The Discrimination Towards Indigenas(Indigenous people)
While I was in Guatemala, I bought a lot of gifts from Indigenas(Indigenous people)who are roaming around the city of Antigua, selling small gifts that costs only small amounts ($3-4). I did not know indigenas' poor life until after I happened to meet with a Japanese woman who is trying to support the indigenas by purchacing their products and selling the products in Hokkaido, Japan. She took me to one of her friend, indegena's house. There were three kids without husband. Also, the house looked unhygienic for babies to live.
In Guatemala, there is discrimination towards indigenas in terms of jobs, payment, and education. Indigenas jobs are limited to blue color jobs such as employers at the coffee plantation and sellers small hand-made products targetted for travellers. The owner of the plantation does not pay enough to support raising indigenas' kids.
Indigenas people's education is only 1.8% whereas nonindigenas people's eduacation rate is 4.9%. Indigenas tend to be poor(87% of indigenas are poor whereas 54% of non-indigenas people are.) It is a vicious circle of the parants do not have good education reflect in children's education.(Harry Patrinos 2000,Indeginous Peoples and Poverty in Latin America)
I felt bad about asking for discount to the indigenas after I heard those stories. Also, I received advice that it helps to bring our clothes that we do not use anymore and donate those to indigenas. If I have an opportunity, I would like to do that.
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