The Folk Culture of the Yucatán

Robert Redfield's The Folk Culture of the Yucatán (1941) examined the cultural and social changes occurring between folk and urban societies. Redfield proposed a hypothetical continuum illustrating how small, isolated communities evolve into larger, more heterogeneous societies, experiencing progressive social change and cultural disorganization.1

The Yucatec Maya, indigenous to the Yucatán Peninsula, were part of the broader Maya civilization known for its calendar, architecture, and writing. Modern Yucatec Maya range from those who strongly preserve their culture to those who have largely assimilated into modern life. Redfield's concept of "folk society" describes a cohesive group characterized by small numbers, isolation, personal interactions, and shared religious understanding. He applied this concept not only to primitive groups but also to peasant peoples with some ties to urban centers.23