The History of the Highland Mixe : Outside View and Inside View : A Postcript to Apuntes sobre la Historia de los Mixes de la Zona Alta, Oaxaca, México
A reconstruction of the highland Mixe history is presented by
the author in "Apuntes sobre la Historia de los Mixes de la Zona
Alta, Oaxaca, Mexico" [KURODA1 976: 344-356]. The Mixe history
delineated there is no more than a brief review based on a few
sketchy references from non-Mixe observers, extending from the
post-Conquest years through the colonial period to the 20th
century. What is needed is a view of the Mixe history seen through
Mixe eyes. Nathan Wachtel, in his discussion of the Spanish
Conquest of Peru through Indian eyes [WACHTEL 1977], shed
light on the inside view of the vanquished through analyzing la
Danza de la Conquista. La Danza de la Conquista performed in the
Mixe highlands lacks speeches. The text of la Danza de la Conquista
from San Pedro Ocotepec, a village in the Mixe midlands (collected
by P. Octavio Vilches, a Salesian), is a mere reproduction
of the conquest theme, showing no transformation by Mixe imagination.
A clue to the Mixe inside view is found in the folktales of
their culture hero called the Rey Kondoy. Contrary to historical
facts, he defends the Mixe against the Aztec, the Spaniards and the
Zapotec. He is an incarnation of the image of the Invincible
Mixe. Here in the folktales of the Rey Kondoy, we find a glimpse
of the inside view of the Mixe history.
For writing this short note, I am much indebted to the Salesians
of the Mixe bishopric who generously allowed me to use the manuscript
of the dance.
ミヘの歴史と内なる“歴史” : 研究ノート, Apuntes sobre la Historia de los Mixes de la Zona Alta, Oaxaca, México後記
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