Introduction and index of the Triqui Culture

Along the course of the Spring 2014 semester at ESU i will be studying the triqui people and their culture. I am very excited to start exploring and knowing more about this culture. I will hope to broaden my horizens by studying a culture and people i never knew existed. Every week I will be covering different subjects and topics. Stay with me on this amazing journey!

http://thelmacabrera.wordpress.com/what-is-triqui/

• History of the Triqui people
• Mexico: Homeland of the Triqui
• World of Triqui Mexico
• Triqui Cosmos
• Birds of the Triqui
• Music
• Triqui basketball team 
• Triqui and their neighbors
• Triqui migrations and Diaspora
• Triqui cultural survival
• References 

History of the Triqui People

The Triqui are a group of indigenous people that live in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and the mountainous region to the west.  The people in Oaxaca had an official "free municipality" status in 1826. For over 100 years they enjoyed their peaceful existence until 1948. The PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) seized power from the Triqui people and held it ever since.

http://intercontinentalcry.org/peoples/triqui/

Things changed in 2007 when the Triqui people declared their autonomy from the state government. Their announcement came after a long 2 month deliberation among themselves to elect their own form a government and the Council Of Elders. Since declaring their autonomy, the Mexican government has maintained a policy of disrespect and destruction of Triqui people. 

This mistreatment cause the people to endure  months of sexual assaults, assassinations, and a lack of access to food, water, medical services and international aid. The Triqui People have not given up their dream to live on their ancestral land as free people. 

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trique_people

Mexteca: Homeland of the Triqui people

The Triqui are an indigenous people of the western part of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. They number around 23,000 and live in a mountainous region, called "La Mixteca Baja." The area they live in is known as the Mexteca, the South Central part of Mexico.

http://www-01.sil.org/mexico/nombres/10ge-mixeMixteco.htm

They live in a mountainous area that is separated in three main regions: the high region of San Andrés de Chicahuaxtla, the middle region of San Martín Itunyoso and the bottom region of Copala. 

Copala is the closest to sea level and is considered the hot zone. It has numerous rivers and has different plantations. 

http://hb-wedding.blogspot.com/

Itunyoso is the forest area the is above Copala and it is also considered the warm area. 

http://www.viewphotos.org/mexico/images-of-San-Martin-Itunyoso-1183.html

Chicahuaxtla is the highest area in elevation and is considered the cold zone of the mountain.

http://thelmacabrera.wordpress.com/what-is-triqui/

This diverse landscape has helped to nourish and support a rich indigenous heritage that is evident from the moment you arrive. 

References:

http://thelmacabrera.wordpress.com/what-is-triqui/

World of Triqui Mexico

The Triqui cultural people are poor individuals who survive by working hard and supporting each other. Their peasant society depends on agricultural duties, the harvesting of the land, the use of instruments, the care of the animals, and the gathering of wood for the well being of everyone in the family. The man will be in charge of the farming and maintaining the lands while the woman helps out by basket weaving and making clothes. The system works well because the different crops and clothes made are taken to the nearest city to be sold or traded for supplies and necessities.

http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Keeping-a-language-alive-5399660.php

The men tend to their two main cash crops which are coffee and bananas. The bananas are packed into crates and marketed in nearby towns, while the coffee is sold to middlemen in those towns also. The government has put in policies to ensure the people received fair prices for their coffee.

http://journalism.berkeley.edu/ngno/reports/language/Hierarchy.html

Refernces: 

http://www-01.sil.org/mexico/mixteca/triqui-copala/a001-culturalsketch-trc.htm

http://thelmacabrera.wordpress.com/what-is-triqui/

Birds of the Triqui Culture

Many different species of birds live in the region. This is because of the mountains area and the various wooded area makes good homes for the birds. A couple note worthy birds to mention are:

• Bumblebee hummingbird

  

  http://www.birdsandbirds.com/en-scheda_razza.asp?id_razza=1231

• Lesser Roadrunner

  

  http://www.zootherabirding.com/page_2669974.html

• Red Warbler

  

  http://www.lukeseitzart.com/p1003389930/h54985498

• Colima Pygmy-Owl

  

  http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Glaucidium&species=palmarum

• Orange-breasted Bunting

  

  http://www.zootherabirding.com/page_2669974.html

• Tufted Jay

  

  http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Glaucidium&species=palmarum

• Golden-Vireo

  

  http://moumn.org/gallery/right_page.php?index=0&species=Golden%20Vireo&region=MX

Triqui Cosmos

The sense of cultural inferiority is shown in their myths. The myths are told as a explanation for their poverty and low social status. One story explains that thunder god and his wife had many difficulties with their crops and they could not succeed in producing crops and it was a bad time for the people. Another story describes two ancestors of Copala had a falling out and one was band from the town so he put a curse on the town and people which is why the Triqui people are poor to this day.

"DIOS DEL RAYO"
The religion of Triqui people is based around this legend. As the legend goes two feathered serpents would watch over the village. Worship day is the 25th of April, there is a ceremony to ask for good harvest and rain. The ceremony is held inside large caves. The whole community participates in the gathering with drinking and fellowship. A priest kills a black rooster and paints the blood inside the cave.

http://cultura-triqui-oxaca.blogspot.com/2013_06_01_archive.html

"La Sagrada Del Monte"
There are said to be evil gods that hide in the woods looking for people to trick or deceive, mostly hunters.The gods have sent a blonde haired woman who wears dirty clothing and has bird shaped feet. She is a very attractive woman which the men can not resist. The locals have made a song about this woman in the woods and it is known not to sing the song in the woods because they could appear.

References:  
http://thelmacabrera.wordpress.com/what-is-triqui/
http://cultura-triqui-oxaca.blogspot.com/2013_06_01_archive.html

Triqui Basketball Team

http://www.sandiegored.com/noticias/44741/Shoeless-Triqui-kids-win-basketball-tournament-in-Argentina/

Shoeless triqui kids win international basketball tournament in Argentina. Playing shoe-less was not a choice for these young kids. They are part of the one of the poorest indigenous communities in the entire country. The children represented Mexico in the International Festival of minibasketball in Argentina. The team won 6 games which earned them the right to be called champions.
The city in which the event was played was so moved by the effort of the kids even without shoes that they got money together and donated shoes to the children. The coach also mentioned that basketball is a motivator to get the children to study. If they children do not maintain a certain grade level then they are not allowed to play with the others.
Video

http://thinkmexican.tumblr.com/post/45977456117/triqui-basketball-team-wins-hearts-youth-tournament

References:
http://www.sandiegored.com/noticias/44741/Shoeless-Triqui-kids-win-basketball-tournament-in-Argentina/

Music

In this region there are multiple wind, commercial, and play bands. great skilled musicians play violins, drums and guitar. The music varies depending on the type of celebration or ceremony. Sometimes a mouth organ is used. The music is usually accompanied with a story that the people commonly know. The meleody of the song will allow people to remember the story. The musician will play the meleody, stop the music tell the story and then continue playing. Different musicians will change the melody and tell the story. It is just the musicians creative way to tell a certain story. The singer will sing in a high pitched voice to let people know he is singing from the bottom of his heart.

http://cultura-triqui-oxaca.blogspot.com/2013_06_01_archive.html

Sample Music

References:
http://cultura-triqui-oxaca.blogspot.com/2013_06_01_archive.html

Triqui Cultural Survival

Cultural survival is process of people preserving their culture and maintaining their traditional way of life. This process is done through rituals that have been in place for many decades and ceremonies that praise certain gods. The performance of these celebrations make the Triqui people really who they are. It brings the people together on certain occasions to perform traditions that their ancestor performed many years ago.

http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/mexico/welcome-oaxacalifornia

Much has changed in the past 2 decades. Many individuals have migrated north to seek opportunity in northern Mexico and the United States. The migration process lands these people in California where they try to find work in the agricultural field. With many men and woman moving north it makes it difficult for the people to maintain farm lands and  the completion of daily tasks in the towns. The workers are leaving their land to seek something people and are abandoning their crops.

The struggle of holding on to their culture will only get harder when more and more people decide to migrate to the states.

https://casitacolibri.wordpress.com/tag/indigenous-peoples/

References:
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/mexico/welcome-oaxacalifornia

Triqui Migrations and Diaspora

It is said that when an individual is not making the income that is desired from craft work, they migrate to other areas of Mexico to find jobs. The usually migrate to bigger cities like Sonora y Sinaloa and to the United States, such as California, where they can work for large agricultural companies. The migration to the states would be a long process because they are near the southern part of Mexico. So a decision to migrate would have to be a big choice for the people of the Triqui culture. they would be leaving behind family members and community members in search for higher pay. Also, if an individual found a job with high wages, that individual has been known to send money home to his family. This support shows how important family is to the Triqui people.

http://www.dsausa.org/bracero_program_will_hurt_farmworkers

References:
http://thelmacabrera.wordpress.com/what-is-triqui/

Triqui and Their Neighbors

History has shown the the Triqui people have never gotten the respect they deserve. From the Mexican government seizing any power they had and to consistent fighting with neighbors. The Triqui people found them self's fighting local Caciques because this local group wanted to exploit timber reserves on communal lands. This has brought decades of violence. The Caciques maintain political control in the region so a revolt was formed by the Triqui people but was soon defeated when Triqui leaders were murdered. The Triqui leaders tried to run candidates in municipal elections.

http://newamericamedia.org/2012/01/can-the-triquis-go-home.php

In current times to people are having issues with the government in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico. People of San Juan Copala were tricked into leaving their homes and come to the city. There is where the woman and children spent 17 months living on the sidewalk. their houses were burnt to the ground. The people have been fighting for a long time for the right to go home. Finally in December there was a new governor elected and he promise to protect the families if they returned to their home in San Juan Copala. The people question whether they can really go back safely. The people ask what can bring an end to the violence that has claimed the lives of over 500 people in the last 2 decades.



References:

Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans  By Alan Riding

http://newamericamedia.org/2012/01/can-the-triquis-go-home.php

References

Works Cited

"Can the Triquis Go Home? - New America Media." Can the Triquis Go Home? - New America Media. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2014.

"Indigenous Peoples of the World: The Triqui." Intercontinental Cry. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2014.

"Trique people." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Mar. 2014. Web. 5 May 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trique_people>.

"What is Triqui?: History and Culture." Thelmas Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. <http://thelmacabrera.wordpress.com/what-is-triqui/>.

"A Cultural Sketch of the Copala TriqueBarbara E. Hollenbach Summer Institute of Linguistics, Mexico."Cultural Sketch of the Copala Trique. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 May 2014.

"Cultura Triqui." : junio 2013. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. <http://cultura-triqui-oxaca.blogspot.com/2013_06_01_archive.html>.

"Shoeless Triqui kids win basketball tournament in Argentina." SanDiegoRed. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 May 2014. <http://www.sandiegored.com/noticias/44741/Shoeless-Triqui-kids-win-basketball-tournament-in-Argentina/>.

Riding, Alan. Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans. . : eScholarship, University of California, 19850101. Print.