User:JusticeTone'/sandbox

Peer Review by PhillCollins101
1. The leading sentence of the article is appropriate. The links to other Wikipedia pages were a nice touch.

-Not redundant at all and gives a nice intro to the page. I still think it's appropriate even after reading the entire article.

2. The structure is also appropriate, in reference to putting "Economic Botany", Religion", and "Language" under the "Culture" Should you continue to make more edits on this article, I would suggest developing each of these subheadings into a section of their own, however. I'm sure that a lot more for each can be said for each topic but I know it's hard to find sources on them.

3. The tone is very neutral, good job. I would suggest finding viewpoints from actual Mopan entrepreneurs to fit into the "economic Botany" section, or maybe some interviews from some Mopan priests in regards to the "Religion" section, just to add multiple viewpoints.

4. Your first citation had a loading failure. Your second citation gave me a "The page isn't working :(" notice, so I'm assuming that's broken, too. All of the JSTOR articles are sound, though. I suggest using JSTOR as a reference to try and replace your first two citations if you haven't attempted that already.

Phillcollins101 (talk) 21:25, 12 May 2019 (UTC)PhillCollins101

Evaluating the article
I have noticed a lack of content on the Mopan People page. The page briefly gives an introduction into who the Mopan People are but there is much room for improvement. After visiting other wikipedia pages that focus on other groups of indigenous peoples, I see the need for content about the history and culture (Economy, language, and religion)of Mopan People. Also, I believe that the information regarding the location of the Mopan People can be expanded upon.

There are also very few sources on the page. The talk page only has one comment and there is no conversation being had.

= Mopan = The Mopan people are an indigenous, sub-ethnic group of the Maya peoples. They are native to regions of Belize and Guatemala.

History
The Mopan Mayan people are recent arrivals to Belize, settling in the late 19th Century. They migrated from Petén, Guatemala to avoid forced labor and taxation. The Mopan originally settled near that is known today as Pueblo Viaja, but Guatemalan officials claimed that they were still within bounds of Guatemala so they moved further east around 1889 and founded San Antonio in Belize.

Culture
The Mopan Mayan people have traditionally had many traits that are both unique and definitive to their culture. However, as the times have changed so have the practices of the Mopan community. Many of the beliefs and practices of the Mopan people are no longer present in Mopan villages.Many of the traits of the Mopan Mayans have a spiritual significance that relates to the Maya Catholic Faith. The prominent factor that has caused the decline of these traditional practices is the influence of Protestant evangelical missionaries.

There is an absence of written traditions of the Mopan Mayan people, so the preservation of there culture relies on oral transmission.

Language
The language of the Mopan people is Mopan language. It is a member of the Yucatec Maya language branch of the Mayan languages. Several thousand Mopan people, located in Belize and Guatemala, speak the Mopan language.

Religion
The Cacao tree has played a significant role in the indigenous, religious life of the Mopan Mayan people. The Cacao tree is known as ceremonial tree in the Mopan Community. The tree is locally know as, cucu. Both the tree itself and its beans that it produces are said to contain spirits.

The traditional religion of the Mopan people is Mayan-Catholic. In this religion, the Mopan Mayan people consume Cacao beverages at religious celebrations. However, since the 1970's increasing amounts of Mopan villagers  have left the Mayan Catholic faith and joined protestant groups. As a result, they reject beliefs related to spiritual aspects of the natural world.

Economic Botany
The economy of the Mopan Community is based on agriculture. The Mopan people have a long history of being small holder, independent farmers. The members of the Mopan community tend to posses extensive knowledge in the local flora and fauna.

The Mopan people are cultivators of maize and beans, and plant rice. These crops serve as cash crops. The cacao tree, however, has been the most beneficial crop for the Mopan people in terms of profit.The cultivation of Cacao has opened up profitable opportunities for the Mopan Mayans. The have been able to establish relationship with companies interested in the purchasing of Cacao. These companies include the Hummingbird Highway Hershey Company and Green and Blacks.