Social Exclusion and the Negotiation of Afro-Mexican Identity in the Costa Chica of Oaxaca, Mexico.

358 Pages·2014·5.72 MB·English

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 Guide (presidentes municipales) .......................................... 318
Discussion Group (population between 15-25, 26-60 years) ................................................. 321
History of Life Guide (male and female elderly population – 60 or more years old people)....... 327
Household Questionnaire (households’ characterization) ................................................. 329
Opinion Questionnaire (Afro-Mexicans’ profile) .............................................................. 331
Lexicon Questionnaire (social representations for Afro-Mexicans) ...................................... 344
Colorimeter (men) ......................................................................................................... 347
Colorimeter (women) ..................................................................................................... 348

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