Women Of The Andes

Pilar is a capable, energetic merchant in the small, Peruvian highland settlement of Chiuchin. Genovena, an unmarried day laborer in the same town, faces an impoverished old age without children to support her. Carmen is the wife of a prosperous farmer in the agricultural community of Mayobamba, eleven thousand feet above Chiuchin in the Andean sierra. Mariana, a madre soltera—single mother—without a husband or communal land of her own, also resides in Mayobamba. These lives form part of an interlocking network that the authors carefully examine in Women of the Andes. In doing so, they explore the riddle of women’s structural subordination by analyzing the social, political, and economic realities of life in Peru. They examine theoretical explanations of sexual hierarchies against the backdrop of life histories. The result is a study that pinpoints the mechanisms perpetuating sexual repression and traces the impact of social change and national policy on women’s lives.

In Women’s Place in the Andes Florence E. Babb draws on four decades of anthropological research to reexamine the complex interworkings of gender, race, and indigeneity in Peru and beyond. She deftly interweaves five new analytical chapters with six of her previously published works that exemplify currents in feminist anthropology and activism. Babb argues that decolonizing feminism and engaging more fully with interlocutors from the South will lead to a deeper understanding of the iconic Andean women who are subjects of both national pride and everyday scorn. This book’s novel approach goes on to set forth a collaborative methodology for rethinking gender and race in the Americas.

South American women authors look at the female experience.

A unique book that offers a new treatment of female empowerment, blending spiritual and physical strength in the tradition of Deepak Chopra's New York Times bestseller, Ageless Body, Timeless Mind. It is the first book to combine the best of successful self-esteem books such as Gloria Steinem's Revolution from Within and fitness books such as those by Joyce Vedral.

A holistic approach to building inner strength through diet, exercise and relaxation. The author covers in detail the positive effects of physical strength on the heart, mind and spirit and shows women how they may release the gifts of inner strength that they possess.

"Major compilation of historical and anthropological articles focuses on the nature of markets and exchange structures in the Andes. Prominent scholars explore Andean participation in the European market structure, the influence of migration in changing ethnic boundaries and spheres of exchange, and the politics of market exchange during the colonial period. Larson's introduction places articles within the context of Andean economic systems, while Harris concludes with an appreciation of the relationships between mestizo and indigenous ethnic identities in the context of market relations. Both introduction and conclusion lend a greater coherence to this carefully-crafted and monumental volume"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.

HEALTH Author of A Woman's Book of Strength and A Woman's Book of Power, Andes here presents creative solutions to beating exercise boredom. First, she gives her interpretations of dance movements borrowed from the Temple Dance form of ancient India, T'ai Chi, and other martial arts to create a unique and challenging workout. Subsequent chapters outline routines for building strength and balance using low-tech equipment along with basic yoga postures. Photos demonstrate clearly all the moves and poses discussed. These exercises can be used to cross-train or can be blended with one another to achieve better balance, movement, poise, and strength. Some routines address special health conditions, and Andes also includes chapters on aging, hormones, and diet. Her book takes a holistic approach to women's physical fitness and strongly advocates finding enjoyment in one's choice of exercise routines for maximum vitality and psychological benefits. Recommended for all public libraries. Deborah Anne Broocker, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Dunwoody; 224 pg.-

Winner of the 2003 Senior Book Prize from the American Ethnological Society. Cholas and Pishtacos are two provocative characters from South American popular culture—a sensual mixed-race woman and a horrifying white killerwho show up in everything from horror stories and dirty jokes to romantic novels and travel posters. In this elegantly written book, these two figures become vehicles for an exploration of race, sex, and violence that pulls the reader into the vivid landscapes and lively cities of the Andes. Weismantel's theory of race and sex begins not with individual identity but with three forms of social and economic interaction: estrangement, exchange, and accumulation. She maps the barriers that separate white and Indian, male and female-barriers that exist not in order to prevent exchange, but rather to exacerbate its inequality. Weismantel weaves together sources ranging from her own fieldwork and the words of potato sellers, hotel maids, and tourists to classic works by photographer Martin Chambi and novelist José María Arguedas. Cholas and Pishtacos is also an enjoyable and informative introduction to a relatively unknown region of the Americas.