Indigenous Sovereignty 

Like the Indigenous people of the territories we reside on, the people from Oaxaca have maintained Indigenous sovereignty for centuries. Indigenous sovereignty is the will to bring Oaxaqueños together in community. It is also the commitment to shape an Indigenous future on our own terms. In Oaxaca, this has often been through the mechanisms to govern and exercise authority in one’s community of origin, often referred to as usos y costumbres, la ley del pueblo, or comunalidad. In Oaxacan culture, intergenerational groups of people demonstrate how reciprocal systems such as tequio (labor for public projects), guelaguetza (contributions for celebrations or ceremony, also called gozona), and cargos (offices in community leadership positions) strengthen Indigenous knowledge.

When the first large wave of Indigenous migrants from Oaxaca arrived in the United States, many of these practices continued and became essential to create a new world for themselves. Indigenous sovereignty generated unique Oaxacan forms of politics never before seen among Mexican migrants. At the heart of these politics are the strong ties between the communities of origin and new territories. As new generations of migrants left under different historical moments, or were born outside the community of origin, innovative forms of Indigenous sovereignty have taken place that come from these previous practices reflecting multiple experiences, the willingness to learn about one’s Indigenous history and those whose lands one is on. The younger generation defines a sense of who they are among three cultures, forming youth-led groups, and learning together what it means to be Indigenous. This reflects the determination of Oaxaqueños to create community together wherever they may be, regardless of geographic or linguistic limitations. Indigenous sovereignty begins with the first questions of, “Who am I?” and “Who is my community?”
— Dr. Jorge Ramirez-Lopez

KEY TERMS:

Recreating community and a sense of place: Long term settlement of indigenous Oaxaqueños in California has led to the need to recreate their culture and community within the U.S. This takes shape in the form of social organization and cultural expression. Cultural practices are adapted to new environments while simultaneously drawing upon ancestral legacies to build new home communities. These civic and social systems aim to reinforce the indigenous identity, its sense of community, and belonging.

Connection to land: A cornerstone of the indigenous worldview that attests “I belong to this land” as opposed to a western worldview that attests” this land belongs to me.” The indigenous connection to land speaks to an ethos that sees the need to harmonize the relationship between humans and nature as fundamental to survival and prosperity. It is a non-romanticized and practical epitome of sustainability, emphasizing the interdependence between the two, establishing a respect for the land and the sustenance it offers.

Self-sufficiency: state of being in which a person or organization needs little or no help from, or interaction with, others. Self-sufficiency entails the self being enough (to fulfill needs), and a self-sustaining entity can maintain self-sufficiency indefinitely.

Guelaguetza: communal sharing system of collaboration and exchange meant to build community founded from a Zapotec code of conduct.

Autonomy: the quality or state of being self-governing, self-directing freedom or moral independence.

Tequio: a collaborative system of communal labor, in which community members help voluntarily.

Oaxacalifornia: The transnational social, cultural, and political space that subsumes both Oaxaca and California, and points in between, in which tens of thousands of Oaxacans now live and work.

Bi culturalism: The presence of two different cultures in one country or region.

Transnationalism: The movement of people, cultures, and capital across national borders.

Social invisibility: Refers to a group of people in the society who have been separated or systematically ignored by much of the public. As a result, those who are marginalized feel neglected or being invisible in the society

Rehumanization: is the process by which one reverses the damage done by dehumanization. That is, in individuals or groups, the process of rehabilitating one’s way of perceiving the other in question in one’s mind and in consequent behavior. Restoring respect and inherent dignity.

Migrant labor: workers who move about systematically from one region to another offering their services on a temporary, usually seasonal, basis.

Exploitation: To exploit someone is to take unfair advantage of them. It is to use another person’s vulnerability for one’s own benefit.

Cross-Culturalism: Indigenous Oaxacan’s efforts to recreate their homelands, cultures, and traditions in the U.S also finds them incorporating new influences. The work by Tlacolulokos offers a look into the intermingling of cultures from the U.S, specifically California, and Oaxaca. Their work incorporates the influence that western culture has had on Oaxaca and vice versa. These influences are characterized by depictions of indigenous Oaxacans often wearing clothing made popular by LA cholo culture, while addressing political and social issues meant create dialogue within and around their communities. Their approach is founded upon a do it yourself (DIY) mentality that reflects the efforts made by indigenous Oaxacan communities in the U.S recreating their culture on new land. Though Tlacolulokos are based in Oaxaca, globalization has made Oaxacan culture visible and available. Their work addresses present day Oaxacalifornia culture, transnationalism, appropriation, and the current state of indigenous Oaxacan experiences in Oaxaca and abroad.