The irony of immaturity: K’iche’ children as mediators and buffers in adult social interactions

Abstract

In Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan adults constantly face the threat of resentment from other members of their community. Evading others’ resentment requires concealing one’s possessions, a feat that in turn entails the immoral act of speaking untruths. Children, however, can utter falsehoods that adults cannot because adults do not see children as principals of harmful words. It is argued in this article, therefore, that K’iche’ children in Santa Catarina are in the ironic situation of having influence on the adult social world precisely because adults do not view children as influential. The article shows how children’s very status as supposedly unimportant individuals gives them the pragmatic power to mediate malicious feelings between adults via their words and actions.