Ethnic Identity in Nahua Mesoamerica
Ethnic Identity in Nahua Mesoamerica: The View from Archaeology, Art History, Ethnohistory and Contemporary Ethnography by Fraces F. Berdan, John K. Chance. Alan R. Sandstorm, Barbra L. Stark, James M, Taggart, and Emily Umberger. Ethnography. Published 2007, 266 pgs. Ethnic Identity in Nahua Mesoamerica is an Ethnography that focuses on the Nahua tribes of Mesoamerica and how the concept of ethnicity applies in various regions and time periods in central Mexico, and ethnic life-cycles. The interpretations of the various authors are made in each chapter. Each chapter focuses on a certain region at a certain period of time.
The core subject surrounding this ethnography is the concept of ethnicity which is explained from a multidisciplinary stand-point in the first chapter. This chapter is the most important with respects to the rest of the book as it establishes how specific terms are defined. The term ethnicity itself encompasses many qualities and specific characteristics, some of which, overlapping. Ethnicity is characterized by human differences that establish an identity, and is built in cultural groups and developed through life actions. When dealing with the concept of ethnicity, the author makes an explicit statement that life cycle of ethnicity should be considered as well rather than limiting focus strictly to the concept of ethnicity. The chapter progresses to explain ethnicity as a point of common heritage. Ancestral lineage/ kinship, and place of origin are an obvious place to start. However, in terms of race, there may not be any biological correlation. Other factors that may shape ethnicity in non-biological factors may include a shared history, or geography. Ethnicity also carries with it boundaries that may or may not be distinct and in fact overlap with other ethnic groups. These boundaries are not limited by established international boundaries or are treated as such. The boundaries of ethnic groups may be social with some territorial implications. The book then proceeds to explain how regional identities are a less specific way form of identity among ethnic groups as it is usually a result of the expansion of a state, such as with the Aztecs in pre-colonial times.
Chapter four of the book applies the defined concept of ethnicity to the period of Aztec rule up until Spanish conquest around the central plateau, along with factors associated with ethnic groups. Such factors include distinguishing emblems of ethnic groups, social class and relations, and the political and territorial implications. It also brings in other dimensions of ethnicity, which bond groups or divide them.
The main purpose of this chapter is discussing emblems of ethnic or group affiliations, and other defining traits or dimensions. Some Emblems may include language, food preferences, religion, and clothing and body adornments and symbols. Chapter four contains a chart that describes many of the tribes in area with respect to the Mexica. One important point brought up in the first chapter is how “Ethnic identity is not only “self-defined”, but as often as not, is often defined by others.” Ethnicity is mostly only significant when dealing with multicultural societies. It was not uncommon in Postclassical times for one ethnic group to gain economic, resource, or military power, and integrate less dominant groups into a hierarchy and sphere of influence. This is the case with the Aztec empire. The Aztecs are only one of several Nahua tribes, however, due to the expansion of their state, many other ethnic groups and other Nahua tribes where consumed by the state. When ethnic groups were integrated, ethnic identity was only a small factor considered in integration. Integration into the Aztec state was approached based on circumstance and relations with the other ethnic groups. Although attitude between groups was present, it was not “embedded in social or political institutions.
Given the time frame discussed in chapter four, it creates a bridge for chapter five, by discussing the fundamental changes brought about by the Europeans during the time of conquest. This time frame brought about new political, social, and economic reforms. Although the people maintained their ethnicity, strong adjustments were made.
Chapter seven gives a more contemporary view of the concept of ethnicity as applied to the Nahua tribes. The chapter begins again with ethnicity and culture and its place with common heritage. The Nahua people claim their ethnicity to be “grounded in the meaning of the corn...” Because corn was such an important staple, its object that is one with the people. The idea of common heritage is associating planting corn and human procreation. Common heritage in indigenous groups generally deals with handed down myths of their origin. The Nahuat do not consider themselves to be an ethnic group when talking about blood lines and kinship.
Chapter seven then continues to discuss the interactions and attitudes of the Mestizos with the Nahuat. With the Mestizos, biological kinship and ethnicity is associated with race. To Metizos, ethnicity is a matter of “being” rather than to the Nahua as “doing”. The author of this chapter uses this observation when recounting his experience in Huitzilan with the Nahua people. When the author visited the region, he did not understand the Nahua ethnicity, as like the Mestizos, connected ethnicity with race. The Mestizos considered themselves as people of reason, and the Nahuat to be “little” people, or even as far to say as classless. The author found that the Mestizos relate themselves with the Nahuat as Whites and Blacks in the United States.
One subject the book clearly emphasizes is the concept of ethnicity. I found this to be one of the successes of the ethnography because of how well it (ethnicity) is defined from a multidisciplinary view such that it could be made clear and applicable for analysis. I found chapters one, four, and seven, the most significant and interesting, Chapter one was significant as it defined the frame work that the ethnography is built on by defining terms and concepts. Because the book is written by various others to write about the Nahua tribes at different periods in times and places, the term is re-evaluated in how it is applied with its roots in chapter one. Chapter four, because it expands on the terms and concepts of chapter one and expands on other key defining dimensions in pre-conquest times. The chapter then also introduces the change in the apparent definition of ethnicity with during conquest. Also, I chose chapter seven as significant because it brings in a contemporary view of ethnicity of the Nahua people.
From the first chapter, the concept of ethnicity is more consistently defined as actions that are developed which one can identify themselves as part of a cultural group. The definitions provided in the first chapter along with other associated factors such as common heritage or shared history and others less specific (ie. common friends/ enemies) is most effective when defining ethnic groups in “poly-ethnic” indigenous societies. I say this from the perspective of one whom may identify these societies as homogeneous on the surface. In present times, as chapter seven discuses, ethnicity has become more superficial, especially in terms of biology; it is a “matter being”, rather than “doing”. This was brought about by the Spanish during the time of conquest, and perhaps a product of their caste system. Having traveled to various regions in Mexico, particularly in the central region, I found this attitude very apparent. The author of chapter seven recounts his experience between the Nahuat and Mestizos in Huitzilan, Mexico. As mentioned, he noticed the Mestizos talk about the Nahuat as if it were blacks and whites in the United States. In present day Mexico, it is believed that the Mestizos have a “racist” attitude toward the Nahua, to an extent which some say is one of the reasons the many Nahua people find themselves marginalized and thus caught in a cycle of poverty. It can be obsereved that in Mexico that the whites, and Mestizos, would make up much of the middle and upper class of society whereas the indigenous groups make up almost the entire marginalized group of society. Some have gone as far to explain as “culture of poverty”; however as this book points out, it is, again, the practice of “doing” that defines a groups ethnicity, and living a certain way of life outlined by you ethnicity may not work well with the established system. It is a phenomenon that plagues most of North America.
When examining the Nahua tribes throughout central Mexico, the author in chapter four noted that there are vast differences between the Nahua tribes from place to place. This is when the concepts of ethnicity defined in chapter one and the dimensions discussed in chapter four are useful in distinguish the groups. Even in present days, this is apparent. There are distinct emblems and symbols that can be used to distinguish the Nahua tribes. In Colima, for example, I noticed the symbol of dancing dogs (a symbol of unity, possible between tribes), whereas the symbols near Mexico City are those of the Aztec that we are familiar with, such as the Jaguar, Tenochtitlan, Teotihuacan and so on. As chapter 3 discusses, in Tenochtitlan, hieroglyphs could also be interpreted based on style and subtle differences. Teotihuacan is an example of how culture is integrated into a specific group. The Aztecs themselves did not actually build Teotihuacan, but rather happened upon it, however, it is now an icon of the Aztec people which overshadows the past One purpose for these differences is the how the land contributes to shaping the ethnic identity of the tribes. As an example, throughout North America, the native tribes display similar characteristics and ethnic qualities over vast expansions of land; however, once we reach Mexico, it can be observed that there are vast changes in land over smaller distances. With differences in geographical features, the result is varying biodiversity in both flora and fauna, staples in diet, and access to certain materials. As the book mentioned, one of the factors of ethnicity is location, and how the people adapted to live and connect with the region which brings into account the practice of “doing” in defining ethnicity. Also, the remnants of past cultures, such as in the case of Teotihuacan, can be adopted to shape and give identity to an ethnic group.
One of the weaknesses of this book, I feel, is that it could have had some more focus on the present day ethnicity of Nauha tribes and answer questions that may not have been as prevalent in pre-colonial times. For instance as chapter four discusses; emblems such as clothing, symbols and other traits were used to identify groups in poly-ethnic societies such as in the Aztec state; how does this relate to the tribes in the nation of Mexico? How has globalization impacted how we identify the Nahua, or other tribes in Mexico with the dimensions discussed in chapter four. In chapter 2, the author mentions how technology in post-classical times changed the how food was prepare, and materials were transported. Today, how has technology impacted how the Nahua with respects to their post-classical ways of life. Also, to what extent, if any, has the attitude towards Nahua and other indigenous groups changed in present day society? Another consideration, if ethnicity follows a life cycle, what is the future of the Nahua? Will the Nahua just be considered a fragment of many other groups that will just be recognized as Mexicans?
Overall, I have found the book generally interesting, another strength the book had was the depth and all the areas of investigation the book had covered. To limit the size, I had to focus on chapters and topics in chapters I deemed to be the most significant to the course, though all other chapters may have equal importance. To analyse the Ethnography, I chose to relate what I have learned on my travels, past experiences, and what I have learned in other classes to explain and explore ethnic identity of the Nahua from my understanding. And also address some questions that the topic raises in present days.
Ethnicity is a very broad term which is explored with the Nahua tribes of Mexico. The most fundamental definition of ethnicity is: characteristics by human differences that establish an identity, and is built in cultural groups and developed through life actions. To better understand ethnicity is to not just consider its definition but that ethnicity follows a life cycle. Fading, and weaker ethnic groups can easily be integrated into more larger, dominant, and economically secure ethnic tribes.
References
Ethnic Identity in Nahua Mesoamerica: The View from Archaeology, Art History, Ethnohistory and Contemporary Ethnography by Fraces F. Berdan, John K. Chance. Alan R. Sandstorm, Barbra L. Stark, James M, Taggart, and Emily Umberger. Ethnography. Published 2007
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