The
Indigenous Languages of
Mexico
: A Present-Day Overview
By
John P. Schmal
The
most recent census count in Mexico
reveals that a multitude of languages are used by Mexican nationals throughout
the country. It is true that the percentage of Mexicans who are speaking
indigenous languages is steadily declining, but a great many people have held
on to their mother tongue, sometimes taking it with them to other parts of
Mexico
.
1. Nahuatl. 1,376,026 Mexicans
speak twenty-eight Nahuatl languages and live in every state of
Mexico
. Nahuatl speakers make up 22.89% of all indigenous speakers in the country
and are most prominent in several eastern states, including
Puebla
(28.9% of all Nahuatl speakers),
Veracruz
(23.2%) and
Hidalgo
(15.8%).
2. Maya. The Maya language is the
second most commonly spoken language in
Mexico
. In all, 759,000 persons speak Maya, representing 12.63% of the entire
indigenous-speaking language. Almost 70% of these people live in
Yucatan
state, but many others live in
Campeche
, Quintana Roo and a multitude of other states where they have migrated to in
recent decades.
3. Mixteco. In 2005, it was
believed that 423,216 Mexicans spoke one of the 57 Mixtec languages,
representing 7.04% of all indigenous speakers. Mixtecs are unique in that they
have migrated in large numbers to every corner of the
Mexico
and to many areas in the
U.S.
Although they are found in every state in significant numbers, the Mixtecs are
primarily indigenous to two Mexican states: 57.2% of the Mixtecs live in
Oaxaca
and 26.1% live in neighboring Guerrero.
4. Zapoteco. It was estimated that
410,901 persons spoke one of the 64 Zapotec languages of
Mexico
, representing 6.84% of all indigenous speakers. Zapotecs have also migrated
to areas throughout
Mexico
and can be found in every state. However, the largest number of Zapotecs live
in the state of their origin,
Oaxaca
, where 86.9% of all Zapotecs live.
Many people wonder how so many Zapotec and Mixtec languages evolved from the
same origin. But, if one understands the topography of
Oaxaca
, it makes sense.
Oaxaca
is characterized by numerous valleys and mountains, which tend to separate
closely related peoples. Over time, people who once spoke the same language
become separated from one another and their languages evolve until finally, a
new language comes into existence. This is, in fact, a very simple explanation
for what is a very complex evolution that may take place over hundreds or
thousands of years.
5. Tzeltal. In 2005, 371,730
persons spoke the Tzeltal language, representing 6.18% of all indigenous
speakers in
Mexico
. Although Tzeltal's have migrated to other parts of
Mexico
, 97.6% of their members still live in their homeland state of
Chiapas
. Tzeltal and its close cousin, Tzotzil, are both Mayan langugages.
6. Tzotzil. The Tzotzil are close
cousins of the Tzeltal who also inhabitants of
Chiapas
. In 2005, 329,937 Tzotzil speakers were estimated in
Mexico
, representing 5.49% of all indigenous speakers. Like their cousins, the
Tzeltal, the vast majority of Tzotzil's (97.3%) lived in
Chiapas
.
7. Otomi. In 2005, 239,850 persons
in
Mexico
spoke this widely dispersed language, representing 3.99% of all the indigenous
speakers. Approximately 34.8% of the Otomis live in the State of
Mexico
, but large numbers also inhabit
Puebla
,
Veracruz
and many other states in the central and eastern regions of
Mexico
. Many Otomis traveled north with the Spaniards in the early colonial people
and settled in some areas of Jalisco, Nayarit and Guanajuato, but many of them
assimilated and did not hold onto their language and culture. The Otomi
language is part of the Otomanguean linguistic group.
8. Totonaca. The Totonaca language
was spoken by 230,930 persons in 2005, representing 3.84% of the indigenous
speakers in
Mexico
. This language is a language that is not closely related to the other large
languages but has made its imprint in the eastern regions of
Mexico
. Two states have the largest shares of Totonaca speakers:
Veracruz
(50.3%) and
Puebla
(42.0%).
9. Mazateco. The Mazateco language
was spoken by 206,559 individuals in 2005, accounting for 3.44% of the
indigenous speakers. Mazateco is spoken in several states, but is most
predominanet in
Oaxaca
, where 79.7% of the Mazateco speakers resided in 2005. Significant numbers
also live in
Puebla
,
Veracruz
and the State of
Mexico
. The Mazateco language is part of the Otomanguean Linguistic group (as are
the Zapotec, Mixtec and Popoloca languages).
10. Chol. A total of 185,299
persons in
Mexico
spoke the Chol language in 2005. This represents 3.08% of all indigenous
speakers in the country. Chol is a Mayan language that is spoken primarily in
Chiapas
, where 87.3% of the Chol speakers lived.
11. Huasteco. In 2005, 149,532
persons in
Mexico
spoke the Huasteco language, making up 2.49% of all indigenous speakers.
Huasteco is a northern extension of the Mayan language group. Speakers of this
language are clustered in a three-state region that includes
Tamaulipas
,
San Luis Potosi
and
Veracruz
. The majority of Huasteco speakers live in
San Luis Potosi
(58.9%) but 33.8% also live in
Veracruz
.
12. Chinanteca. In 2005, 125,706
person in
Mexico
spoke one of the 14 Chinanteca languages. They represented 2.09% of all
indigenous speakers in
Mexico
and, like their distant Otomanguean relatives (the Zapotecs and Mixtecs),
their people have migrated to many parts of the country. However, 81.7% of
Chinanteca speakers lived in
Oaxaca
in 2005, and a considerable number inhabit
Veracruz
.
13. Mixe. The Mixe language is an
isolated language that is primarily spoken in
Oaxaca
. In 2005, 115,824 persons spoke Mixe, representing 1.93% of the indigenous
speakers in
Mexico
.
14. Mazahua. The Mazahua tongue is
a northern extension of Otomanguean language, which was spoken by
approximately 111,840 Mexicans in 2005, representing 1.86% of all indigenous
speakers. The Mazahua language is most commonly spoken in the State of
Mexico
, where 85.3% of its speakers live.
15. Purepecha. The Purepecha
people - sometimes referred to as the Tarascans - are a unique people and the
only indigenous group that consistently defeated the Aztecs in battle. Their
language is a language isolate which seems to have no known affiliation with
any other Mexican languages. Some researchers have suggested a South American
origin. At any rate, 105,556 Mexicans spoke Purepecha in 2005, representing
1.76% of all indigenous speakers. Purepechas have migrated all over
Mexico
in search of gainful employment, but their strong family ties and cultural
pride has maintained Michoacan as their primary homebase. Approximately 91.9%
of all Purepecha live in Michoacan.
16. Tlapaneco. The Tlapanecos in
Guerrero are very similar to the Purepecha of Michoacan. They too speak a
language isolate, with no close affiliation with neighboring languages. The
Tlapanecos also held out against the Aztecs and lived in a small enclave that
resisted Aztec intrusions for more than a century. Their original homeland was
a small area that lies completely within the present-day boundaries of
Guerrero. As a result, 93.5% of all Tlapanecos lived in Guerrero in 2005.
17. Tarahumara. The Tarahumara of
Chihuahua are famous and well-known to many Americans who have journeyed south
of the border to visit these intriguing people. In 2005, 75,371 persons spoke
Tarahumara, representing 1.25% of all indigenous speakers. Although 96.1% of
these people lived in
Chihuahua
, smaller numbers inhabited
Durango
and Sinaloa.
18. Zoque. The Zoque are one of
the few non-Maya groups living in
Chiapas
. In 2005, speakers of the Zoque language numbered 54,004 in
Mexico
(representing 0.9% of the indigenous speakers). Closely related to the Mixe of
Oaxaca, the Zoques primarily inhabit
Chiapas
, where 81.4% of the Zoque speakers live. A significant number of Zoques also
live in
Oaxaca
.
19. Amuzgo. The Amuzgos are
another Otomanguean language group. In 2005, 43,761 Mexicans spoke one of
their three languages, representing 0.73% of
Mexico
's indigenous speakers. The lion's share of Amuzgos live in Guerrero (85.5%),
while smaller numbers live in nearby
Oaxaca
(10.8%).
20. Tojolabal. In 2005, 43,169
persons spoke the Tojolabal language, representing 0.72% of all indigenous
speakers. This language is a Mayan language which its origins clearly tied to
the State of
Chiapas
, where 99.1% of their speakers lived in 2005.
There are almost 300 Mexican languages, and roughly 70 of them were tallied in
the 2000 census and 2005 census count. Several more deserve honorable mention.
Huichol: In twenty-fourth place,
the Huichol language survived and prospered even as most of its neighbors in
Nayarit and Jalisco died out from the onslaught of war, disease, assimilation
and mestizaje. In 2005, 35,724 persons spoke the Huichol language in
Mexico
, representing 0.59% of all indigenous speakers. While their neighbors stayed
and fought the Spaniards or settled down alongside them, the Huicholes
treasured their isolation and maintained their ancient language, culture and
religion. In 2005, 55.2% of the Huichol speakers lived in Nayarit, while 36.2%
lived in Jalisco.
Mayo. In twenty-fifth place, the
Mayo are one of three surviving Cahita languages. The Cahita people originally
spoke 18 languages, but were largely decimated during the 1500s and 1600s. The
Mayos, and their Yaqui cousins, continued to endure and, at time resist,
against both the Spanish Government and, later, the Mexican Government. In
2005, 32,702 Mexicans spoke the Mayo language, representing 0.54% of all
indigenous speakers. They were primarily distributed across their two homeland
states:
Sonora
(74.8%) and Sinaloa (23.9%).
Cora. In twenty-eighth place, the
Cora language was spoken by 17,086 persons in 2005, representing 0.28% of the
indigenous speakers. The Coras primary homeland has always been Nayarit, where
97.0% of their speakers resided in 2005.
Yaqui. In thirty-first place, the
famous Yaqui Indians of Sonora are famous for their resistance against the
Mexican Government. During the early 1900s, many Yaquis had to flee to
Arizona
or were exiled to faraway places such as the
Yucatan
peninsula. In 2005, 14,162 persons spoke Yaqui, representing 0.24% of all
Mexican indigenous speakers. At that time 95.7% of the Yaquis lived in
Sonora
.
MEXICO’S 1921 CENSUS: A UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVE
By John P. Schmal (© 2007)
In the aftermath of the Mexican revolution, Mexico’s Departamento de la
Estadística Nacional administered a census that would be unique among
Mexico’s census counts administered between 1895 and 2005. In this new census,
the Mexican Government decided to ask Mexicans about their perception of their
own racial heritage. In the 1921 census, residents of the Mexican Republic were
asked if they fell into one of the following categories:
1. "Indígena pura" (of pure indigenous heritage).
2. "Indígena mezclada con blanca" (of mixed indigenous and white
heritage).
3. "Blanca" (of White or Spanish heritage).
4. "Extranjeros sin distinción de razas" (Foreigners without racial
distinction).
5. "Cualquiera otra o que se ignora la raza" (Either other or chose to
ignore the race)
States With the Largest "Indígena Pura" Population
The results were a remarkable reflection of México’s own perception of its
indigenous and mestizo identities. Although only three states had more than 50%
pure indigenous populations (Oaxaca, Puebla and Tlaxcala), a total of eight
states had more than 40% of the same classification (Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala,
Chiapas, Guerrero, Campeche, Yucatán, and México).
The five states with the largest populations of "indígena pura" were:
The Most Indigenous State: Oaxaca
The most indigenous state, in terms of absolute numbers and percentage was
Oaxaca, in which
675,119 persons out of 976,005 inhabitants were classified as indígena. In
effect, this meant that 69.17% of Oaxaca’s population had a pure indigenous
identity.
Not all of "pure indigenous" population of Oaxaca, however, spoke
indigenous languages. Only 482,478 individuals five years of age or more spoke
thirty indigenous languages. This represented 49.43% of the population five
years of age and older and 57.18% of the entire state population. [Children up
to the age of four in indigenous households were not included in the tally of
languages.]
Another 274,752 residents of Oaxaca described themselves as "mezclada,"
representing an additional 28.1% of the population. The combination of the
indigenous and mezclada categories represented 949,871 individuals who had
possessed some element of indigenous descent and represented 97.32% of the
entire state population.
As a matter of contrast, only 13,910 persons were categorized as "blanca,"
while another 11,124 did not claim a designation and 1,100 were "extranjeros"
(foreigners).
The Second Most Indigenous State: Puebla
The State of Puebla had the second largest "pure indigenous"
population, with 560.971 (who represented 54.73% of the entire state
population). In addition, 403,221 residents of Puebla were classified as
mezclada, representing another 39.34% of the population. Puebla had the sixth
largest number of mezclada inhabitants. Combining the pure indigenous with the
mezclada element, we can estimate that 964,192 persons were of some indigenous
origin, representing 94.07% of the total state population of 1,024,955.
As with Oaxaca, however, a smaller element of the population spoke native
tongues. In all, 247,392 individuals five years of age and older spoke a wide
range of indigenous languages, representing only 24.14% of the entire state
population.
Puebla had a much higher number of blanca residents: a total of 58,032
inhabitants, who made up 5.66% of the state population.
The Third Most Indigenous State: Veracruz
Veracruz has the third largest "indígena pura" population with
406,638, representing 35.06% of the state population. Veracruz also had the
fourth-highest number of mezclada residents: 556,472 (or 47.97%). Combining the
two indigenous classifications, we observed that 963,110 persons out of a total
population of 1,110,971 claimed some indigenous descent and that this group
represented 86.69% of the state population.
In striking contrast, however, only 120,746 residents of Veracruz spoke
indigenous languages, representing 10.87% of the state population and 12.62% of
residents five years of age or more.
The Fourth Most Indigenous State: México
The State of México had the fourth largest indígena pura population,
372,703, equal to 42.13% of the state population. Together with the mestizo/mezclada
population, which numbered 422,001 (47.70% of the state population), the total
population with an indigenous heritage was 794,704, or 89.84% of the population.
In stark contrast, only 172,863 residents of the State of México spoke
indigenous languages, representing only 19.54% of the total state population.
Other states with significant numbers of indígena pura population are as
follows:
5. Guerrero - 248,526 persons (43.84%)
6. Hidalgo – 245,704 persons (39.49%)
7. Chiapas – 200.927 persons (47.64%)
8. Jalisco – 199,728 persons (16.76%)
9. Michoacán – 196,726 persons (20.93%)
10. Distrito Federal– 169,820 (18.75%)
11. Yucatán – 155,155 persons (43.31%)
12. San Luis Potosí – 136,365 persons (30.60%)
13. Tlaxcala – 97,670 persons (54.70%)
Because the populations of the various states vary widely, the percentage of
pure indigenous persons in a given state provide us with a different set of
results. The contrast between absolute numbers and percentages of the pure
indigenous population was largely contingent on the population of each state.
For example, Tlaxcala actually had the third largest percentage of indígena
pura inhabitants but, because of its small population, was in thirteenth place
in terms of percentage.
And Jalisco’s largely pure indigenous population of 199,728 represented
only 16.76% of its total population of 1,191,957. Jalisco, as a matter of fact,
had the largest population of any state in México, followed closely by Veracruz
(1,159,935), Puebla (1,024,955) and the Distrito Federal (906,063).
States With the Largest "Indígena Mezclada Con Blanca" Population
In the 1921 census, the status "Indígena Mezclada con Blanca"
implied that a person was of mestizo origin. Persons classified by this identity
probably did not speak Indian languages, but still felt an attachment to their
indigenous roots and probably had indigenous facial features.. The eight Mexican
states with the largest populations of "Indígena Mezclada con Blanca"
were:
1. Jalisco - 903,830 (75.83%)
2. Guanajuato - 828,724 (96.33%)
3. Michoacán - 663,391 (70.59%)
4. Veracruz - 556,472 (47.97%)
5. Distrito Federal - 496,359 (54.78%)
6. México – 422,001 (47.71%)
7. Puebla – 403,221 (39.34%)
8. Sinaloa – 335,474 (98.30%)
9. Zacatecas – 326,615 (86.10%)
10. Hidalgo – 320,250 (51.47%)
In terms of percentages, the states with the largest mezclada population were
Sinaloa (98.30%), Guanajuato (96.32%), Durango (89.10%), Zacatecas (86.10%), and
Querétaro (80.15%).
The State With the Largest Mezclada Population: Jalisco
As with the other classifications, the percentage of "indígena mezclada
con blanca" in each state varied widely because of the level of
assimilation and the states’ overall population. For Jalisco, the large number
of mestizos in the state was a reflection of Jalisco’s mestizaje over the
centuries. The combination of Jalisco’s mezclada and indígena pura
populations (903,830 and 199,728) indicated that 92.58% of Jalisco’s total
population (1,103,558 out of 1,191,957 people) had an indigenous background. In
addition, 87,103 residents of Jalisco claimed to be White (7.31%).
Although the inhabitants of Jalisco had a strong link to their indigenous
origins, only 195 persons in the entire state spoke indigenous languages. Two
languages dominated within this small group of indigenous speakers (99 Huichol
speakers and 81 Náhuatl speakers).
Guanajuato: The Second Largest Mezclada Population
Guanajuato was settled early in the colonial period and underwent mestizaje
at an early date. 828,724 of Guanajuato’s population of 860,364 classified
themselves as indígena mezclada con blanca, representing 96.33% of the state
population. Only 25,458 persons claimed pure indigenous background (representing
2.96%) of the population and another 4,687 classified themselves as blanca. In
contrast, only 220 inhabitants of Guanajuato spoke indigenous languages. [All
but one of these indigenous speakers spoke the Otomí tongue.]
Sinaloa: The State with the Largest Percentage of Mezclada
In the 1921 Mexican census, 335,474 persons were classified as mezclada,
representing an extraordinary 98.30% of the state population. Incredibly, a mere
3,163 people (or 0.93% of the state population) identified themselves as pura
indígena. The number of person classified as white was smaller yet: only 644
people out of a total state population of 341,265.
Zacatecas: A State Without Indigenous Speakers
Zacatecas posed one of the most interesting cases in this analysis. With
8.54% of its inhabitants identified as "pura indígena" and another
86.1% classified as mestizo, 94.64% of Zacatecas’ inhabitants identified with
their indigenous origins. At the same time, not a single inhabitant of the state
claimed to speak an indigenous language. This would lead one to speculate that
in some parts of México, persons who spoke Indian languages may, in fact, have
denied this fact.
States With the Largest Blanca Population
The states with the largest populations of "Blanca" or White
persons were:
1. Distrito Federal - 206,514
2. Chihuahua - 145,926
3. Sonora - 115,151
4. Veracruz - 114,150
5. México - 88,660
In terms of percentage, the "blanca" classification was most prominent
in these states:
1. Sonora - 41.85%
2. Chihuahua - 36.33%
3. Baja California Sur - 33.40%
4. Tabasco - 27.56%
5. District Federal - 22.79%
One of the most interesting aspects of the 1921 census is that several
Mexican states contained very small numbers of Indigenous speakers but had
significant populations of people who were identified as "pura indígena."
Some examples of these states are:
Coahuila
The State of Coahuila had 44,779 individuals who were identified as "indígena
pura," representing 11.38% of the state population. If you combined the
pure indigenous and mestizo populations, you would recognize that 89.26% of
Coahuila’s population had some kind of indigenous heritage. However, in the
entire state of 393,480 inhabitants, only 293 persons spoke an indigenous
language. [All of these indigenous speakers spoke the Kikapóo language.]
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas presented a similar issue. In 1921, 39,606 inhabitants of the
state were recognized as of pure indigenous background, representing 13.80% of
the population. The combined "indígena pura" and mestizo population
was calculated at 83.16%. However, in the entire state only 237 persons spoke
more than 15 indigenous languages, of which only one (Huasteca) was actually
native to the State.
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí, with large indigenous areas in its eastern regions, boasted
a total "indígena pura" population of 136,365, which represented
30.6% of the state population. With a mestizo population tallied at 61.88%, the
combined percentage of persons with some indigenous origins was 92.48%. However,
only 1,738 inhabitants of the state claimed to speak one of the state’s six
indigenous languages (Huasteco, Mayo, Mazateco, Náhuatl, Otomí and Totonaco).
The Overview
The table below outlines the racial classifications of the 1921 census by
percentage:
|
Racial Makeup of the Mexican Republic (1921 Census) © Copyright 2007,
John P. Schmal |
|
State |
Indígena Pura (% of Total State Population) |
Indígena Mezclada con Blanca (% of State Population) |
Blanca (% of State Population) |
Extranjeros sin distinción de razas (% of State Population) |
|
Aguascalientes |
16.70% |
66.12% |
16.77% |
0.41% |
|
Baja California |
7.72% |
72.50% |
0.35% |
19.33% |
|
Baja California Sur |
6.06% |
59.61% |
33.40% |
0.93% |
|
Campeche |
43.41% |
41.45% |
14.17% |
0.60% |
|
Coahuila |
11.38% |
77.88% |
10.13% |
0.61% |
|
Colima |
26.00% |
68.54% |
4.50% |
0.12% |
|
Chiapas |
47.64% |
36.27% |
11.82% |
4.27% |
|
Chihuahua |
12.76% |
50.09% |
36.33% |
0.82% |
|
District Federal |
18.75% |
54.78% |
22.79% |
3.26% |
|
Durango |
9.90% |
89.10% |
0.01% |
0.15% |
|
Guanajuato |
2.96% |
96.33% |
0.54% |
0.15% |
|
Guerrero |
43.84% |
54.05% |
2.07% |
0.04% |
|
Hidalgo |
39.49% |
51.47% |
8.83% |
0.21% |
|
Jalisco |
16.76% |
75.83% |
7.31% |
0.10% |
|
México |
42.13% |
47.71% |
10.02% |
0.14% |
|
Michoacán |
20.93% |
70.59% |
6.90% |
0.08% |
|
Morelos |
34.93% |
61.24% |
3.59% |
0.22% |
|
Nayarit |
18.32% |
66.04% |
5.24% |
0.24% |
|
Nuevo León |
5.14% |
75.47% |
19.23% |
0.08% |
|
Oaxaca |
69.17% |
28.15% |
1.43% |
0.11% |
|
Puebla |
54.73% |
39.34% |
5.66% |
0.22% |
|
Querétaro |
19.40% |
80.15% |
0.30% |
0.11% |
|
Quintana Roo |
13.08% |
26.90% |
9.63% |
13.64% |
|
San Luis Potosí |
30.60% |
61.88% |
5.41% |
0.24% |
|
Sinaloa |
0.93% |
98.30% |
0.19% |
0.58% |
|
Sonora |
13.78% |
40.38% |
41.85% |
2.05% |
|
Tabasco |
18.50% |
53.67% |
27.56% |
0.27% |
|
Tamaulipas |
13.80% |
69.36% |
13.54% |
2.69% |
|
Tlaxcala |
54.70% |
42.44% |
2.53% |
0.08% |
|
Veracruz |
35.06% |
47.97% |
9.84% |
0.82% |
|
Yucatán |
43.31% |
33.83% |
21.85% |
0.91% |
|
Zacatecas |
8.54% |
86.10% |
5.26% |
0.10% |
|
The Mexican Republic*** |
29.16% |
59.33% |
9.80% |
0.71% |
|
Classifications:
Indígena Pura (Pure Indigenous Origins)
Indígena Mezclada con Blanca (Indigenous Mixed with White)
Blanca (White)
Extranjeros sin distinction de razas (Foreigners without racial
distinction)
One percent of the population of the Republic of Mexico chose a fifth
option: "Cualquiera otra o que se ignora la raza" (persons who
chose to ignore the question or "other."
Source: Departamento de la Estadística Nacional, "Annuario de
1930" (Tacubaya, Distrito Federal, 1932). |
© 2008, John P. Schmal. All rights reserved.
Sources:
Departamento de la Estadística Nacional, "Annuario de 1930" (Tacubaya,
D.F., Mexico, 1932), pp. 40, 48.
The 1921 census figures for each state were published in individual volumes by
state. Each volume was published by the Departamento de la Estadística Nacional
between 1927 and 1929 under the titles of "Resumen del Censo General de
Habitantes de 30 de Noviembre de 1921."
About the Author
John Schmal is the coauthor of "The Indigenous Roots of a
Mexican-American Family" (available as item M2469 through Heritage Books at
http://heritagebooks.com).
Recently, he also published "The Journey to Latino Political
Representation" (available as item S4114).
INDIGENOUS MEXICO STATISTICS: THE 2005 CONTEO
By John P. Schmal
The results of the 2005 Mexican Conteo (Count) have been published and
a comparison with the 2000 Mexican Censo (Censo) indicates a decline in the
overall number of Mexican citizens who speak indigenous languages. The overall
number of indigenous speakers has dropped from 6,044,547 to 6,011,202 persons
five years of age and older. This represented a drop in the national percentage
of indigenous speakers from 7.2% to 6.7%.
It is important to point out that the criteria in this count represents
people who speak indigenous languages and that the number of Mexicans who
consider themselves to be indigenous – through culture, tradition, spirit,
genetics and other factors – is probably much greater in some parts of the
country. Additionally, any children up to the age of four living in indigenous
households are not tallied as being indigenous speakers.
Náhuatl remains the most widely spoken language in Mexico with 1,376,026
persons five years of age and older using that tongue. Náhuatl speakers, in
fact, represented 22.89% of the indigenous speakers in the entire Republic in
the 20005 Conteo. Some of the other prominent languages are:
2. Maya (759,000 speakers – 12.63% of all indigenous speakers)
3. Mixtec Languages (423,216 – 7.04%)
4. Zapotec Languages (410,901 – 6.84%)
5. Tzeltal (371,730 – 6.18%)
6. Tzotzil (329,937 – 5.49%)
7. Otomí (239,850 – 3.99%)
The Náhuatl, Maya, Mixtec and Zapotec languages are found in considerable
numbers in many states far from their traditional homelands, in large part
because of migration to the north and urban areas.
The states with the largest number of indigenous speakers are, in terms of
absolute numbers and percentages, are:
1. Oaxaca (1,091,502 indigenous speakers – 35.3% of the state population)
2. Yucatán (538,355 speakers – 33.5% of the state population)
3. Chiapas (957,255 speakers – 26.1% of the state population)
4. Quintana Roo (170,982 speakers – 19.3% of the state population)
5. Hidalgo (320,029 – 15.5% of the state population)
6. Guerrero (383,427 – 14.2% of the state population)
7. Campeche (89,084 – 13.3% of the state population)
8. Puebla (548,723 – 11.7% of the state population)
9. San Luis Potosí (234,815 – 11.1% of the state population)
10. Veracruz (605,135 – 9.5% of the state population).
With the exception of the Chiapas dialects, many of the most populous
indigenous languages have declined in absolute numbers, possibly due to
immigration to the United States and other countries. It is also possible that
many indigenous migrants who move from Oaxaca, Puebla, Guerrero, or Campeche to
large urban areas in Mexico City or the North may have children who, in the
absence of a nurturing mother culture, may tend to assimilate and perhaps stop
speaking their mother tongue as they socialize and work with their
non-indigenous friends, associates, and neighbors.
We continue to see large numbers of Zapotec and Mixtec speakers dominating
the indigenous landscape in many western and northern states, in large part
because of decades of migration from Oaxaca to other parts of the country. A
long distance from their traditional lands, the Mixtecs represent significant
percentages of the indigenous-speaking people in several states, including Baja
California (38.2% of indigenous speakers), Baja California Sur (21.5%), Distrito
Federal (10.4%), Sinaloa (10.2%) and Estado de México (6.8%).
Similarly, the Zapotecs make up significant portions of the
indigenous-speaking populations of several states, including Baja California
(9.6%), Baja California Sur (8.7%), Distrito Federal (8.4%), Colima (6.5%) and
Sinaloa (5.6%). Nevertheless, both the Zapotec and Mixtec languages saw
significant overall population drops between 2000 and 2005 and large-scale
immigration to the United States is certainly a compelling factor in that trend.
In the states of the Yucatán Peninsula, the Yucatec Maya dialect continues
to dominate. For example, in the State of Yucatán, there are 527,107 Maya
speakers, who represent 97.9% of the total indigenous-speaking population of the
state.
While many languages have declined in absolute numbers, several of the most
important Mayan tongues in Chiapas actually increased between the 2000 Censo and
the 2005 Conteo. The five most widely spoken languages of Chiapas have all
increased in absolute numbers:
1. Tzeltal (362,658 indigenous speakers – 37.9% of the state’s indigenous
population)
2. Tzotzil (320,921 indigenous speakers – 33.5%)
3. Chol (161,794 speakers – 16.9%)
4. Zoque (43,936 speakers – 4.6%)
5. Tojolabal (42,798 – 4.5%)
This increase may be related to the high visibility and sense of pride that
many Chiapas Indians have begun to feel towards their indigenous heritage, and,
in fact, people who did not previously speak Tzotzil or Tzeltal fluently, may be
learning the language to take part in the Cultural Renaissance now occurring.
The Náhuatl language continues to dominate many of the Mexican states. In
Veracruz, for example, the 318,626 Náhuatl speakers make up 52.7% of the State’s
indigenous speakers. The other widely spoken languages in Veracruz are the
Totonac (19.2%), Huasteco (8.4%), Popoluca (5.3%), and Otomí (2.8%).
The Tarahumara Indians, one of the few surviving remnants of Chihuahua’s
indigenous heritage, continue to represent 77.3% of Chihuahua’s people who
speak Indian languages. But indigenous speakers only represent 3.4% of the total
state population five years of age and older.
In Sonora, the two surviving traditional languages still dominate the
indigenous-speaking population: the Mayo number 24,470 people (47.3%) and the
Yaqui number 13,552 people (14.7%). But, here again, the indigenous speakers
represent only 2.5% of Sonora’s entire population five years of age and older.
Mexico’s total population increased from 97,483,412 in the 2000 Censo to
103,263,388 in the 2005 Conteo. Interestingly, women outnumber men by 51.34% by
48.66%, a telling reminder that many breadwinners may have left the country to
find gainful employment elsewhere.
Below is a graphic interpretation, illustrating the contrast in the
indigenous speaking populations of Mexico’s states between the 2000 Censo and
the 2005 Conteo:
|
A COMPARISON OF MEXICO’S INDIGENOUS-SPEAKING POPULATIONS BETWEEN THE
2000 CENSO AND THE 2005 CONTEO (BY STATE) - Copyright © 2006, by John P.
Schmal. |
|
State |
2000 Censo – Population of Persons Five Years of Age and More Who
Speak an Indigenous Language |
2000 Census – Percentage |
2005 Conteo – Population of Persons Five Years of Age and More Who
Speak an Indigenous Language |
2005 Conteo – Percentage |
|
Aguascalientes |
1,244 |
0.2 |
2,713 |
0.3 |
|
Baja California |
37,685 |
1.9 |
33,604 |
1.4 |
|
Baja California,Sur |
5,353 |
1.4 |
7,095 |
1.6 |
|
Campeche |
93,765 |
15.5 |
89,084 |
13.3 |
|
Coahuila de Zaragoza |
3,032 |
0.2 |
5,842 |
0.3 |
|
Colima |
2,932 |
0.6 |
2,889 |
0.6 |
|
Chiapas |
809,592 |
24.7 |
957,255 |
26.1 |
|
Chihuahua |
84,086 |
3.2 |
93,709 |
3.4 |
|
Distrito Federal |
141,710 |
1.8 |
118,424 |
1.5 |
|
Durango |
24,934 |
2.0 |
27,792 |
2.1 |
|
Guanajuato |
10,689 |
0.3 |
10,347 |
0.2 |
|
Guerrero |
367,110 |
13.9 |
383,427 |
14.2 |
|
Hidalgo |
339,866 |
17.3 |
320,029 |
15.5 |
|
Jalisco |
39,259 |
0.7 |
42,372 |
0.7 |
|
México |
361,972 |
3.3 |
312,319 |
2.6 |
|
Michoacán de Ocampo |
121,849 |
3.5 |
113,166 |
3.3 |
|
Morelos |
30,896 |
2.3 |
24,757 |
1.8 |
|
Nayarit |
37,206 |
4.6 |
41,689 |
5.0 |
|
Nuevo León |
15,446 |
0.5 |
29,538 |
0.8 |
|
Oaxaca |
1,120,312 |
37.2 |
1,091,502 |
35.3 |
|
Puebla |
565,509 |
13.1 |
548,723 |
11.7 |
|
Querétaro Arteaga |
25,269 |
2.1 |
23,363 |
1.7 |
|
Quintana Roo |
173,592 |
23.1 |
170,982 |
19.3 |
|
San Luis Potosí |
235,253 |
11.7 |
234,815 |
11.1 |
|
Sinaloa |
49,744 |
2.2 |
30,459 |
1.3 |
|
Sonora |
55,694 |
2.9 |
51,701 |
2.5 |
|
Tabasco |
62,027 |
3.7 |
52,139 |
3.0 |
|
Tamaulipas |
17,118 |
0.7 |
20,221 |
0.8 |
|
Tlaxcala |
26,662 |
3.2 |
23,807 |
2.5 |
|
Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave |
633,372 |
10.4 |
605,135 |
9.5 |
|
Yucatán |
549,532 |
37.4 |
538,355 |
33.5 |
|
Zacatecas |
1,837 |
0.2 |
3,949 |
0.3 |
|
Mexican Republic |
6,044,547 |
7.2 |
6,011,202 |
6.7 |
Below is a second illustration indicating the evolution of Mexico’s
indigenous languages in terms of their total numbers within the Mexican
Republic.
|
THE EVOLUTION OF MEXICO’S INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES FROM 1970 TO 2005 --
Copyright © 2006, by John P. Schmal. |
|
Primary Languages |
1970 |
1990 |
2000 |
2005 |
2005 - % of all Indigenous Languages Spoken |
|
Náhuatl |
799,394 |
1,197,328 |
1,448,936 |
1,376,026 |
22.89% |
|
Maya |
454,675 |
713,520 |
800,291 |
759,000 |
12.63% |
|
Mixtec Languages |
233,235 |
386,874 |
446,236 |
423,216 |
7.04% |
|
Zapoteco Languages |
283,345 |
403,457 |
452,887 |
410,901 |
6.84% |
|
Tzeltal |
99,412 |
261,084 |
284,826 |
371,730 |
6.18% |
|
Tzotzil |
95,383 |
229,203 |
297,561 |
329,937 |
5.49% |
|
Otomí |
221,062 |
280,238 |
291,722 |
239,850 |
3.99% |
|
Totonaca |
124,840 |
207,876 |
240,034 |
230,930 |
3.84% |
|
Mazateco |
101,541 |
168,374 |
214,477 |
206,559 |
3.44% |
|
Chol |
73,253 |
128,240 |
161,766 |
185,299 |
3.08% |
|
Huasteco |
66,091 |
120,739 |
150,257 |
149,532 |
2.49% |
|
Chinanteca Languages |
54,145 |
109,100 |
133,374 |
125,706 |
2.09% |
|
Mixe |
54,403 |
95,264 |
118,924 |
115,824 |
1.93% |
|
Mazahua |
104,729 |
127,826 |
133,430 |
111,840 |
1.86% |
|
Purépecha |
60,411 |
94,835 |
121,409 |
105,556 |
1.76% |
|
Tlapaneco |
30,804 |
68,483 |
99,389 |
98,573 |
1.64% |
|
Tarahumara |
25,479 |
54,431 |
75,545 |
75,371 |
1.25% |
|
Zoque |
27,140 |
43,160 |
51,464 |
54,004 |
0.90% |
|
Amuzgo |
13,883 |
28,228 |
41,455 |
43,761 |
0.73% |
|
Tojolabal |
13,303 |
36,011 |
37,986 |
43,169 |
0.72% |
|
Chatino |
11,773 |
29,006 |
40,722 |
42,791 |
0.71% |
|
Chontal |
ND |
36,267 |
38,561 |
36,578 |
0.61% |
|
Popoluca |
27,818 |
31,254 |
38,477 |
36,406 |
0.61% |
|
Huichol |
6,874 |
19,363 |
30,686 |
35,724 |
0.59% |
|
Mayo |
27,848 |
37,410 |
31,513 |
32,702 |
0.54% |
|
Tepehuano |
5,617 |
18,469 |
25,544 |
31,681 |
0.53% |
|
Cora |
6,242 |
11,923 |
16,410 |
17,086 |
0.28% |
|
Huave |
7,442 |
11,955 |
14,224 |
15,993 |
0.27% |
|
Yaqui |
7,084 |
10,984 |
13,317 |
14,162 |
0.24% |
|
Cuicateco |
10,192 |
12,677 |
13,425 |
12,610 |
0.21% |
|
Other Languages |
63,997 |
308,768 |
179,699 |
278,685 |
4.64% |
|
Total Indigenous Speakers in Mexico |
3,111,415 |
5,282,347 |
6,044,547 |
6,011,202 |
100% |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística Geografía e Informática (INEGI).
Conteos de Población y Vivienda, 2005.
Copyright © 2008, by John P. Schmal.
EXTRANJEROS IN MEXICO (1895-2000)
By John P. Schmal (© 2007)
Immigration to Mexico
From the early Sixteenth Century to the end of the Nineteenth Century, Mexico
saw a continuous surge of immigrants from Spain. But several other countries –
most notably Portugal, Italy, Germany, France, the Philippines and China –
also contributed a steady stream of immigrants to various parts of Mexico
through the centuries. Immigration from North America and other parts of Latin
America and the Caribbean has also been healthy over the long haul.
Extranjeros in Mexico’s 1895 Census
According to the 1895 Mexican census, the countries with the largest number
of natives living in Mexico were:
- Spain (14,108 natives)
- Guatemala (14,004)
- United States (12,945)
- France (3,897)
- United Kingdom (3,263)
- Germany (2,497)
- Italy (2,148)
- China (1,026)
The total number of extranjeros living in Mexico numbered 56,355 in 1895. In
contrast, the number of people five years of age and older who spoke foreign
languages amounted to only 23,916 persons. Of course, those individuals who were
born in Spain and Guatemala and spoke Spanish did not speak a foreign language.
Therefore the five most widely spoken foreign languages were:
- English (13,711 speakers)
- French (3,569 speakers)
- German (2,247 speakers)
- Italian (1,376 speakers)
- Chinese (827 speakers)
During the reign of Porfirio Díaz (1876-1910), foreigners were invited to
Mexico to serve as skilled professionals in a number of industries, including
the railroad and mining industries. This policy guaranteed a steady stream of
immigrant who entered Mexico, some of whom stayed and raised families.
Extranjeros in 1900
The total number of extranjeros living in Mexico increased from 56,355 in
1895 to 67,674 in 1900. Although Spain remained the largest contributor of
natives to Mexico, United States moved into second place as the country of birth
for Mexican residents. The most represented countries were:
- Spain (16,280 natives)
2 United States (15,242)
3 Guatemala (5,820)
4. France (3,970)
Extranjeros in 1910
In 1910, the total number of extranjeros living in Mexico almost doubled to
117,108 persons. Although the largest number of natives continued to be from
the Spain, Guatemala and the United States, natives of China increased almost
fourfold from 2,660 in 1900 to 13,203 in 1910. The countries most represented
by extranjeros in Mexico’s 1910 census were:
- Spain (29,64 natives)
- Guatemala (21,334)
- United States (20,639)
- China (13,203)
- United Kingdom (5,274)
- France (4,729)
- Germany (3,627)
In the 1910 census, 56,491 persons five years of age and older spoke some
foreign language. The most widely spoken foreign language was English (with
24,480 English speakers), followed by Chinese (12,972 speakers), French (4,729),
German (4,132) and Arabic (3,545).
Extranjeros in 1921
Mexico experienced a violent revolution that caused widespread death,
destruction and migration from 1910 to 1920. By the time the next census was
taken in 1921, more than a million Mexicans had been killed and internal
migration had displaced millions more. In 1921, the number of extranjeros
dropped from 117,108 in 1910 to 101,312. The countries with the largest
representation were:
- Spain (29,565 natives)
- China (14,472)
- Guatemala (13,974)
- United States (11,090)
- Syria (4,715)
As a general rule, many of the foreign populations decreased during the
revolution as many people fled the country to escape the turmoil. The number of
persons speaking foreign languages also dropped from 56,4391 in 1910 to 47,989
in 1921. The six most widely spoken foreign languages were:
- Chinese (14,514 speakers)
- English (13,570 speakers)
- Arabic (5,420 speakers)
- German (3,772 speakers)
- French (3,553 speakers)
- Italian (2,108 speakers)
- Japanese (1,880 speakers)
Extranjeros in 1930
The number of extranjeros in Mexico increased from 101,312 in 1921 to 159,844
in 1930. The most represented countries were:
- Spain (47,239 natives)
- China (18,965)
- Guatemala (17,023)
- United States (12,396)
- Canada (7,779)
- Germany (6,501)
- Syria (5,195)
Arabic countries saw significant increases with several native populations
well represented in the Mexican census: Saudi Arabia (4,435 natives), Lebanon
(3,963) and Syria (5,159). However, speakers of foreign languages declined
significantly from 47,989 to 8,223. The three most widely spoken languages were:
English (5,134 speakers), Chinese (1,008) and German (503). The decline in
foreign languages may have been due to a reluctance of individuals to admit that
they spoke foreign languages, as well as assimilation of second-generation of
Mexicans.
Extranjeros in 1940
The total number of extranjeros in Mexico dropped dramatically from 159,844
in 1930 to 67,548 in 1940. As the older generation of immigrants died out, the
Mexican-born children of the foreign-born individuals took their place as
natives of Mexico, not a foreign country. The five countries with the largest
representation in Mexico during this census year were:
- Spain (21,022 natives)
- United States (9,585)
- Canada (5,338)
- China (4,858)
- Guatemala (3,358)
Natives of Arab countries continued to make up a significant portion of the
foreign natives: Lebanon (2,454 natives), Saudi Arabia (1,070) and Syria
(1,041). Significant numbers of natives from the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan
and the Soviet Union were also represented among the extranjeros.
During this census, the number of people who spoke foreign languages also
dropped from 8,223 in 1930 to 6,465 in 1940. German was the most widely spoken
foreign language (with 5,111 speakers), followed by English (1,159 speakers). It
is likely that many people tallied in the census simply did not admit that they
spoke foreign languages. It is also possible that many of the 14,923 natives
from Canada and the U.S. may actually have been the children of Mexican
immigrants who returned to Mexico with their children during the repatriation of
the 1930’s and in the aftermath of a devastating world-wide economic
depression.
Extranjeros in 1950
Between 1940 and 1950, the number of foreign-born residents in Mexico
increased significantly from 67,548 to 106,015. The largest number of immigrants
that had entered Mexico during the last decade came from the United States and
Spain. For the first time, United States had the largest representation. The
most widely represented countries were:
- United States (30,454 natives)
- Spain (26,676)
- Canada (6,102)
- China (5,124)
- Guatemala (4,613)
Other countries represented in significant numbers were France, Germany,
Italy, Cuba, Japan, Lebanon and Poland. Speakers of foreign languages also
increased dramatically from 6,465 in 1940 to 100,830 in 1950. The five most
widely spoken languages correlated to some extent with the influx of natives:
- English (57,172 speakers)
- German (9,383 speakers)
- French (5,975 speakers)
- Chinese (5,262 speakers)
- Japanese (1,805)
Although the influx of English speakers correlated with the increase of
immigrants from Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S., the number of German
speakers (9,383) did not seem to match the number of German-born Mexicans
(1,811), indicating possibly that second-generation German-Mexicans may have
retained their German language skills. There seemed to be a similar phenomenon
with French (5,975 French speakers compared to 1,088 French natives in Mexico).
Chinese, on the other hand, seemed to correlate well between the two
classifications.
Extranjeros in 1960
Between 1950 and 1960, the number of foreign-born in Mexico more than doubled
from 106,015 to 223,468. The United States had the largest number of natives,
followed at a great distance by Spain, Guatemala and Germany, as indicated
below:
- United States (97,902 natives)
- Spain (49,637)
- Guatemala (8,743)
- Germany (6,690)
- Canada (5,631)
- China (5,085)
- Poland (4,275)
- France (4,196)
Between 1950 and 1960, the number of persons speaking foreign languages also
increased from 100,830 to 147,827. English speakers were the largest group
(103,154), followed by French, German, Arabic, Japanese and Polish.
Spanish-speakers from Spain, Guatemala and other Latin American countries, of
course, would not be included as speakers of foreign languages and, as such, did
not figure in the calculations for speakers of foreign languages.
Extranjeros in 1970
Between 1960 and 1970, the number of foreign-born in Mexico dropped for the
first time from 223,468 to 192,208. The number of U.S.-born natives barely
decreased from 97,902
to 97,248 while the number of Spanish immigrants dropped significantly from
49,637 to 31,038. Below is a tally of the extranjeros in Mexico at the time of
the 1970 census:
- United States (97,248 natives)
- Spain (31,038)
- Guatemala (6,969)
- Germany (5,379)
- Cuba (4,197)
- Nicaragua (3,674)
- France (3,495)
- Canada (3,352)
One of the most notable increases took place among natives from a variety of
Latin American countries. Immigration from 13 Latin American countries accounted
for 24,561 foreign-born individuals in the 1970 census. Although a variety of
reasons for this immigration may have instigated this enhanced movement, the
flight of refuges from Castro’s Cuba probably played a role in placing
Cuban-born nationals in fifth place.
Extranjeros in 1980
Between 1970 and 1980, the number of foreign-born persons in Mexico increased
from 192,208 to 268,900. Once again, natives from the United States made up the
largest segment with 157,080 persons, followed by Spain (32,240). However,
natives from 13 Latin American countries totaled 33,981 and made up 12.6% of all
the foreign-born residents. The countries most represented by the extranjeros in
the 1980 census were:
- United States (157,080 natives)
- Spain (32,240)
- Argentina (5,479)
- Germany (4,824)
- France (4,242)
- Guatemala (4,115)
Extranjeros in 2000
At the time of the 2000 census, 492,617 extranjeros lived in Mexico. A total
of 343,591 extranjeros were born in the United States, representing 69.75% of
the entire immigrant population. The countries most represented by the
extranjeros in the 2000 census were:
1. United States (343,591 natives)
2. Guatemala (23,957)
3. Spain (21,024)
4. Cuba (6,647)
5. Argentina (6,465)
6. Colombia (6,215)
Immigrants from both the United States and the rest of the Americas
constituted 87.5% of all extranjeros living in Mexico in 2000. However, Canada,
France and Germany also continued to contribute several thousand of their
natives to Mexico’s resident population.
If current trends continue in the Twenty-First Century, it is likely that
immigration from both the United States and Latin America will continue to
constitute the largest number of extranjeros residing in Mexico.
© 2008, John P. Schmal. All rights reserved.
Sources:
Departamento de la Estadística Nacional, "Annuario de 1930" (Tacubaya,
D.F., Mexico, 1932),
Secretaria de la Economia Nacional, Direccion General de Estadistica, "Annuario
Estadistico de los Estados Unidos Mexicano" (1938-1972)
Instituto Nacional de Estadística Geografía e Informática (INEGI), Censo
de Poblacion y Vivienda de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos" (1980-2000).
First published at: http://www.somosprimos.com/sp2007/spdec07/spdec07.htm
Mexico
and Its Religions
By
John P. Schmal
From
the earliest of times, religion has been an important element in the life of
the Mexican people. The pre-Hispanic indigenous inhabitants of
Mexico
worshipped a pantheon of Gods represented by the objects or animals that
played a significant role in their lives. For many of the Amerindians of
Mexico, the reverence and fear of their gods was deeply engrained. But when
the Spaniards arrived in
Mexico
in 1519, they brought with them a new religion, Christianity. As
the Spaniards triumphed on the battlefield, many Indian tribes gave up their
gods who had abandoned them in critical times and adopted the beliefs of the
conquerors.
Many
of the Mexican Indians adapted rather quickly to Catholicism but their
conversion was made easier as they were able to incorporate elements of their
old cultures and superstitions. This fusion of Catholicism with some elements
of the original traditions lead to what some persons call Folk
Catholicism, which provided many indigenous people with a smoother
transition to Christianity. This “Folk Catholicism” is practiced in some
parts of
Mexico
. In other parts of
Mexico
, entire tribes managed to maintain their old religions. One good example of
this would be the Huichol Indians of Jalisco and Nayarit.
As
the Nineteenth Century progressed,
Mexico
remained a predominantly Catholic country. It was during the time following
the War of Independence (1810-1821) that many Mexican politicians began to see
the Catholic Church as a tool of the Spanish authorities. While many Mexican
people strongly adhered to Catholicism, a political battle took place that
would eventually reduce the economic power and political influence of the
Catholic Church throughout the country.
Starting
in the 1830s, the Conservative Party, advocating the status quo, came into
direct conflict with the Liberal Party, which essentially sought to reduce the
power of the established order – the large landowners and Catholic Church.
Eventually, the Liberals gained control of the Federal Government and enacted
the Constitution of 1857, effectively abolishing many of the Church’s
special privileges. In 1878, schools were secularized and during the next
decade, religious institutions were stripped of their legal status. Finally,
in 1898,
Mexico
officially broke off diplomatic relations with the
Vatican
.
In
spite of these seemingly anti-Catholic government measures enacted over a
period of several decades, the vast majority of the Mexican people remained
staunchly Roman Catholic. By the time of the 1895 census, at least 9,580
Catholic churches or temples existed throughout the land, in contrast to only
189 Protestant churches. The states containing the most Catholic Churches
were:
Mexico
(1,692 churches or temples),
Puebla
(1,299), Guanajuato (1,009),
Hidalgo
(883), and Guerrero (526).
The
1900 Census
Catholicism
in
Mexico
was listed as the religion of 99.36% of the respondents in the 1900 Mexican
census. In absolute terms, 13,519,668 persons professed to be Catholics.
Another 51,796 persons claimed to be Protestant, while Buddhists were
represented by only 2,062 persons. Only 134 people listed in the 1900 census
classified themselves as Jewish. It is noteworthy that 18,635 persons claimed
to have no religion, and another 12,563 ignored the census question.
In
the 1900 census, twenty-three Mexican states boasted populations of 99% or
more Catholics. In fact, three states spread across different parts of
Mexico
held the largest percentage of Catholics:
Chiapas
(99.94%), Colima (99.91%) and Querétaro (99.90%), while
Chihuahua
had the smallest percentage of Catholics: 96.04%. In the 1900 census,
Protestants made up a mere 0.39% of the total population of the
Mexican
Republic
.
It
is believed that as many as one in eight Mexicans – almost two million
people – perished in the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920). The 1921 census
count reflects this decrease, as the population of
Mexico
dropped from 15,160,369 in 1910 to 14,334,780. The Catholic population
declined even more, dropping from 15,033,176 to 13,921,226 in 1921,
representing 97.1% of the total population of that year. The population of
Protestants, in contrast, increased slightly from 68,838 to 73,951 during the
same period of time.
The
Mexican Revolution represented a crisis of major proportions for all elements
of Mexican society, including the Catholic Church. One of the major
consequences of the Mexican Revolution was the Constitution of 1917. The
articles of this constitution deprived the Catholic Church of its traditional
privileged position in Mexican society by secularizing all primary education
and requiring the registration of all clergymen with the government (to
regulate their “professional conduct”).
Article 24, which forbade public worship outside the confines of the church,
had antagonized many Mexican citizens. In 1926, President Plutarco Elias
Calles, in implementing the articles of the Constitution, signed the so-called
Intolerable
Acts. The implementation of these strongly anti-clerical laws
antagonized many Catholics and laid the foundation of the so-called Cristero
Religious War.
Los Altos
and the Three-Fingers border
region of northern Jalisco, long regarded as a vanguard of Catholicism in
Mexico
, would become battlefields in this next war, which started in 1926.
During
the period from 1926 to 1932, the government of Jalisco changed hands ten
times. At one point, some 25,000 rebels had been mobilized to resist the
articles of the Constitution. The bloody conflict was formally ended in June
1929. However, outbreaks of violence continued into the 1930s. Over time, the
uneasy relationship between the Church and state relaxed considerably and,
while the oppressive laws originally signed into law by Calles remained on the
books, little effort was made to enforce them.
The
1930 Census
By
the time of the 1930 census, the Cristero Rebellion had ended and Mexican
Catholicism -while greatly reduced in economic power and influence - was still
the religious creed of 16,179,667 individuals, who made up 97.7% of the
Mexican population. The population of the Protestants, by now, had increased
significantly, amounting to 130,322 individuals, equivalent to about 0.7% of
the Mexican population. The number of Buddhists had increased to 6,743, and
the number of Jewish believers reached 9,072 persons.
In
the 1930 census, Querétaro had the largest percentage of Catholics (99.54%),
followed by Guanajuato (99.25%) and
Oaxaca
(99.24%). The greatest absolute number of Protestants for this census could be
found in the
Federal District
, where they numbered 16,895 souls (or 1.37% of the population). However, the
southern state of
Tabasco
had the largest percentage of Protestants (3.38%), followed by Tamaulipas
(2.39%) and
Baja California
(2.27%).
The
1950 Census
The
1950 Mexican census counted 25,791,071 persons in all, of which 25,329,498
were Catholics, representing 98.21% of the total population. In the same
census, the Protestant population had climbed to 330,111, now making up 1.28%
of the population. The Jewish population also reached 17,574 persons.
In
1950, the Catholic states with the largest percentage of Catholics were: Querétaro
(99.77%), Baja California Sur (99.69%), Guanajuato (99.67%), and Colima
(99.53%). The
Federal District
continued to boast the largest number of Protestants in the country, with
54,884 individuals (1.80% of the state population). The percentage of
Protestants living in
Tabasco
continued to lead the rest of the country, with 5.13%, followed at a great
distance by Tamaulipas (2.82%) and Quintana Roo (2.44%).
The
2000 Census
In
the 2000 census, the
Mexican
Republic
's percentage of Catholics dropped to 87.99%. The states with the largest
percentages of Catholics were Guanajuato (96.41%),
Aguascalientes
, (95.64%), Jalisco (95.38%), Querétaro (95.26%), and Zacatecas (95.15%).
It
is noteworthy that significant numbers of people in the southern states had
become Protestant in recent decades. The states with the largest percentages
of Protestants were:
Chiapas
(13.9%),
Tabasco
(13.62%),
Campeche
(13.19%), and Quintana Roo (11.16%), all southern states. It is also important
to understand that the states with the significant percentages of Protestants
are also the states with the largest populations of indigenous peoples. The
anthropologist Carlos Garma has explained this phenomenon as follows: “In
Indian communities, Pentecostalism has had the strongest impact because of its
emphasis on faith healing and miracles.”
The Government of Mexico has kept statistics on religion in every census since
1895. All such statistics - including those cited in this work - are available
in various publications of INEGI (Instituto Nacional de Estadística
Geografía e Informática) from the last century.
Sources:
Departamento de la Estadística Nacional, Annuario de 1930 (Tacubaya,
D.F., México, 1932).
Secretaría de Economia, Estadísticas Sociales del Porfiriato, 1877-1910
(México, 1956).
INEGI, Estados Unidos Mexicanos, XII Censo General de Población y Vivienda,
2000. Tabulados Básicos y por Entidad Federativa. Bases de Datos y Tabulados
de la Muestra Censal.
Carlos Garma, “Religious Affiliation in Indian
Mexico
,” in James W. Dow and Alan R. Sandstrom (eds.), Holy Saints and Fiery
Preachers: The Anthropology of Protestantism in
Mexico
and Central America (
Westport
,
Connecticut
: Praeger Publishers, 2001), pp. 57-72.
INDIGENOUS
ROOTS IN MEXICO
Tracing Your Indigenous Roots in México
By John P. Schmal
Because I volunteer as a Mexican genealogical consultant at the Los Angeles
Family History Center a few days out of each month, many people have asked me
for assistance in tracing their indigenous roots in México. For three hundred
years, México was blessed with an exceptional record-keeping system. For the
most part, Spanish padres in the small Mexican parishes were very diligent in
recording the lives of their parishioners. In many parts of México,
expedientes de bautismos, matrimonios y defunciones provide family history
researchers with interesting details about the lives and origins of their
ancestors that cannot be found in most other countries.
It is possible for people to trace their indigenous roots in México, but it
may involve a little bit of work and creative thinking. Depending upon
which state your family came from, you may have great success or you may have
very limited success. Your success depends upon several inter-related
factors.
Racial classifications
Up until 1821, most Spanish priests recorded the racial classifications of
the persons they baptized and married. The Spanish racial order included a
large variety of categories that included español (White), mestiso, mulato,
indio, coyote and lobo. Although this method of categorization was, in our
present-day eyes, a very racist and degrading system, it does offer the
researcher and family historian some insight into their own ethnic makeup. After
1821, the racial classifications were made illegal.
Assimilation and Mestizaje
If a person is trying to determine the name of the Indian tribe from which
they descend, they may be disappointed. The assimilation and mestizaje of
the Mexican people started early in the Sixteenth Century and continued at
various levels for the next three hundred years of colonial México. In
many parts of México, Indians lost their tribal identity early on. And
intermarriage among various indigenous groups was common, thus obscuring one’s
descent from a particular ethnic group.
When the Spaniards arrived in some areas, a social transformation took place.
The Spaniards, with their superior military tactics, easily overwhelmed the
tribes that resisted them. The loss of life from disease or war caused a social
chaos among some indigenous groups. But in some areas, the indigenous peoples
accepted the suzerainty of the Spaniards and a peaceful process of assimilation
resulted.
The processes that took place differed from one region to another, but the
effect was the same for the majority of México’s native peoples. The
existing social structures disintegrated and blended into more dominant Indian
groups or assimilated into the central Hispanic culture. The pre-Hispanic
cultural link that had been handed down from parents to their children was
severed. A new religion, Christianity, replaced the old religions. And two
languages - Spanish and Náhuatl - became the primary languages of the subdued
tribes, who essentially evolved into what we now know as the Mexican people.
Because converted Indians were now God-fearing Christians, they no longer
felt pride in or reverence for their old cultures. So, after being Christianized
and Hispanicized, many indigenous people assumed Christian given names and
Spanish surnames.
To help with the social and religious transformation, the Spanish authorities
brought peaceful sedentary Christianized Indians from other parts of México
into the region. These so-called "civilized" Indians were given the
task of helping their Indian brethren to adapt to the new Christian way of life
under Spanish tutelage. These Indian groups - the Tlaxcalans, the Mexica, Otomí,
and the Purépecha, among others - had all undergone the same experience several
decades earlier.
The result of this social and cultural transformation is that many people
probably are descended from many kinds of Indian tribal groups. A person
from Sain Alto in Zacatecas, for example, may be descended from the Zacatecos
Indians who were indigenous to the area, but may also be descended from Otomí,
Tlaxcalan and Mexica Indians who settled in the area during the Sixteenth and
Seventeenth Centuries.
The Generic Classification "Indio / India"
Because of the "lost identity" of so many indigenous people, most
parish priests employed the generic terms "indio" or "india"
to describe the persons being baptized or getting married in their parish
books. The following excerpt from a 1773 document in Lagos de Moreno,
Jalisco – translated into English – describes the marriage of two Indians:
"In the Parish of Lagos on the 10th of July 1773, having read the
marriage banns in solemn Mass on three holy days, on the 13th, 20th, and 24th of
June, as required by the Holy Council of Trent, I, Father Miguel Días asked for
the consent of JOSE DIONICIO DELGADO, Indian, originally from and a resident of
this parish in the post of Quarenta, legitimate son of Leon Delgado and Josefa
Ramires, and RITA QUITERIA DE LARA, Indian, originally from and a resident of
this parish in Sabinda, legitimate daughter of Carlos Antonio de Lara, and of
Maria Valades, and having expressed mutual consent, I married them..."
Note that the José Dionicio Delgado and his bride Rita Quiteria de Lara are
both called Indians, without reference to a specific tribe. This was a
widespread practice through many parts of México, where the Indians simply
assumed or were given surnames. It is worth noting that surnames such as
de la Cruz and de los Reyes were frequently given to Indian peasants by their
parish priests.
There is no better example of the generic use of "indio" than the
baptism of the famous son of Oaxaca: Benito Juárez:
"In the Parish Church of Santo Tomas Ixtlan, on the 22nd of March of the
year of 1806, I, Father Mariano Cortabarria, assisted by Vicar Antonio Puche,
baptized solemnly BENITO PABLO, son of Marcelino Juárez and Brigida Garcia,
Indians of the village of San Pablo Guelatao, belonging to this main district;
his paternal grandparents are Pedro Juárez and Justa Lopez; the maternal
grandparents: Pablo Garcia and Maria Garcia; the godmother was Apolonia Garcia,
an Indian and the wife of Francisco Garcia, and whom I advised of her obligation
and spiritual parentage, and in witness thereof we signed the present act."
[Source: Pere Foix, Juárez (México, D.F.: Editorial Trillas, 1949), p. 23.]
We know that Benito Juárez was a Zapotec Indian, but because he was born
into a Christian Mexican family, his parents were simply given the generic
classification of "indios" in the church recording of his baptism.
Ethnic Classifications
In some states, such as Sonora, Chihuahua, or Coahuila, church records
occasionally reference a specific kind of Indian tribe. In Ciudad de
Chihuahua, marriages between "indios de Tarahumara" and "indios
de Yaqui" are commonly found in Eighteenth Century records. Such marriages
took place because Yaqui laborers from Sonora and Tarahumaras from southern
Chihuahua came in significant numbers to the ciudad looking for employment. As
an example, the following marriage took place in 1751:
"On the 12st of May of 1751, Father José Ruis de Mexa, having resided
over everything that is right, and finding no impediments to marriage resulting,
married in the face of the church, BALTHASAR, a Yaqui Indian from the Pueblo of
Saguaripa, with MARIA ROSALIA of the Pueblo of Torimp…"
As you can see by this document, the two people being married do not have
surnames. Eventually, all Mexicans would adopt surnames, but in the 1600s
and 1700s, some native inhabitants lacked surnames. This poses a major
stumbling block to researching indigenous roots.
Useful Tools
However, some tools are available to assist researchers in analyzing
ancestral records. The International Genealogical Index (IGI) for México
contains almost 30 million extracts for México. The IGI and other
associate databases can be accessed at the following website:
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp
Indigenous Identity
Regardless of the amount of mestizaje and cultural assimilation that may have
taken place since the Sixteenth Century, the indigenous identity of the Mexican
people was preserved well into the Twentieth Century. In the 1921 census,
4,179,449 persons claimed to be "indígena pura." These pure
indigenous individuals represented 29.16% of the Mexican Republic’s total
population. Even more people, however, recognized the duality of their
ethnic identity. In the same census, 8,504,561 Mexican citizens classified
themselves as "indígena mezclada con blanca," representing 59.33% of
the nation’s population. The population who acknowledged that they were
"blanca," amounted to only 9.8% of the population.
Expectations in Research
Tracing indigenous roots in México can be a rewarding and exciting
experience, but the most important factor in tracing your family tree is to
accept whatever results you find. When a person has fixed expectations,
they are likely to be disappointed. In my own research over the last 16
years, I have found that every Mexican family has a blend of both Spanish and
Indian roots.
Copyright
©
2008 by John P. Schmal. All rights under applicable law are hereby reserved.
Primary Sources: John P. Schmal and Donna S. Morales, "Mexican-American
Genealogical Research: Following the Paper Trail to Mexico" (Heritage
Books: 2003).
Various films of the Family History Library. Catalog Website:
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp
ZACATECAS HISTORY AND RESEARCH
The Indigenous Languages of Mexico: A Present-Day Overview