135-2017: The Mexicaneros are an indigenous people of Durango and Nayarit , Mexico . They are one of the 62 original cultures of Mexico. They speak the Mexicanero language , a variety of the Nahuatl family. Some 1,300 individuals spoke the Mexicanero language as of 2011. They live in Mezquital Municipality , Durango (settlements of Agua Caliente, Agua Fría, Bancos de Calitique, Berenjén (Tepetates II), Combustita, Curachitos (Buena Vista), Chalatita, Chalchihuites, El Catorce, El Durazno (Duraznitos), El Rincón, El Toro, Escalera, Guajolote, Huazamotita, La Cañada, La Estancia, La Guajolota, La Tinaja, Las Campanas, Las Cruces, Las Norias, Las Pilas, Llano de Jacalitos (Jacalitos), Los Alacranes, Los Arquitos, Los Charcos, Los Crucitos, Los Espejos, Los Gavilanes, Los Leones, Mesa de los Lobos (Lobitos), Metatita, Nuevo León, Pino Real, San Antonio de Padua, San Bernabé, San Buenaventura, San Diego, San Francisco del Mezquital (El Mezquital), San Pedro Xícoras [San Pedro Jícoras], Santa María de Ocotán, Techalote (Buenavista), Tepalcates, Tortillas, and Yerbaniz) and Acaponeta (settlements of Acaponeta, Agua Tendida, Buenavista (Las Paredes), El Duraznito, El Naranjo, El Resbalón, Huanacaxtle, La Guásima, La Laguna (La Lagunita), La Paloma Nueva Reforma, Mesa las Arpas, Paredes, Rancho los López, Rancho de Ernesto Aguilar, San Diego de Alcalá, San Diego el Naranjo, San Dieguito de Abajo, San José de Gracia, Santa Cruz, Saycota, Sayulilla, Unidad Habitacional, and Zacatecas) and El Nayar (settlements of Dolores, Los Chapiles, Santa Teresa, and Tierras Cuevas) municipalities in Nayarit. This article about culture in Mexico
270-595: A devastating effect on the native population, due to European diseases and forced labor. In some areas the native population nearly or completely disappeared. It has been estimated that the native population of the region declined from 1.5 million in 1520 to 150,000 in 1650. Eventually, this prompted the Spanish to import African slaves to some regions of the state, mostly in the Costa Chica . This poor treatment of indigenous and African populations continued through
405-404: A flawed and ideologically based reinterpretation of the colonial period. When Mexico gained independence in 1821, the casta designations were eliminated as a legal structure, but racial divides remained. White Mexicans argued about what the solution was to the "Indian Problem", that is indigenous who continued to live in communities and were not integrated politically or socially as citizens of
540-399: A gap for the wind to pass between mountain ranges, creating the best conditions for wind power in Mexico . Although it is the fifth-largest state in Mexico, it has the most biodiversity. There are more than 8,400 registered plant species, 738 bird species and 1,431 terrestrial vertebrate species, accounting for 50% of all species in Mexico. It is also among the five highest-ranking areas in
675-575: A national average of 12% in 2000. The Mexican government is required to provide education in indigenous languages but often fails to provide schooling in languages other than Spanish. As a result, many indigenous groups have resorted to creating their own small community educational institutions. Oaxaca Oaxaca ( / w ə ˈ h æ k ə / wə- HAK -ə , also US : / w ɑː ˈ h ɑː k ɑː / wah- HAH -kah ; Spanish: [waˈxaka] , from Classical Nahuatl : Huāxyacac [waːʃˈjakak] ), officially
810-472: A nopal cactus. Mexico declared the abolition of slavery in 1829 and the equality of all citizens before the law in 1857. Indigenous communities continued to have rights as corporations to maintain land holdings until the liberal Reforma . Some indigenous individuals integrated into Mexican society, like Benito Juárez of Zapotec ethnicity, the first indigenous president in the Americas. Juárez supported
945-432: A palace, temple, market and residences. There were also some Mesoamerican ball courts . These and larger centers doubled as military fortresses in time of invasion. Important Zapotec and Mixtec sites include Yagul , Zaachila , Inguiteria , Yanhuitlan , Tamazulapan , Tejupan , and Teposcolula . For nearly all this time, these various entities were at war with one another, and faced the threat of Aztec expansion. While
1080-451: A preferential way all the natural resources located at the places which the communities live in, except those defined as strategic areas according to the constitution. The communities shall be authorized to associate with each other in order to achieve such goals. Through the land reforms of the early 20th century, some indigenous people had land rights under the ejido system. Under ejidos, indigenous communities have usufruct rights of
1215-501: A social change to elevate the status of indigenous languages in order for the law to be withheld so that indigenous languages are protected. Indigenous women are often taken advantage of because they are women, indigenous, and often poor. Indigenous traditions have been used as a pretext by the Mexican government to deny rights to indigenous women, such as the right to own land. Additionally, violence against women has been regarded by
1350-756: A temperate climate. A few of the highest peaks, such as those in Tehuantepec and Putla have a cold climate. Precipitation varies from between 430 to 2,700 mm (16.9 to 106.3 in) per year. The Sierra Mazteca, Textepec and other areas near the Veracruz border have rains year round. The rest of the state receives the majority of its rain during the summer and early fall. The higher elevations can experience freezing temperatures in December and January. The Chivela mountain pass in Isthmus of Tehuantepec provides
1485-751: A vast cultural region in southeast Mexico and northern Central America, while the Zapotec and Mixtec cultures dominated the valley of Oaxaca and the Purépecha in western Mexico. Scholars agree that significant systems of trading existed between the cultures of Mesoamerica , Aridoamerica and the American Southwest , and the architectural remains and artifacts share a commonality of knowledge attributed to this trade network. The routes stretched far into Mesoamerica and reached as far north as ancient communities that included such population centers in
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#17327723363621620-474: A village called Zapotalito . It can be reached via Federal Highway 200 or by boat from Puerto Escondido. The park encompasses 132.73 square kilometres (51.25 square miles), about 30 km (12 sq mi) of which is taken by various lagoons such as the Laguna de Chacahua, Laguna de La Pastoria, and Laguna Las Salinas . There are various smaller lagoons that are connected by narrow channels. The rest of
1755-677: Is Oaxaca de Juárez . Oaxaca is in southern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Guerrero to the west, Puebla to the northwest, Veracruz to the north, and Chiapas to the east. To the south, Oaxaca has a significant coastline on the Pacific Ocean. The state is best known for its indigenous peoples and cultures. The most numerous and best known are the Zapotecs and the Mixtecs , but 16 are officially recognized. These cultures have survived better than most others in Mexico due to
1890-545: Is 2,500 m (8,202 ft) asl with peaks over 3,000 m (9,843 ft) asl and width averages at about 75 km (47 mi). The Sierra Atravesada is a prolongation of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas . This range is not as high as the other two with an average elevation of just over 600 meters (1,969 ft). Most of it is located in the Juchitán district running east–west. The only valleys of any real size are
2025-611: Is 71.7 for men and 77.4 for women, just under the national average. Births far outpace deaths. In 2007, there were 122,579 births and 19,439 deaths. Approximately 85% profess the Catholic faith. Demographically, Oaxaca stands out due to the high percentage of indigenous peoples. It is estimated that at least a third are speakers of indigenous languages (with 50% not able to speak Spanish), accounting for 53% of Mexico's total indigenous language speaking population. The state straddles two Mesoamerican cultural areas. The first extends into
2160-485: Is Coastal sub-humid and Temperate sub-humid. The main rivers that flow through the park are the Huayapan and San Felipe rivers. Most of their flows used to be utilized to meet drinking water needs of Oaxaca through an aqueduct in the early part of the 18th century, during the colonial period. However, it is now tapped for water supply through piped system to the city. The park covers 2,737 hectares (6,760 acres), including
2295-693: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article relating to the Indigenous peoples of North America is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Native Mexicans Based on language Indigenous peoples of Mexico ( Spanish : gente indígena de México, pueblos indígenas de México ), Native Mexicans ( Spanish : nativos mexicanos ) or Mexican Native Americans ( Spanish : pueblos originarios de México , lit. 'Original Peoples of Mexico'), are those who are part of communities that trace their roots back to populations and communities that existed in what
2430-485: Is a prolific place for reptiles such as turtles, lizards, snakes and crocodiles. Of the 808 registered reptile species nationwide, 245 are found in the state. The state has the most amphibian species at 133, with one-third of all Mexican species of frogs and salamanders. It is home to 120 species of freshwater fish, 738 species of birds (70% of Mexico's total) and 190 species of mammals. Some insect forms such as grasshoppers, larvae and cochineal have economic importance for
2565-496: Is also considered a legend and a symbol for the indigenous population of the state. Porfirio Díaz was Juárez's ally through the French Intervention . French imperial forces took Oaxaca city, which was defended by Díaz, landing him in prison. The capital was later recaptured by the liberals under Carlos Oronoz, but soon after Juárez took back the presidency, Díaz declared rebellion against him from Oaxaca in 1872 under
2700-413: Is also one of Mexico's most biologically diverse states, ranking in the top three, along with Chiapas and Veracruz , for numbers of reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants. The name of the state comes from the name of its capital city, Oaxaca. This name comes from the Nahuatl word "Huaxyacac", which refers to a tree called a "guaje" ( Leucaena leucocephala ) found around the capital city. The name
2835-794: Is an important breeding area for sea turtles such as the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) , which is classified as endangered throughout its global range. Despite conservation efforts starting in the 1970s, the number of nesting sites and nesting turtles has dramatically decreased. Conservation efforts in the state are hampered by high marginalization, lack of economic alternatives, agricultural conflicts, change of land use (agricultural activities, fires), over-exploitation and pollution of natural water sources, inadequate forest management and illegal tree felling, unsustainable coastal tourist developments, climate change, limited local capacity, and limited local knowledge and valuation of natural resources. However, there are seven officially protected natural areas in
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#17327723363622970-440: Is an issue which needs to be addressed to remove the threats to the biosphere reserve. The state has a total population of about 3.5 million, with women outnumbering men by 150,000 and about 60% of the population under the age of 30. It is ranked tenth in population in the country. Fifty three percent of the population lives in rural areas. Most of the state's population growth took place between 1980 and 1990. Life expectancy
3105-409: Is arable. Spanish officials and merchants tried to take indigenous privileges due to their social status, but this was resisted. While some of this was violent, the dominant response was to resort to the administrative-judicial system or yield. Violence was reserved for the worst of situations. One native product to reach economic importance during the colonial period was the cochineal insect, used for
3240-446: Is considered an aftershock . On September 8, an 8.1 magnitude quake struck off of the southern Pacific coast, near Chiapas state. Mexico City , on September 19, then endured a 7.1 magnitude quake, which also marked the 32nd anniversary of the devastating 1985 earthquake , in which more than 10,000 people were killed. On June 23, 2020, a preliminary 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the region, triggering tsunami warnings for parts of
3375-494: Is difficult to overstate Juárez's meaning to the state. He was born on March 21, 1806, in the village of San Pablo Guelatao and was full-blooded Zapotec. He studied to be a priest, then a lawyer. In 1847, Juárez became governor of Oaxaca, but still faced stern opposition from conservatives such as Lope San Germán. With the success of the Plan de Ayutla , Juárez became governor again, and worked to remove privileges and properties from
3510-624: Is distributed throughout the territory of Mexico but is especially concentrated in the Sierra Madre del Sur , the Yucatán Peninsula , the Sierra Madre Oriental , the Sierra Madre Occidental , and neighboring areas. The states with the largest indigenous population are Oaxaca and Yucatán , both having indigenous majorities, with the former having the highest percentage of indigenous population. Since
3645-702: Is in the valley of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán-Quiotepec. The six rivers which flow through the reserve are the Tomellín, Chiquito, Las Vueltas, Salado, Zapotitán and Río Grande of the Papaloapan watershed, which finally flow into the Gulf of Mexico . On account of wide variation in topography and annual rainfall, the micro-climatic conditions in the reserve has created a biosphere reserve, which is very rich in flora and fauna. The rich biodiversity of
3780-468: Is known for its small figures called "pretty women" or "baby face." Between 1200 and 900 BCE, pottery was produced in the area. This pottery has been linked with similar work done in La Victoria, Guatemala . Other important settlements from the same period include Tierras Largas , San José Mogote and Guadalupe , whose ceramics show Olmec influence. The major native language family, Oto-Manguean ,
3915-466: Is less access to maternal care. Conditional cash transfer programs such as Oportunidades have been used to encourage indigenous women to seek formal health care. Generally, indigenous Mexicans are poorer than non-indigenous Mexicans, though social development varies between states, different indigenous ethnicities, and between rural and urban areas. In all states, indigenous people have higher infant mortality , and in some states, almost double that of
4050-699: Is now Mexico before the arrival of Europeans. The number of indigenous Mexicans is defined through the second article of the Mexican Constitution . The Mexican census does not classify individuals by race, using the cultural - ethnicity of indigenous communities that preserve their indigenous languages , traditions, beliefs, and cultures. As a result, the count of indigenous peoples in Mexico does not include those of mixed indigenous and European heritage who have not preserved their indigenous cultural practices. Genetic studies have found that most Mexicans are of partial indigenous heritage. According to
4185-430: Is often called the "spiritual conquest". On the northern frontiers, the Spanish created missions and settled Indigenous populations in these complexes, which prompted raids from those who resisted settlement (given the name Indios Bárbaros ). The Jesuits were prominent in this enterprise until their expulsion from Spanish America in 1767. Catholicism, often with local characteristics, was the only permissible religion in
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4320-625: Is thought to have been spoken in northern Oaxaca around 4400 BCE and to have evolved into nine distinct branches by 1500 BCE. Historic events in Oaxaca as far back as the 12th century are described in pictographic codices painted by Zapotecs and Mixtecs in the beginning of the colonial period, but outside of the information that can be obtained through their study, little historical information from pre-colonial Oaxaca exists, and our knowledge of this period relies largely on archaeological remains. By 500 BCE, Oaxaca's central valleys were mostly inhabited by
4455-603: The Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca ( Spanish : Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca ), is one of the 32 states that compose the Federative Entities of the United Mexican States . It is divided into 570 municipalities , of which 418 (almost three quarters) are governed by the system of usos y costumbres (customs and traditions) with recognized local forms of self-governance. Its capital city
4590-541: The General Law of Linguistic Rights of the Indigenous Peoples explicitly stated the protection of individual and collective linguistic rights of indigenous peoples. The final section also sanctioned the creation of a National Institute for Indigenous Languages (INALI) whose purpose is to promote the growth of indigenous languages in Mexico. There has been a lack of enforcement of the law. For example,
4725-466: The Guilá Naquitz cave near the town of Mitla . This area was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010 in recognition of the "earliest known evidence of domesticated plants in the continent, while corn cob fragments from the same cave are said to be the earliest documented evidence for the domestication of maize." More finds of nomadic peoples date to about 5000 BCE, with some evidence of
4860-797: The Panamerican Highway and the construction of the Miguel Alemán Dam. From the 1980s to the present, there has been much development of the tourism industry in the state. This tourism, as well as the population growth of the capital, prompted the construction of the Oaxaca-Mexico City highway in 1994. Development of tourism has been strongest in the Central Valleys area surrounding the capital, with secondary developments in Huatulco and other locations along
4995-653: The Plan de Tuxtepec . Juárez died in office. Díaz obtained the presidency and did not relinquish it until the Mexican Revolution . During Díaz's rule, called the Porfiriato, a number of modernization efforts were undertaken in the state, such as public lighting, first with gas then with electricity, railroad lines, new agriculture techniques and the revitalization of commerce. Most of the benefits of these advances went to national and international corporations, and workers and indigenous farmers organized against
5130-503: The República de Indios . The degree to which racial category labels had legal and social consequences has been subject to academic debate since the idea of a "caste system" was developed by Ángel Rosenblat and Gonzalo Aguirre Beltrán in the 1940s. Both historians popularized the notion that racial status was a key organizing principle of Spanish colonial rule. However, recent academic studies have challenged this notion, considering it
5265-571: The San Andrés Larráinzar Accords were negotiated between the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and the Mexican government. The San Andrés accords were the first time that indigenous rights were acknowledged by the Mexican government. The government has made certain legislative changes to promote the development of rural and indigenous communities and the promotion of indigenous languages. The second article of
5400-593: The Spanish Conquest in 1521. Between 700 and 1300, the Mixtec were scattered among various dominions, including those of Achiutla , Tequixtepec-Chazumba , Apoala and Coixtlahuaca . The Zapotecs occupied a large region from Central Valleys region to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. No major city-state like Monte Albán arose again, with villages and city-states remaining small, between 1,000 and 3,000 people with
5535-542: The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire eliminating the superstructure of rule, and replacing it with Spanish. The crown had several concerns about the encomienda. First was that the holders of encomiendas, called encomenderos, were becoming too powerful, essentially a seigneurial group that might challenge crown power (as shown in the conspiracy by conqueror Hernán Cortés 's legitimate son and heir). The second
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5670-531: The Yaqui Wars . The Mayo joined their Yaqui neighbors in rebellion after 1867. In Yucatán, Mayas waged a protracted war against local Mexican control in the Caste War of Yucatán , which was most intensely fought in 1847 and lasted until 1915. The Mexican Revolution , a violent social and cultural movement that defined 20th-century Mexico, produced a nationalist sentiment that the indigenous peoples were
5805-496: The x represented the voiceless postalveolar fricative ( [ʃ] , the equivalent of English sh in "shop"), making "Oaxaca" pronounced as [waˈʃaka] . But during the 16th century the voiceless fricative sound evolved into a voiceless velar fricative ( [x] , like the ch in Scottish "loch"), and Oaxaca began to be pronounced [waˈxaka] . In present-day Spanish, Oaxaca is pronounced [waˈxaka] or [waˈhaka] ,
5940-523: The 3,111-meter (10,207 ft) high "Cerro de San Felipe" (San Felipe Mountain), part of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca which has metamorphic rock formations. It has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. There are pine and oak forests in the upper reaches of the mountain, while the lower reaches have scrub oaks, and tropical deciduous forest in the canyons. Most of the forest is secondary growth, having been previously forested. Huatulco National Park , also known as Bahias de Huatulco National Park – Huatulco,
6075-835: The Aztec began to take control of trade routes in the area and part of the Pacific Coast. By this time, the Zapotec were led by Cosijoeza with the government in Zaachila in the latter 15th century. Under Ahuitzotl , the Aztecs temporarily pushed the Zapotecs into Tehuantepec and established a permanent military base at Huaxyacac (Oaxaca city). The Aztecs were stopped only by the Spanish Conquest. The conquest changed most of
6210-513: The Central Valleys between Etla and Miahuatlán , which contains the city of Oaxaca. Smaller populated valleys include Nochixtlan, Nejapa, Cuicatlan and Tuxtepec. Small mesas contain population centers such as Putla , Juxtlahuaca , Tamazulapan , Zacatepec , Tlaxiaco and Huajuapan . The largest canyons in the state are those in the Cuicatlán area and include the Cortés, Galicia and María in
6345-458: The Church and landed classes. The Constitution of 1857 was ratified in Oaxaca city, and Juárez left the governor's position to become President of Mexico . He was president during one of Mexico's most turbulent times, fighting invading French forces and conservatives. As a liberal, he imposed many of the reforms that remain today, including those in education and separation of church and state. He
6480-564: The Constitution was modified to include the right of self-determination and requires state governments to promote and ensure the economic development of indigenous communities as well as the preservation of their languages and traditions. The Spanish crown had legal protections for indigenous individuals as well as their communities, including establishing a separate General Indian Court. The mid-nineteenth-century liberal reform removed them as part of its establishment of equality before
6615-578: The General Law on Linguistic Rights of Indigenous People guarantees the right to a trial in the language of indigenous peoples with someone who understands their culture. According to the Mexican National Human Rights Commission , Mexico has not abided by this law. Examples include Jacinta Francisca Marcial , an indigenous woman imprisoned for her alleged involvement in a 2006 kidnapping. After three years and
6750-499: The Hispanic sphere: Spaniards, Africans, and mixed-race castas. Although Indigenous peoples were marginalized in the colonial system, and often rebelled, the paternalistic structure of colonial rule supported the continued existence and structure of indigenous communities. The Spanish crown recognized the existing ruling group, gave protection to the land holdings of indigenous communities, and communities and individuals had access to
6885-541: The Maya or Nahua retaining high levels of development, the general indigenous population lives at a lower level of development than the general population. Literacy rates are much lower for the indigenous, particularly in the southwestern states of Guerrero and Oaxaca due lack of access to education and a lack of educational literature available in indigenous languages. Literacy rates are also much lower, with 27% of indigenous children between 6 and 14 being illiterate compared to
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#17327723363627020-464: The Mexican government as a cultural practice. The EZLN accepted a Revolutionary Law for Women on March 8, 1993. The law is not fully enforced but shows solidarity between the indigenous movement and women. The Mexican government increased militarization of indigenous areas has made women more susceptible to harassment through military abuses. The government has remained largely inactive against denunciations of abuse of indigenous women by elements of
7155-610: The National Indigenous Institute (INI) and the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (CDI), in 2012 the indigenous population was approximately 15 million people, divided into 68 ethnic groups. The 2020 Censo General de Población y Vivienda reported 11,132,562 people living in households where someone speaks an indigenous language, and 23,232,391 people who were identified as indigenous based on self-identification. The indigenous population
7290-718: The Sierra de Miahuatlán and the Sierra de la Garza. The Sierra Madre de Oaxaca enters the state from the Puebla and Veracruz borders in the Tuxtepec region , running northwest to southeast towards the Central Valleys region , then onto the Tehuantepec area . Local names for parts of this range include Sierra de Tamazulapan, Sierra de Nochixtlan, Sierra de Huautla, Sierra de Juárez, Sierra de Ixtlan and others. Average altitude
7425-687: The Spanish colonization, the North and Bajio regions of Mexico have had lower percentages of indigenous peoples, but some notable groups include the Rarámuri , the Tepehuán , the Yaquis , and the Yoreme . In the second article of the Mexican Constitution , Mexico defines itself as a pluricultural nation in recognition of the diverse ethnic groups that constitute it and where the indigenous peoples are
7560-474: The Spanish first made contact with Indigenous Languages during the colonial period. Beginning in the early sixteenth century, mestizaje , the mixing of races and cultures, led to the mixing of languages as well. The Spanish Crown proclaimed Spanish to be the language of the empire; indigenous languages were used during the conversion of individuals to Catholicism. Because of this, indigenous languages were more widespread than Spanish from 1523 to 1581. During
7695-581: The Spanish legal system. However, these codes were often ignored in practice, and racial discrimination was prevalent in New Spain. In the religious sphere, indigenous men were banned from Christian priesthood, following an early Franciscan attempt that included fray Bernardino de Sahagún to train an indigenous group. Mendicants of the Franciscan , Dominican , and Augustinian orders initially evangelized indigenous in their own communities in what
7830-496: The Spanish presidio of Villa Alta. This rebellion was put down by the Spanish, in alliance with about 2,000 Mixtecs and Aztecs. From this point, the Mixe retreated far into the mountains to isolate themselves, where they remain today. The first priest in the territory was Juan Diaz, who accompanied Francisco de Orozco and built the first church in what is now the city of Oaxaca. He was followed by Bartolome de Olmade and others who began
7965-659: The Spanish. Resistance to the new order was sporadic and confined to the Pacific coastal plain, the Zapotec Sierra, the Mixea region and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The Mixe put up the most resistance to intrusions on their lands. They not only resisted during the first decade or so of Spanish occupation, like other groups, but through the rest of the 16th century. The last major Mixe rebellion came in 1570, when they burned and looted Zapotec communities and threatened to destroy
8100-762: The United States such as Snaketown , Chaco Canyon , and Ridge Ruin near Flagstaff (considered some of the finest artifacts ever located). By the time of the arrival of the Spanish in central Mexico, many peoples of Mesoamerica (with the notable exception of the Tlaxcaltecs and the Purépecha Kingdom of Michoacán ) were loosely joined under the Aztec Empire , the last Nahua civilization to flourish in Central Mexico. The capital of
8235-444: The United States. Mesoamerica was densely populated by diverse indigenous ethnic groups which, although sharing common cultural characteristics, spoke different languages and developed unique civilizations. One of the most influential civilizations in Mesoamerica was the Olmec civilization, sometimes referred to as the " Mother Culture of Mesoamerica". The later civilization in Teotihuacan reached its peak around 600 AD when
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#17327723363628370-573: The Zapotec remained dominant in many parts of the Central Valleys and into the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, the Mixtec were pushing into Zapotec territory, taking Monte Alban. In areas they conquered, they became prolific builders, leaving behind numerous and still unexplored sites. But the conquest of the Central Valleys was never completed, with pressure coming from the Aztecs in Tenochtitlan in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Zapotecs and Mixtecs both allied themselves and fought among themselves as they tried to maintain their lands and valuable trade routes between
8505-462: The Zapotecs, with the Mixtecs on the western side. These two groups were often in conflict during the pre-Hispanic period. Archeological evidence indicates that between 750 and 1521, there may have been population peaks of as high as 2.5 million. The Zapotecs were the earliest to gain dominance over the Central Valleys region. The first major dominion was centered in Monte Albán, which flourished from 500 BCE to AD 750. At its height, Monte Albán
8640-458: The area had gold . In addition, when Zapotec leaders heard about the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire , they sent an offer of an alliance. Several captains and representatives were sent to the area to explore, looking for gold and routes to the Pacific to establish trade routes to Asian spice markets . The most prominent of Cortés's captains to arrive here were Gonzalo de Sandoval , Francisco de Orozco and Pedro de Alvarado . They overcame
8775-525: The area. At least 10 people were killed. The state is located in the southeastern portion of Mexico, bordered by the states of Puebla , Veracruz , Chiapas and Guerrero , with the Pacific Ocean to the south. It has a territory of 93,967 km (36,281 sq mi), accounting for less than 5% of Mexico's territory. Here several mountain chains come together, with the elevation varying from sea level to 3,759 m (12,333 ft) asl , averaging at 1,500 m (4,921 ft) asl. Oaxaca has one of
8910-416: The areas around Huajuapan de León, where Valerio Trujano defended the city against royalist forces until José María Morelos y Pavón came in with support to keep the area in rebel hands. After that point, insurgents had greater success in various parts of the state, but the capital remained in royalist hands until the end of the war. The state was initially a department after the war ended in 1821, but after
9045-415: The armed forces. Indigenous women have formed many support organizations to improve their social position and gain financial independence. Indigenous women use national and international legislation to support their claims that go against cultural norms such as domestic violence. Reproductive justice is an important issue to indigenous communities because there is a lack of development in these areas and
9180-616: The assistance of Amnesty International , she was released for lack of evidence. Additionally, the General Law on Linguistics also guarantees bilingual and intercultural education. These efforts have been criticized on grounds that teachers do not know the indigenous language or do not prioritize its teaching. In fact, some studies argue that formal education has decreased the prevalence of indigenous languages. Some parents do not teach their children their indigenous language, and some children refuse to learn their indigenous language for fear of discrimination. Scholars argue that there needs to be
9315-550: The beginning of agriculture. By 2000 BCE, agriculture had been established in the Central Valleys region of the state, with sedentary villages. The diet developed around this time remained until the Spanish Conquest, consisting primarily of harvested corn, beans, chocolate, tomatoes, chili peppers, squash and gourds. Meat was generally hunted and included tepescuintle , turkey, deer, peccary , armadillo and iguana . The oldest known major settlements, such as Yanhuitlán and Laguna Zope , are also in this area. The latter settlement
9450-410: The city possibly became the sixth largest city in the world, whose cultural and theological systems influenced the Toltec and Aztec civilizations in later centuries. Evidence has been found on the existence of polyethnic communities or neighborhoods in Teotihuacan (and other large urban areas like Tenochtitlan ). The Maya civilization , influenced by other Mesoamerican civilizations, developed
9585-471: The coast line, out of the identified 100 marine species. Vegetation is dominated by the low forest growth of caducifolia in 80% area with the unusual feature of 50 ft (15.24 m) high trees. Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, which encompasses the states of Puebla and Oaxaca in Mexico, was established as reserve in 1998 covering an area of 490,187 ha (1,211,280 acres), with an altitudinal range of 600 to 2,950 m (1,969 to 9,678 ft). It
9720-471: The coast. This development was threatened by violence associated with the 2006 uprising , which severely curtailed the number of incoming tourists for several years. On February 12, 2008, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Oaxaca. From the Mexican Revolution until the 2000s, the ruling PRI party controlled almost all Oaxacan politics, from the local to the state level. Challenges to
9855-423: The colonial era. During the early colonial era in central Mexico, Spaniards were more interested in access to indigenous labor than land ownership. The institution of the encomienda , a crown grant of the labor of indigenous communities to conquerors was a key element of the imposition of Spanish rule. The Spanish crown initially maintained the indigenous sociopolitical system of local rulers and land tenure, with
9990-738: The colonial period. Initially, the Spanish did not change native power structures and allowed nobles to keep their privileges as long as they were loyal to the Spanish crown. But all indigenous people were eventually lumped into one category as the Spanish halted warfare among the city-states and created the official category of "indio" (Indian). Settlers arriving from Spain brought with them domestic animals that had never been seen in Oaxaca: horses , cows , goats , sheep , chickens , mules and oxen . New crops such as sugar cane , vanilla and tobacco were introduced. Landholding remained mostly in indigenous hands, even though only 9% of Oaxaca's terrain
10125-454: The colonial system, the friars taught indigenous scribes to write their languages in Latin letters so that there is a large corpus of colonial-era documentation in the Nahuatl language, Mixtec , Zapotec , Yucatec Maya , and others. Such a written tradition likely took hold through existing practices of pictorial writing found in many indigenous codices . New Philology scholars have utilized
10260-421: The colonial-era alphabetic documentation to illuminate the colonial experience of Mesoamerican peoples from their own viewpoints. Conquerors awarded labor and tribute under the encomienda system benefitted financially. Since Mesoamerican peoples had existing requirements of labor duty and tribute in the pre-conquest era, indigenous officials were involved in maintaining this system in their communities. There
10395-555: The constitution. According to this article, indigenous peoples are granted: The Law of Linguistic Rights of the Indigenous Languages recognizes 89 indigenous languages as national languages, which have the same validity as Spanish in all territories where they are spoken. According to the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Data Processing (INEGI), approximately 5.4% of the population speaks an indigenous language. The recognition of indigenous languages and
10530-612: The consular services provided in Spanish as well as Zapotec and Mixe . Some of the Maya peoples of Chiapas have revolted, demanding better social and economic opportunities, requests voiced by the EZLN . The Chiapas conflict of 1994 led to collaboration between the Mexican government and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation , a libertarian socialist indigenous political group. This movement generated international media attention and united many indigenous groups. In 1996
10665-568: The convergence of the Sierra Madre del Sur , the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca and the Sierra Atravesada into what is called the Oaxaca Complex (Complejo Oaxaqueño). The Sierra Madre del Sur runs along the coast with an average width of 150 km (93 mi) and a minimum height of 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) asl with peaks over 2,500 m (8,202 ft) asl. In various regions the chain is locally known by other names, such as
10800-602: The cultural area where several complex civilizations developed before the arrival of the Spanish in the sixteenth century, and Aridoamerica (or simply "The North"), the arid region north of the Tropic of Cancer which was less densely populated. Despite the conditions, the Mogollon culture and peoples established urban population centers at Casas Grandes and Cuarenta Casas in a vast territory that encompassed northern Chihuahua state and parts of Arizona and New Mexico in
10935-1363: The drainage towards the Gulf is represented by the Papaloapan and Coatzacoalcos Rivers and their tributaries such as the Grande and Salado Rivers. Three rivers account for most of the water headed for the Pacific: the Mixteco , Atoyac and Tehuantepec Rivers with their tributaries. Other important rivers and streams include the Tequisistlán, Santo Domingo, Putla, Minas, Puxmetacán-Trinidad, La Arena, Cajonos, Tenango, Tonto, Huamelula, San Antonio, Ayutla, Joquila, Copalita, Calapa, Colotepec, Aguacatenango-Jaltepec, Los Perros, El Corte, Espíritu Santo, Sarabia, Ostuta, Petapa and Petlapa. Major cities include Huajuapan de León , Juchitán de Zaragoza , Oaxaca (Oaxaca de Juárez) , Puerto Escondido , Salina Cruz , San Pedro Pochutla , San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán , San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec , Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán , Santa Lucía del Camino , Santa María Asunción Tlaxiaco , Santiago Pinotepa Nacional and Tehuantepec (Santo Domingo Tehuantepec) . Regions and districts of Oaxaca are: While
11070-408: The dry season. In the driest areas mesquite , some cactus and grasslands can be found. There are also 58 species of aquatic plants. Wildlife includes a wide variety of birds, small to medium-sized mammals and some larger ones such as deer and wildcats, reptiles and amphibians. Off the coast there are fish and shellfish, as well as dolphins and whales which pass by during their migrations. The state
11205-517: The effect of dividing the state into small secluded communities, which have developed independently over time. There are 16 ethno linguistic groups recognized by the Instituto Nacional Indigenista who maintain their individual languages, customs and traditions well into the colonial period and to some extent to the present day. However, some studies put the number of cultures in the state as high as 4,000. This makes Oaxaca
11340-427: The empire, Tenochtitlan , became one of the largest urban centers in the world, with an estimated population of 350,000 inhabitants. During the conquest of the Aztec Empire , the Spanish conquistadors allied with other ethnic groups in the region, including the Tlaxcaltecs . This strategy succeeded due to discontent with Aztec rule, which demanded tributes and used conquered peoples for ritual sacrifice . During
11475-538: The fall of emperor Agustín de Iturbide , it became a state in 1824, with Jose Maria Murguia as its first governor. During the 19th century, Oaxaca and the rest of Mexico was split between liberal (federalist) and conservative (centralist) factions. The political and military struggles between the factions resulted in wars and intrigues. Vicente Guerrero , a liberal, was executed by firing squad in Cuilapam in 1831. Liberal Manuel Gomez Pedraza became governor in 1832 but
11610-515: The first time that indigenous rights were acknowledged by the Mexican government. The San Andrés Accords did not explicitly state language but language was involved in matters involving culture and education. In 2001, the second article of the constitution of Mexico was changed to recognize and enforce the right of indigenous peoples and communities to self-determination and therefore their autonomy to preserve and enrich their language, knowledge, and every part of their culture and identity. In 2003,
11745-563: The following decades, the Spanish consolidated their rule in what became the viceroyalty of New Spain . Through the Valladolid Debate , the crown recognized the indigenous nobility in Mesoamerica as nobles, freed indigenous slaves, and kept the existing basic structure of indigenous city-states. Indigenous communities were incorporated as communities under Spanish rule. As part of the Spanish incorporation of indigenous into
11880-499: The foundation of Mexican society in a movement known as indigenismo . Several prominent artists promoted the "Indigenous Sentiment" ( sentimiento indigenista ) of the country, including Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera . Throughout the twentieth century, the government established bilingual education in some indigenous communities and published free bilingual textbooks. Some states of the federation appropriated an indigenous inheritance in order to reinforce their identity. In spite of
12015-476: The government of this area remained loyal to the Spanish Crown. When representatives of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla came to meet with them, they were hanged and their heads left out in view. Some early rebel groups emerged in the state, such as those led by Felipe Tinoco and Catarino Palacios, but they were also eventually executed. After 1812, insurgents began to have some success in the state, especially in
12150-491: The high central plains of Mexico and Central America. The first Aztecs arrived in the Oaxaca area in 1250, but true expansion into the region began in the 15th century. In 1457, Moctezuma I invaded the Tlaxiaco and Coixtlahuaca areas, gaining control, demanding tribute and establishing military outposts. These were Mixtec lands at first, pushing these people even further into Zapotec territory. Under Axayacatl and Tizoc ,
12285-399: The land. Indigenous people use collective property so that the aforementioned services that the land provides are available to the entire community and future generations. This was a stark contrast to the viewpoints of colonists that saw the land purely in an economic way where land could be transferred between individuals. Once the land of the indigenous people and therefore their livelihood
12420-531: The land. Indigenous communities do this when they do not have the legal evidence to claim the land. In 1992, free market reforms allowed ejidos to be partitioned and sold. For this to happen, the PROCEDE program was established. The PROCEDE program surveyed, mapped, and verified the ejido lands. According to several analysts, the privatization of ejidos has undermined the economic base of indigenous communities. The history of linguistic rights in Mexico began when
12555-413: The language of the indigenous group they identify with. This means that the percentage of the Mexican population defined as "indigenous" varies according to the definition applied; cultural activists have referred to the usage of the narrow definition of the term for census purposes as "statistical genocide". The indigenous peoples in Mexico have the right of free determination under the second article of
12690-602: The late sixteenth century, the prevalence of the Spanish language increased. Indigenous tongues are discriminated against and seen as not modern. By the seventeenth century, the elite minority were Spanish speakers. After independence in 1821, there was a shift to Spanish to legitimize the Mexican Spanish created by Mexican criollos . The nineteenth century brought with it programs to provide bilingual education at primary levels where they would eventually transition to Spanish-only education. Linguistic uniformity
12825-670: The latter pronunciation used mostly in dialects of southern Mexico, the Caribbean, much of Central America, some places in South America, and the Canary Islands and western Andalusia in Spain, where [x] has become a voiceless glottal fricative ( [h] ). Most of what is known about prehistoric Oaxaca comes from work in the Central Valleys region. Evidence of human habitation dating to about 11,000 years BCE has been found in
12960-493: The law . The creation of a national identity not linked to racial or ethnic identity was an aim of Mexican liberalism. In the late twentieth century, there has been a push for indigenous rights and a recognition of indigenous cultural identity. According to the constitutional reform of 2001, the following rights of indigenous peoples are recognized: The second article of the Constitution of Mexico recognizes and enforces
13095-470: The local level. Despite Spanish domination, the indigenous peoples of Oaxaca have maintained much of their culture and identity, more so than most other places in Mexico. Part of this is due to the geography of the land, making many communities isolated. By 1810, the city of Oaxaca had 18,000 inhabitants, most of whom were mestizos or mixed indigenous/European. During the Mexican War of Independence
13230-846: The main Aztec military stronghold only four months after the fall of Tenochtitlan. Their reports about the area prompted Cortés to seek the title of the Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca from the Spanish Crown . The valley Zapotecs, the Mixtecs of the Upper Mixteca, the Mazatecas and the Cuicatecas, for the most part, chose not to fight the newcomers, instead negotiating to keep most of the old hierarchy but with ultimate authority to
13365-424: The making of dyes for textiles. This product was exported to Europe, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries. The use of this insect faded in the 19th century with the discovery of cheaper dyes including synthetic colorants . For much of the colonial period, the state (then an intendencia or province) was relatively isolated with few roads and other forms of communication. Most politics and social issues were on
13500-430: The most rugged terrains in Mexico, with mountain ranges that abruptly fall into the sea. Between these mountains are mostly narrow valleys, canyons and ravines. Major elevations in the state include Zempoaltepetl (3,396 m or 11,142 ft asl), El Espinazo del Diablo, Nindú Naxinda Yucunino and Cerro Encantado. Oaxaca has 533 km (331 mi) of coastline with nine major bays. The mountains are mostly formed by
13635-417: The municipality of Tlaxiaco. There are a very large number of small canyons as well as ravines and arroyos of all sizes. The mountainous terrain allows for no navigable rivers; instead, there are a large number of smaller ones, which often change name from area to area. The continental divide passes through the state, meaning that there is drainage towards both the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Most of
13770-399: The new republic. The Mexican Constitution of 1824 has several articles pertaining to indigenous peoples. The Mexican War of Independence was a decade-long struggle ending in 1821, in which indigenous peoples participated for their own motivations. The new country was named after its capital city, Mexico City . The new flag had at its center a symbol of the Aztecs, an eagle perched on
13905-584: The non-indigenous populations. Some indigenous groups, particularly the Yucatec Maya in the Yucatán Peninsula and some of the Nahua and Otomi peoples in central states have maintained higher levels of development while indigenous peoples in states such as the Guerrero or Michoacán are ranked drastically lower than the average Mexican citizen in these fields. Despite certain indigenous groups such as
14040-413: The official recognition of indigenous peoples, the economic underdevelopment of their communities, accentuated by the crises of the 1980s and 1990s, has not allowed for the development of most indigenous communities. Thousands of indigenous Mexicans have emigrated to urban centers in Mexico and the United States. In Los Angeles, for example, the Mexican government has established electronic access to some of
14175-582: The original foundation. The number of indigenous Mexicans is measured using constitutional criteria. The category of indigena (indigenous) can be defined narrowly according to linguistic criteria including only persons that speak one of Mexico's 89 indigenous languages , this is the categorization used by the National Mexican Institute of Statistics. It can also be defined broadly to include all persons who self-identify as having an indigenous cultural background, whether or not they speak
14310-474: The park consists of dry land. The park has 10 different types of vegetation: "selva espinosa", swampland, deciduous , sub-tropical broadleaf, mangrove , savannah , "bosque de galleria", "tular", palm trees, and coastal dunes. 246 species of flowers and 189 species of animals have been documented so far in the park. Birds such as storks , herons , wild ducks, blue-winged teals , pelicans , and spoonbills can be found here. Three species of turtles also visit
14445-452: The park to lay their eggs. Benito Juárez National Park is located 5 km (3.1 mi) to the north of Oaxaca within the municipal limits of San Felipe del Agua and Donaji, Oaxaca, and San Andres Huayapan of the central district. It was designated as a national park under a presidential decree, in 1937. The topography of the park has an elevation range varying from 1,650 to 3,050 metres (5,413 to 10,007 feet) above sea level . The climate
14580-513: The place names in parts of Oaxaca from their Nahuatl names. In 1486 the Aztecs established a fort on the hill of Huaxyácac (now called El Fortín), overlooking the present city of Oaxaca. This was the major Aztec military base charged with the enforcement of tribute collection and control of trade routes. Aztec rule in Oaxaca lasted only a little more than 30 years. Very soon after the fall of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City), Spaniards arrived in Oaxaca. Moctezuma II had informed Hernando Cortes that
14715-414: The preserve consists of 910 plant genus, 2,700 vascular species, 102 species of mammals, 356 species of birds which includes the endangered Green Macaw ( Ara militaris ), and 53 species of reptiles. However, the reserve is faced with threats from poaching, deforestation, overgrazing, and trash scattered on the highways and secondary roads that pass close and through the reserve. Inadequate patrolling staff
14850-468: The previous leaders, especially Venustiano Carranza, and held various portions of the state until 1920. At the end of the Revolution, a new state constitution was written and accepted in 1922. A series of major disasters occurred in Oaxaca from the 1920s to the 1940s. In 1928, a series of earthquakes destroyed many of the buildings in the capital. A much larger earthquake in 1931 was the largest in
14985-419: The protection of indigenous cultures is granted not only to the ethnic groups indigenous to modern-day Mexican territory but also to other North American indigenous groups that migrated to Mexico from the United States in the nineteenth century and those who immigrated from Guatemala in the 1980s. The prehispanic civilizations of what now is known as Mexico are often divided into two regions: Mesoamerica ,
15120-571: The regime. After the Mexican Revolution broke out, Díaz was soon ousted and the rest of the war was among the various factions that had power in different parts of the country. Various leaders such as Francisco I. Madero , Victoriano Huerta and Venustiano Carranza came to the state during this time, but the most important force in the area was the Liberation Army of the South under Emiliano Zapata . This army allied with and fought against
15255-680: The removal of provisions protecting indigenous communal land holdings through the Lerdo law . In the North of Mexico, indigenous peoples, such as the Comanche and Apache , who had acquired the horse, waged a successful warfare against the Mexican state. The Comanche controlled considerable territory, called the Comancheria . The Yaqui also had a long tradition of resistance, with the late nineteenth-century leader Cajemé being prominent during
15390-425: The right of indigenous peoples and communities to self-determination and autonomy to: V. Preserve and improve their habitat as well as preserve the integrity of their lands in accordance with this constitution. VI. Be entitled to the estate and land property modalities established by this constitution and its derived legislation, to all private property rights and communal property rights as well as to use and enjoy in
15525-526: The rule were sporadic and included the student movements of the 1970s, which did bring down the state government. Teachers' strikes were frequent thereafter, culminating in the 2006 uprising in Oaxaca city , which brought in groups protesting the heavy marginalization of the poor. The PRI lost its 80-year hold on the state government in 2010 with the election of the PAN gubernatorial candidate Gabino Cué Monteagudo . This has led to speculation of major changes for
15660-407: The state and there are several species of 'giant' stick insects indigenous to the region (such as Bacteria horni which has a body length of up to 22 cm). The most important ocean creatures commercially are shrimp, tuna, bonito, huachinango and mojarra . Sea turtles used to be exploited for both their meat and eggs but this was stopped by the federal government in the 1990s. The coast of Oaxaca
15795-522: The state from the Mayan lands of Chiapas, Yucatán , and Guatemala . The central and northwest of the state is part of the cultures of the Valley of Mexico , with historical influence seen from ancient cities such as Teotihuacan , Tula , and Tenochtitlan . The main reason that indigenous languages and cultures have been able to survive here is the rugged terrain, which isolate communities. This also has
15930-473: The state is over 2,000 m (6,562 ft) above sea level , average temperature is about 18 °C (64.4 °F), except near the coast. The coastline along with the regions of Yautepec, Putla, parts of Huahuapan and Silacayoapan are hot and relatively dry. Hot and humid climates predominate in Villa Alta, and the Central Valleys area and all others over 2,000 m (6,562 ft) above sea level have
16065-430: The state is within the tropical latitudes, its climate varies with altitude. There are three principal climate regions in the state. The first is the hot and subtropical lands. This accounts for about 30% of the state. The next is the semi hot and semi humid regions which account for about 18%, and temperate and semi humid at about 16%. All of these climates experience a rainy season in the summer and early fall. As most of
16200-604: The state's history, devastating a number of cities along the coast. The 1930s brought the Great Depression , which along with the disasters, prompted wide-scale migration to Mexico City. In 1944, torrential rains caused extensive flooding in the Tuxtepec region, resulting in hundreds of deaths. In the 1940s and 1950s, new infrastructure projects were begun. These included the Izúcar-Tehuantepec section of
16335-467: The state's rugged and isolating terrain. Most live in the Central Valleys region, which is also an economically important area for tourism, with people attracted for its archeological sites such as Monte Albán , and Mitla , and its various native cultures and crafts. Another important tourist area is the coast, which has the major resort of Huatulco and sandy beaches of Puerto Escondido , Puerto Ángel , Zipolite , Bahia de Tembo , and Mazunte . Oaxaca
16470-511: The state. In 2017, a series of earthquakes brought death and destruction to parts of Mexico, including Oaxaca. According to the US Geological Survey , on September 23, 2017, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook Matías Romero , about 275 miles southeast of Mexico City . The epicenter was about 12 miles from Matías Romero and approximately halfway between the two even more violent earthquakes in Mexico earlier that month, of which it
16605-589: The state: Benito Juárez National Park at 3,272 ha (8,090 acres), Huatulco National Park at 11,845 ha (29,270 acres), Lagunas de Chacahua National Park at 14,920 ha (36,900 acres), Playa de Escobilla Sanctuary at 30 ha (74 acres), Playa de la Bahía de Chacahua Sanctuary at 31 ha (77 acres), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve at 490,678 ha (1,212,490 acres) and Yagul Natural Monument at 1,076 ha (2,660 acres). Lagunas de Chacahua National Park , created in 1937, lies about 54 km (34 mi) west of Puerto Escondido , near
16740-699: The superficial conversion of a number of indigenous people, including the baptism of Zapotec leader Cosijoeza. In 1528, the Dominicans settled in the city of Oaxaca, forming the Bishopric of Oaxaca in 1535, and began to spread out from there, eventually reaching Tehuantepec and the coast. Other orders followed, such as the Jesuits in 1596, the Mercedarians in 1601, and others in the 17th and 18th centuries. Spanish conquest and subsequent colonization had
16875-489: The trade via the Manila Galleon there was an intermingling of groups, with mixed-race castas , particularly mestizos , becoming a component of Spanish cities and to a lesser extent indigenous communities. The Spanish legal structure formally separated what they called the República de Indios (the republic of Indians) from the República de Españoles (Republic of Spaniards), with the latter encompassing all those in
17010-532: The world for endangered species. The state has important ecological zones such as the Selva Zoque in the northeast. Vegetation varies from those adapted to hot and arid conditions such as cacti , to evergreen tropical forest on the coasts. Forests in the higher elevations consist of conifers , broadleafed trees and a mixture of the two. In the lower elevations by the coast there are evergreen and deciduous rainforest , with those dropping leaves doing so in
17145-475: Was a precipitous decline in indigenous populations, mainly due to the spread of European diseases previously unknown in the America but also through war and forced labor. Pandemics wrought havoc, but indigenous communities recovered with fewer members. With contact between indigenous populations, Spaniards, African slaves , and starting in the late sixteenth century, Asian slaves ( chinos ) brought as goods
17280-499: Was home to 25,000 people and the capital city of the Zapotec nation. It remained a secondary center of power for the Zapotecs until the Mixtecs overran it in 1325. The site has several notable features, including the Danzantes, a set of stone reliefs, and the finding of fine quality ceramics. Starting from AD 750 previous large urban centers such as Monte Alban fell across the Oaxaca area and smaller dominions grew and evolved until
17415-824: Was initially declared a protected area and later decreed as a National Park on July 24, 1998. Located in the Santa Maria Huatulco town, to the west of Cruz Huatulco, it extends to an area of 11,890 hectares (29,400 acres). In the low lands of the park, there 9,000 species of plant (about 50% of the species are reported throughout the country) in the forest and mangroves in the coastal belt. Fauna species have been identified as 264, which includes armadillos and white-tailed deer . Bird species are counted at 701, which include hummingbirds , pelicans and hawks . The amphibian and reptile species are counted to be 470, which include Black Iguana , salamanders and snakes. Dolphins , whales and turtles are sighted species off
17550-497: Was no longer monopolized by a small group of conquerors and their descendants but apportioned to a larger group of Spaniards. Through the repartimiento, indigenous peoples were obligated to perform low-paid labor for a certain number of weeks or months on Spanish enterprises, notably silver mining. The land of indigenous peoples is used for material reasons as well as spiritual reasons. Religious, cultural, social, spiritual, and other events relating to their identity are also tied to
17685-461: Was opposed by General Estaban Moctezuma. He and commandant Luis Quintanar persecuted liberals in the state, including Benito Juárez . The constant warfare had a detrimental effect on the state's economy and those in the Tehuantepec area supported a separatist movement, which partially succeeded in the 1850s. Two Oaxacans, Juárez and Porfirio Díaz , were prominent players in the Reform War . It
17820-403: Was originally applied to the Valley of Oaxaca by Nahuatl-speaking Aztecs and passed on to the Spanish during the conquest of the Oaxaca region. The modern state was created in 1824, and the state seal was designed by Alfredo Canseco Feraud and approved by the government of Eduardo Vasconcelos. "Huaxyacac" [waːʃ.ˈja.kak] was transliterated as "Oaxaca" using Medieval Spanish orthography, in which
17955-447: Was sought out to strengthen national identity. This further excluded indigenous languages from power structures. The Chiapas conflict of 1994 led to collaboration between the Mexican government and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation , an indigenous political group. In 1996 the San Andrés Larráinzar Accords were negotiated between the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and the Mexican government. The San Andrés accords were
18090-413: Was taken from them, they became dependent on those that had land and power. Additionally, the spiritual services that the land provided were no longer available and caused a deterioration of indigenous groups and cultures. The Spanish legal system divided racial groups into two basic categories, the República de Españoles , consisting of all non-indigenous, but initially Spaniards and black Africans, and
18225-463: Was that the encomenderos were monopolizing indigenous labor, excluding newly arriving Spaniards. And third, the crown was concerned about the damage to the indigenous vassals and their communities by the institution. Through the New Laws of 1542 , the crown sought to phase out the encomienda and replace it with another crown mechanism of forced indigenous labor, the repartimiento . Indigenous labor
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