Employment
Most Maya are subsistence farmers, growing corn and vegetables in the valleys in a manner not very different from the way their pre-Columbian ancestors did.
The land that is farmed by the Mayas may be hours away from their home and situated high up the side of a mountain or on the slopes of a volcano. Much of the best land has been forcibly taken from the Maya over time and they have to struggle to survive. It is not uncommon for a Maya farmer to have to tie himself by rope to a tree to till the ground on the steep slopes so as not to fall.
Most of the men of Quiché work on a daily basis: what they earn in a day is what they spend for family consumption. The men who have daily work earn equivalent to around $3.00 for a 10-12 hour day. When there is no work in the fields, there is no income, and many of the men must seek work shining shoes in Guatemala City or harvesting Sugar Cane on the Coast. In the city or on the coast, the Maya are discriminated against, preyed on by criminals, subjected to very poor living conditions, and get very little pay.
Most men who work out of the community will return at important times to their villages, like for the planting and harvesting of the corn. This work situation is devastating to family life and the Maya male self-image, which takes pride in caring for his family and contributing to the needs of his community.