In my study, some of these societal changes linked with increased market relations

were also found. In the traditional Ashaninka system, household activities are clearly

defined by gender, in which women control reproductive activities, and men tend to have

greater control over productive activities (Rojas 1994). As households became more

involved in the cash economy, productive activities, especially those oriented towards the

market, gain more importance. Although both women and men participate in productive

activities for market, like in the non-traditional sesame crop (Sesamun indicum), usually

men are the only household members who control the earnings (Rojas 1994). This

change, from a system in which neither male nor female had cash access, often results in

the loss of importance of the women and older people at the household level. Godoy

(2001) also suggests that the changes may result in a diminished importance of the

elderly, but I did not find this in my study.

 Increased market integration affects the type of crops cultivated in the livelihood

system. For example, in Tinkareni, where there is minimal market integration, no sesame

was cultivated. However, in Boca Camantavishi and Yoyato, the majority of available

labor for agriculture was dedicated to sesame production.

 Those families that are more market integrated also require more outside hired or

traded labor. In turn, this sometimes means that these families may need more cash to

cover these addition labor requirements.

 Conclusions

 Although distance to market was inversely proportional to market integration, and

directly proportional to the traditional practices at the village level, two different trends of

market integration were found at the household level: (1) basic market integration, clearly