The Indigenous Peoples of Mesoamerica and Central America: Their Societies, Cultures, and Histories - Paperbackby Robert M. Carmack (Author) In The Indigenous Peoples of Mesoamerica and Central America, Robert Carmack focuses on K'iche' natives of Guatemala, Masayan peoples of Nicaragua, and the native peoples of Buenos Aires and Costa Rica. Starting with Christopher Columbus' proclaimed "discovery" of Central America, Carmack illustrates the Central American native peoples' dramatic struggles for survival, native languages, and unique communities and states.