Indigenous Migration: Youth and Identity in Mexico City

Ana Domaxi, Mexico

Introduction

Migration has been and is an important component in the growth of cities. Indigenous migration to urban areas of Mexico was largely due to the process of industrialization that occurred since 1940 mainly in three states, Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, as they saw migration as a way to access better living conditions.Today the economic, political and social situation of the country has changed, in large part due to the crises that began in Mexico in the 1970s, when there was financial instability and little economic growth. This situation gave way to a considerable decrease in the indigenous population in the communities of origin and an increase in the population in the cities according to the 2000 and 2010 census statistics. Of this migrant population, the majority no longer recognizes itself as indigenous, largely due to their attempt to be partially accepted in urban environments and thus manage to survive, which also shows us the problem of uprooting and the loss of indigenous identity that Mexican culture is suffering.

It should be noted that many of the population that migrated at that time, stayed permanently because the cities had the capacity to absorb the labor that constantly arrived, giving way to its growth. Today, many of the migrants only stay for a certain time since their final destination is the border areas or the United States, but they still have problems finding employment since the cities have grown in population terms and many urban centers are experiencing serious economic difficulties, being unable to offer high-paying jobs to their inhabitants. In addition, the influence of foreign cultures in Mexican society, especially in the United States and Europe, has played an important role in this problem. Globalization has greatly influenced the fact that many Mexicans living in the cities now see indigenous culture as an “other”, that is, they no longer share the same cultural codes as they do, giving way also to the fact that many of the young indigenous migrants feel obliged to leave their identity aside in order to fit into society.

On the other hand, there is also an idealization of the indigenous, that is, there is a consumption of indigenous products such as handicrafts, jewellery or certain types of clothing, where while there is a small intention to preserve traditions and maintain cultural heritage, there is also a background that is marked by the fashion industry and cultural appropriation, since most do not consume it for the cultural and spiritual significance it has, but rather thinking about new design trends circulating in the media.

Keywords: migration, cultural identity, media and youth.

Urban Indians, the new poor

There are 68 indigenous peoples in Mexico, of which the Nahuas, Mayas and Zapotecs have the largest populations. Each has its own native language, which is organized into 11 linguistic families and is derived from 364 dialectal variants. According to the National Survey of Demographic Dynamics (ENADID) conducted in 2018, of the 125 million people who live in the country, 21.5% of the population describes itself as indigenous and only 6.5% of the national population is registered as speaking an indigenous language, representing 7.4 million people.

Indigenous girls and informal trade
Indigenous girls and informal trade
Photo: Anonymous

Nowadays, indigenous communities are still the most vulnerable due to inequality and their economic situation, which oscillates between poverty and extreme poverty. As a result, many, mostly young people, migrate from their communities in search of a better quality of life, education and greater work opportunities, which causes the ageing of the rural population (it is the adults who remain working the land).

On the other hand, tired of suffering the problems they face when working in the countryside, such as: the decrease in income and agricultural products in the peasant economy; the decrease in agricultural property and the impoverishment of the rural world (Patricia Arias “Migration, peasant economy and the domestic development cycle. Recent discussions and studies’), problems with drug trafficking and wars to expand their territories and the invasion or dispossession of their lands by foreign companies; represent another determining factor that gives rise to their migration.

But the lack of preparation and education forces them to work in the informal sector or in low-skilled manual jobs, leaving them outside the protection and services provided by the state, with no opportunities for growth, long working hours, abuse and little economic gain.Being classified as the “new urban poor”, this indigenous sector that now lives in the cities, is minority and discriminated against because of their cultural belonging, but even so and under these working conditions, most of them decide to stay since they consider that, in their places of origin, the conditions are worse. 

When they arrive in the cities, some manage to stay with family or friends who are already established, but there are those who stay in public places indefinitely. Something also very worrying is that most of them live in high-risk areas, where crime and drugs are scenes that are experienced all the time, so many young people begin to join these groups since, in a certain way, they provide protection and generate that sense of belonging that many migrants seek in the host cities; thus adopting new codes of identity, using them as masks that hide their indigenous roots and thus keep them somewhat protected.

Today, despite the existence of institutions dedicated to protecting the indigenous people and spreading their culture through talks, concerts and exhibitions in museums, there are still communities that celebrate their rituals and festivities in private, for fear of social exclusion. Therefore, it is necessary to re-educate the population not only in schools, but also in homes and, of course, in companies and the media so that these cultures are revalued and respected by all. 

The following images are from a campaign that the Sears department store chain recently launched. In this campaign, the company sought to “represent and honor” the indigenous roots, showing elements of the culture.

“At Sears we proudly love Mexico, its culture, its roots, its history, its landscapes, its people, its architecture and its gastronomy. We pay tribute in this Spring-Summer 2020 edition to the majestic state of Chiapas”

However, as we can see, it shows the opposite, starting with the Caucasian models. Here we see reflected the racism that prevails in society, also denoting a racial supremacy and marking standards of beauty that, since the time of the Spanish colony, have been triggers for their marginalization and discrimination. 

On the other hand, it also makes a rather worrying relationship between the indigenous people and Mexican folklore, thus showing the indigenous person as a tourist attraction.

We all know that the youth of today is the future of tomorrow, but if they are inculcated with such canons of beauty and taught to see their culture only as a folklore that attracts tourists, then we cannot expect that in the future there will be a change that favors the indigenous people and a respect for their culture and language. To end this type of expression, a cultural change is necessary

Discrimination against these groups has existed in Mexico for a long time, with racial reference being an important element in social relations, managing to mark a notable division between superiority and inferiority and thus maintaining the indigenous people on the margins of the dominant culture that disqualifies them because of their level of education and the management of certain cultural codes.

In order to understand a little about the behavior of contemporary Mexican society towards indigenous communities and also the reasons for the situation of its young people, we must go back to the key periods in Mexico’s history when the country began to globalize as it opened its doors to the world (the Viceroyalty of New Spain, Porfiriato and the golden age of Mexican cinema) and at the same time analyze the situation experienced by the indigenous people.

Now then, we must understand that Mexico was always invaded (first militarily and then religiously) so it could never develop as an independent country, having always a cultural hegemony imposed by the dominant classes that began with the Spanish conquest in 1519, imposing on the natives a new religion, new language and a new lifestyle. 

During the time of the Spanish Viceroyalty (a period that lasted from the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521 until 1821, when Mexican Independence was declared), many Spaniards began to immigrate to the country and society began to organize itself into castes and classify itself according to its origin (purity of blood and racial grouping determined the social rank of people). 

There were about 16 different types of castes and the names that most were given were illustrative and even derogatory. For the conversion to Christianity, the Church used the image as a weapon because it was clear and shocking to the indigenous people. The image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was the symbol of mestizo identity since it integrated the Spanish religion in indigenous features, thus achieving the conversion of many natives by symbols that relate it to the Aztec mother goddess Tonantzin. Dress codes were also important as they marked the hierarchies at that time. The Indians were not allowed to wear the same clothing as the Spanish. Later they began to use this as a symbol of rebellion and power. 

During the colonial period, the paintings of the castes emerged, illustrating the classifications that existed

From this century onwards, Mexico lived in a constant struggle for its independence, countries such as Spain, the United States and France sought to invade it (although only Spain managed to establish itself for a long time) with the indigenous people being the majority of those who fought, since the government promised them many things, among them, recovering their lands.

In the year 1876, Porfirio Diaz arrived at and with him an era of development and modernization for the country, but also of repression and discrimination towards native peoples, favoring only the wealthy class and the Catholic Church.


During his term of office (1876-1911) the establishment of electric power and telephone lines in the country, the expansion of the railway structure and strengthening of the educational system, but there was also a clear trend towards foreign products. It created the middle class where only the mestizos had a place, since they shared certain features with the Europeans (light complexion, light or brown hair, colored eyes, etc.). The Indians on the other hand, not seeing themselves as Europeans and in their condition of relegation, began to be hired as the servants of the wealthy class, doing all the heavy work.

Diaz has the opportunity to travel to France and there he found a whole new world, one that he could not find in Mexico and that would leave its mark on Mexican society. 

It was the Belle Epoque in France and modernization was at its height. Mills were turning into cabarets, new buildings were being constructed under Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles, French art and literature had great advances, becoming a cultural phenomenon like no other. This new world inspired the construction of a new cultural identity in Mexico City, now the capital prospered under the canons of French culture, dividing Mexican society into three classes: high, medium and low, with clothing being one of the codes that would define its status. 

Department stores are established (very similar to the French stores in Mexico City and with more American influence in the north of the country), which significantly favors the formation of a consumer culture as society seeks to build an image in line with the bourgeoisie.

Gran almacenes “El Palacio de Hierro” S.A. Mexico. ” In charge of our department of fashion, we have one of our first dressmakers from Paris”
April 9, 1905

[…] foreigners and Creoles are the owners of our spinning and weaving factories, and they do not use the blankets or cashmeres that their factories produce: they generally dress in European fabrics, wear European or American hats, wear American shoes, travel in American or European carriages, decorate their rooms with European art, and prefer, in short, everything foreign to national; even the paintings, literature and music with which they satisfy their tastes and entertain their leisure activities must bear the foreign stamp.

A. Molina Enriquez, Los grandes problemas nacionales
cited by Haber, op. cit, p.46

Since the government of Porfirio Díaz, Mexico has not been the same, in its attempt to Europeanize, it forgot that it had its own culture. Now, French was synonymous with civilization and was even learned early as an official language at Mexico City’s main schools. Consumerism and the media began to take over the country.

In 1895 the world learned about cinema thanks to the Lumière brothers and the following year made its triumphal entrance into Mexico having Porfirio Diaz and a select group of guests as its first spectators. Cinema had come to stay and the cost was accessible for most, for which it would reach its splendor in the 40’s and 50’s of the 20th century, known as “The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema”, because the film industry was the largest after the oil industry, placing Mexico as the greatest film exporter among Latin American countries.

During this period the United States and Europe were fighting in World War II and the number of indigenous immigrants in the cities and in the United States increased due to the lack of labor both for the manufacture of weapons for war and also to work in the oil industry or in construction (The country was industrializing). On the other hand, this warlike conflict also contributed to Mexico reaching its splendor. The new policies imposed by President Lazaro Cardenas, the decrease in Hollywood exports during the war and the creation of production companies such as Nacional Productora, Mexico Films and CLASA, offered the industry unique development opportunities.

Allá en el Rancho Grande (1936)

The films produced in the Golden Age established on the screen what was understood (or should be understood) as the essence of “Mexicanity”. This eventually produced a national and popular identity that consolidated elements of identity that became “typical” and imitable, that is, the intention was for the public to feel identified. In these films, stereotypes began to be presented, which in the end became a guide to behavior, customs, language, etc., representing, for example, the typical macho man in a charro hat and sarape, the woman with braids and typical costumes, tequila, singing and romance.

Los olvidados (1950)

An attempt was made to give a touch of indigenism and to include the poor in the plots (as servants, sellers, etc.), so that these classes also felt identified and unconsciously accepted their situation, since in many cases the message was that in spite of being poor, they lived honestly and the rich almost always fell into disgrace. The Mexican cinema of the Golden Age contributed to the installation of a whole system (a bit like Hollywood) but in spite of wanting to give an image of prosperity abroad, Mexico still suffered from the great inequality between classes that continued with the government of Porfirio Diaz.

While the golden era of Mexican cinema was coming to an end, the arrival of television (1950) and foreign programs to the country generated a great change again. Once again (as had happened in Porfirio Díaz) the population began to buy imported products because television promoted them, young people were exposed to all the ideology of the United States and youth movements began, young people listened to foreign music and adopted new fashions such as Rockabillies and Hippies. On the other hand, the indigenous people do not see themselves reflected and many of them do not even have access to television, so they are relegated in society.

Already in the 60s, the USA began to close the border and no longer allowed immigrants to pass through, so many indigenous people who can no longer go abroad and cannot work their land because they do not produce or there are no longer any buyers because industries now buy abroad, and begin to go to Mexico City to work in sectors where the middle class does not want to work, that is, in construction, as cleaning staff, drivers, servants, etc. And they begin to be portrayed also on television as comic characters, without studies and without a future. This generates a stereotype that guides the behavior of city dwellers towards them, stigmatizes them, and reinforces their inferiority.

Insults such as “Olmec face”, “Indian”, “tight” (insults that mix ethnic, class and generational criteria) are born. This negative connotation that these insults have, accompanied by stereotyped and discriminatory practices, unfortunately leads them to desire to renounce their culture and their identity of origin.

Youth and indigenous identity

Culture is a kind of social fabric that encompasses the different forms and expressions of a given society and therefore is what defines / characterizes a country. But today, thanks to globalization, which is one more phase in the development of the capitalist economic system, that border that separated one culture from others is becoming increasingly blurred, also generating a change in the social model that has implications not only in the cultural level but also in the cultural, political, economic and communication spheres. Thus generating a global mass culture that transforms cultural imaginaries and where there is an interaction of culture with the transnational dynamics of markets. This conjunction between globalization and culture gives rise to an international popular culture often marked by the dominant cultures. It is therefore increasingly common for indigenous youth to appropriate what globalization has to offer in order to respond to and/or oppose neo-liberal cultural homogenization or to dialogue with other cultures. Their adaptation and the way they appropriate modernity is not a choice, but rather a necessity in order to belong to this capitalist society.

Although modernity has much to offer, we must also remember that there are many inequalities in society that have an influence on limiting what indigenous youth can obtain from this modernity, given the structural conditions for them to endure discrimination and racism because they belong to a minority people. It is for this reason that many indigenous youth find their way of expressing themselves through the appropriation of these symbolic resources in order to give meaning to their specific situation and build an individual and collective identity, but we must remember that this does not always mean that there is a cultural replacement, but rather an adaptation, since the modern is not in conflict with the traditional and there are those who take advantage of these resources (painting, writing, poetry, music, video and film) in order to rescue their culture.

PatBoy co-founder of Maya DNA

As an example we can mention the ADN Maya collective located in the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. This collective is dedicated to finding and promoting talents who sing in Mayan to preserve the traditions of the region. In several interviews, the young Yucatecan rappers expressed that their main reason is the decline of the Mayan language because they felt it was being lost; but also because they think it is important to revalue it.

It is important to remember that the word indigenous often has a negative connotation and for young indigenous people in the cities discrimination is something they suffer daily so it is interesting how they seek to blend in with their environment by adopting new styles of dress and thus questioning the stereotypes that are held about native peoples through their appearance.

Federico Gama

Mexican photographer Federico Gama has dedicated part of his work to portraying the indigenous people living in contemporary Mexico and one of his series is dedicated precisely to young indigenous people who migrate to the cities and how they adapt to their new social environment through their clothing. In the series “MAZAHUACHOLOSKATOPUNK” he opens a discussion on how people of the original peoples are understanding “the indigenous”, with clothing being the means of expression of these young migrants who now live in Mexico City. “Today, the inhabitants of the original peoples seek to mimic the big cities in order to go unnoticed, to be invisible and common people, because distinguishing themselves, speaking their language and wearing their traditional clothing in the cities makes no sense except to be pointed out and to hate their origin.

Conclusion

We have seen that throughout the history of Mexico, the role of the indigenous people in society has been only a secondary role, since they have been forgotten and not given the importance they deserve. On the other hand, indigenous migration has always existed and they have been the ones in charge of building a city where they are not welcome in the end or of working for a country that closes its borders when it no longer needs them. That is why the role of indigenous people in society must be claimed to give them the place they deserve, especially because they are the original peoples.

On the other hand, the indigenous youth who live in the cities lead a difficult life, they are the most discriminated and many live in neighborhoods where violence, drug addiction and gangs are lived day by day so many of them learn from that lifestyle, but we also find that the indigenous migrants are the most important, since they play a fundamental role in the process of revaluing the language, customs and traditions of their communities of origin, through the use of different media. In addition to the fact that there is currently an interest on the part of the indigenous youth themselves to know themselves and from their actions respond to the needs of their peoples of origin, it is here that we can see that the media, especially social networks, have become fundamental in the contemporary world as a builder of the collective thinking of young people in the country, since thanks to them we can exchange information more effectively and quickly, we can educate or guide, but we can also persuade and manipulate. They are like a double-edged sword where everything depends on who and how manipulates it. Globalization has influenced the processes of identity formation of young people in many ways. In addition, racism and discrimination have had a powerful influence on indigenous people’s attempts to blend into the public spaces of the city, and have also conditioned their actions in the world through social tools. One of the factors that make indigenous people try to dilute their cultural content is the fact that the category of Indian is shaped as a negative identity. On the other hand, children and young people are forced to stop speaking their languages and wear their own clothes when they join Mexican education programs. This generates conflicts between their cultural identity and their new national identity. That is why cultural events and organizations are currently being created that seek to support the indigenous people so that there is no cultural uprooting that in the long run generates a more serious problem.

References

Annex