Publisher's Synopsis
This is a cultural studies ethnography of an island off the coast of Cancun that has been developing as part of the Rivera Maya for the last 25 years. The study traces the evolution of the image of islands of women and Amazons from pre-Greek through colonial history, establishing how the island got its name, and then demonstrates how this mythic archetype has operated in the attraction of tourists and the subsequent boom in the tourist business constructed to take advantage of the draw of the archetype. On-island birth practices of women and folk culture are explored, as well as severe changes in the image of women from Maya through contemporary days. The book is used in women and gender studies, as well as in feminist geography, spirituality, and studies of the power of place
