Does race matter? The use of racial theory in understanding contemporary indian movements in Mexico and Latin America

Resumo

Over the last 20 years, movements clalming to represent the aspirations of indigenous peoples have emerged throughout latin America in attempts to overcome the inter-ethnic divisions and tenSlons that have historical/y divided and fragmented them. Their aim has been to join together in struggles for land, basic services, and citlzenship nghts. In some countries where the indigenous compnse a signif,cant percentage of the population, such as In Bolivia, Ecuador, and Guatemala, this new col/ectlve expression has been translated into strong natlonal Indian movements. In Mexlco, where the national Indian movement has not been as cohesive or unlted as those in the Andean region, struggles that were former/y concentrated within local indlgenous communities have achieved wider scope and significance for Indians on regional and national levels In recent years (Mejía & Sarmiento 1987). This was part Icular/ y evident in 1992 as indigenous groups throughout Mexico joined together in solidarity, most visibly in Mexico City, to protest the Quincentennlal Commemoration of the "Discovery of America ."