a recent member of the BGSU community who grew up in the northern city of Monterrey and has family members in Queretaro and Mexico City.  In addition to having traveled throughout Mexico and North America, he has traveled to over thirty countries.  When asked why he travels so much, his response  reflects his formal training in Philosophy: “We live in the world and try to make sense of our experience and our surroundings.  It follows that the more we have seen of this magical, mysterious, and beautiful world, the more likely we will be to care for it and make it our own.”

Note: Students considering enrolling in the Mexico Summer Study Abroad course should obtain a US Passport at the very earliest date, even if actual enrollment is still uncertain.  US Passports are valid for a period of ten years before renewal is required.

Course Books should be purchased prior to departure. 

Cost of Course: Approximately $2000.00

Dates of Class :          

Monday, 19 July 2010 – Friday, 6 August 2010