Social Exclusion and the Negotiation of Afro-Mexican Identity in the Costa Chica of Oaxaca, Mexico. Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Philosophischen Fakultät der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Br. vorgelegt von Tristano Volpato aus Verona, Italien WS 2013/2014 Erstgutachter: Prof. Hermann Schwengel Zweitgutachterin: Prof. Julia Flores Dávila Vorsitzender des Promotionsausschusses der Gemeinsamen Kommission der Philologischen, Philosophischen und Wirtschafts- und Verhaltenswissenschaftlichen Fakultät: Prof. Dr. Bernd Kortmann Datum der Fachprüfung im Promotionsfach: 07 Juli 2014 Social Exclusion and the Negotiation of Afro-Mexican Identity in the Costa Chica of Oaxaca, Mexico. Tristano Volpato Nr.3007198 [email protected] II I acknowledge Prof. Schwengel, for the opportunity to make concrete an important proyect for my professional life and individual psychological growing, since he was in constant cooperation with me and the work; Prof. Julia Flores Dávila, who accompanied me during the last six years, with her human and professional presence; my parents, who always trusted me; Gisela Schenk, who was nearby me in every occasion, professonal and daily. Finally I want to specially thank all those people of the Costa Chica who, during the process, allowed me to understand better their identity and offered a great example of Mexicanity and humanity. III IV Contents Prefacio ............................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3 Part I: Theoretical Frame Chapter I: Between Individual and Collective Identity ............................................... 23 1. Community ................................................................................................................. 25 2. Identity ........................................................................................................................ 31 Chapter II: Identity as a Way for Recognition ............................................................. 51 1. Social Implications of the Identity Concept ............................................................ 53 1.1. Identity as Equality .................................................................................................. 55 1.2. Identity as Difference .............................................................................................. 59 2. Race ............................................................................................................................. 71 Part II: Mexican Frame Chapter I: Historical Origins of Afro-Mexican Culture and its Social Effects ......... 87 1. Brief Historical Approach of Oaxaca’s African Population .................................. 89 2. Some Effects of the Historical Cultural Mixing ...................................................... 99 Chapter II: Some Cultural Traits of Oaxaca’s Black Communities......................... 109 1. Some Traditional Ways of Cultural Expression ................................................... 111 2. A Spanish “Dialect” Modality ................................................................................ 113 3. Dances ....................................................................................................................... 117 3.1. The Danza de los Diablos (“Devils’ Dance”) ....................................................... 120 3.2. The Danza de los Negritos (“Dance of Little Africans”) ..................................... 123 3.3. The Danza del Toro de Petate (“Petate-Bull Dance”) ......................................... 125 3.4. The Danza de la Tortuga (“Dance of Turtle”) ..................................................... 127 4. Some Kind of African Wedding? ........................................................................... 128 5. The Human Being .................................................................................................... 135 5.1. The “Tono” ............................................................................................................ 136 5.2. The “Sombra” ........................................................................................................ 138 5.3. Traditional Medicine ............................................................................................. 140 V 5.4. Sickness Depending on the Loss of the Shadow .................................................. 141 5.5. The Thin Relation between Sickness and the Loss of “Tonal” ........................... 146 Chapter III: Afro-Mexican Consciousness: a Matter of Self-Recognition ............... 149 1. Traditions ................................................................................................................. 151 2. Ethnic Identification ................................................................................................ 161 3. Inclusion-Exclusion ................................................................................................. 163 4. Self and Mutual Perception of Aesthetic and Psychological Features ................ 167 Chapter IV: The Importance of Oaxaca’s Black Women in the Construction of Local African Identity .......................................................... 179 1. A problem of Gender ............................................................................................... 181 2. Between Matriarchy and Matrilineage.................................................................. 183 3. Social Position, Exclusion and Female Cultural Power ....................................... 186 3.1. Residence and Aesthetic Perception ..................................................................... 187 3.2. Exogamy ................................................................................................................. 191 3.3. Resources Organization ........................................................................................ 193 4. Between Gender Equity and the Ethic of Justice ................................................. 195 5. A Female Afro-Mexican Identity? ......................................................................... 202 Part III: Multicultural Discussion 1. Presenting Mexican Multiculturalism ................................................................... 209 2. A Matter of Context ................................................................................................ 210 3. Identity, Sense of Membership and Informal Integration ................................... 216 4. The Multicultural Way of Oaxaca: Race and Ethnicity ...................................... 228 Results ....................................................................................................................... 241 References Books ............................................................................................................................. 253 Reviews .......................................................................................................................... 273 Working Papers, Conferences, Documents ................................................................. 283 Electronic Documents .................................................................................................. 285 Laws .............................................................................................................................. 287 VI Annex Maps The Costa Chica (Mexico) ........................................................................................... 295 The Costa Chica (Oaxaca) .......................................................................................... 296 Santo Domingo Armenta Municipality Santo Domingo Armenta ............................................................................................ 297 Pinotepa Nacional Municipality Collantes ....................................................................................................................... 298 El Ciruelo ..................................................................................................................... 299 Santiago Tapextla Municipality Santiago Tapextla ........................................................................................................ 300 Llano Grande Tapextla ............................................................................................... 301 Santa María Cortijos Municipality Santa María Cortijos ................................................................................................... 302 San Juan Bautista lo de Soto ...................................................................................... 303 Images Image 1: Declaration of Independence 1810 ............................................................. 307 Image 2: Prayer of the Virgin of Montserratt .......................................................... 308 Instruments Limits in Data Collection ............................................................................................ 311 a. General Problems ..................................................................................................... 311 b. Technical Limitations ............................................................................................... 313 Settlements’ Location and Characterization Guide ................................................. 315 Semi-Structured Interview