Politics and Culture of Indigenism in Mexico Jose Luis Krafft Vera Translated by Charles H
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Politics and Culture of Indigenism in Mexico Jose Luis Krafft Vera translated by Charles H . Roberts In Mexico official "indigenism" began to take making centers of government, the indigenous shape by the 1910s. Its development was influ resistance in recent years has produced organiza enced by the great social movement of the 1910 tions that foster respect for and understanding of Mexican Revolution. Indigenism was the political traditional values. These millenary cultures, with means used by the state to attend to the develop a powerful wisdom, have been able to survive in ment needs of culturally distinct Mexican popula national societies in which indigenous peoples tions. are at the bottom of the economic ladder. A system of thought known as Mexican Indi This display of organizational strength has had genism, which brings together research and so an impact on the state institutional structures that cial action, has become a substantial part of the develop indigenous policy today. The National Mexican School of Anthropology. Indigenism is Indigenist Institute (known as INI: Instituto also fundamental to an understanding of the pe Nacional Indigenista) has abandoned the theo culiarities of Mexican nationalism. retical and practical policy of integrationist indi Mexican Indigenism has drawn from various genism, adapting its actions to the organizational currents at different times in the 20th century. renaissance of the indigenous peoples. No longer Thus, the indigenist policy is not a finished, per are indigenous initiatives supplanted by state fectly systematized whole. Nevertheless, it has agents who underestimate indigenous peoples' provided a model for government policy towards capacity to manage their own development based indigenous peoples in other Latin American on their life experiences, plans and capabilities. countries with large indigenous populations. Thus, indigenous peoples play a more promi Mexican Indigenism has inspired the establish nent role in society. Their organizational move ment of Indian institutes in several Latin Ameri ment, which encompasses the 56 ethnic groups can countries, after the First Inter-American In that live in Mexico, each with its own culture and dian Congress held in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, in language, has stated three main principles that 1940. must be made part of the INI's policy: The initial postulates of indigenism have been 1. Indigenous peoples and communities must modified in light of experience; dynamic efforts participate in planning and implementation of continue to shape indigenism in response to the the INI's programs. particular developments in the indigenous world. 2. This participation should culminate in the Mexican Indigenism has gone through agrarianist, transfer of institutional functions and resources educational, and developmentalist - also known to indigenous organizations and communities, as integrationist - phases. and to other public institutions and social groups In the last twenty years the outlook for the involved in and committed to indigenist action. indigenous peoples in Mexico and throughout 3. INI must coordinate all of its actions with Latin America has changed significantly. The federal, state and municipal institutions, and so indigenous movement has developed economic, cial organizations and with international agen political, social and cultural organizations with a cies. strategic outlook. Indigenous peoples' growing These general principles for governmental effectiveness stems from their more decisive en action by the INI are motivated by a firm resolve gagement of national societies in defense of their to break the fetters that inhibit the full and inte human rights, collective and cultural. Marginal gral development of the indigenous peoples of ized for over 500 years from the main decision- Mexico. The indigenous peoples number 8 mil- 106 LAND IN NATIVE AMERI CAN CULTURES In the highland communities of Chiapas, textiles represent complex cultural ideas. Designs may represent the origin of human society or the identity and history of a local community. Petrona Mendez Intzin, a Tzeltal Maya weaver from Tenejapa in the highlands of Chiapas, brocades on the traditional backstrap loom of the region. Photo by Ricardo Martinez lion in 1991, accounting for over nine percent of highest density of indigenous populations and the Mexican population, based on projections cultures in the country, are participating this from the 1980 National Census. No other country summer in the Festival of American Folklife. of the Americas has as large an indigenous popu This cultural exhibition will offer the public an lation as Mexico. opportunity to learn about indigenous knowledge The key demands raised by the indigenous and wisdom of the land and the environment. communities and their organizations include Now that the Western world has begun to turn its equal justice and equality in civil rights and obli attention to the environment of the planet, the gations, as required by law for all Mexicans. The indigenous peoples of the Americas - despite National Commission of Justice for the Indige having all institutional practices operate against nous Peoples of Mexico was established by presi their interests for the last 500 years - offer us dential initiative in April 1989. This Commission, their knowledge of the harmony that must be presided over by the Director of the INI, Dr. preserved between man and nature. Arturo Warman, is charged with proposing The hour of the earth has come; and it is time changes in the Mexican Constitution, after consul to listen to the indigenous peoples of our Amer tations with indigenous and other organizations ica. The subjugation and discrimination of recent involved in development and indigenous affairs. centuries will be no more in the new millennium. These constitutional changes will lead to recogni The cultural resistance of indigenous peoples tion of indigenous cultural rights for the first time should find expression in a full renaissance of in the history of independent Mexico. This Presi their indigenous abilities, for the benefit of all dential initiative was presented to the Chamber of inhabitants of this planet. Deputies and the Senate. Article 4 of the j ose Luis Krafft, ethonologist, is Assistant Director for Constitution is to be amended to recognize that Cultural Promotion for the National Indigenist Institute Mexico is a multicultural country and that indige (IN!). He graduated from the National School of nous peoples have specific rights. Anthropology and History in Mexico City, specializing Members of the Ikood, Zapotec, Tzotzil, in indigenous cultures of the rainforest, particularly the Tzetzal and Lacandon cultures, representing the Lacand6n region. He has published extensively on the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, which have the indigenous cultures ofMexico . LAND IN NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURES 107 .