INDIGENISM: ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS AND REPRESENTATIVES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The indigenismo is an ideology focused on the assessment and anthropological study of indigenous cultures. The substance of this movement is to question the traditional ethnocentrism of the colonizing nations and the consequent discrimination to which they subjected indigenous peoples.

Although we can speak of distant antecedents of indigenismo dating from the years after the conquest, the origin of indigenismo is later. Both in its cultural and political aspects, it was not until the beginning of the 20th century that this ideology began to spread.

Mural representing Lázaro Cárdenas - Source: Jujomx / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

One of the most important events in the history of indigenism was the First Inter-American Indigenous Congress, convened in 1940. At this meeting, promoted by Mexican President Lázaro Cárdenas, the bases of indigenist demands were laid. In general, it was about ending the historical subjugation of these communities.

In addition to Mexico, indigenism also found a great impact in other Latin American countries. In Peru, for example, it gave rise to an important literary trend in the first decades of the 20th century. In Colombia, for its part, the recognition of cultural diversity did not arrive until the 1920s.

Origin of indigenism

The most distant antecedent of indigenism was a sermon offered by Antonio de Montesinos in December 1511. Some authors affirm that during the colonial period there were also examples of this ideology, with different characteristics.

Later, with the different wars of independence, the problem of the indigenous people was left in the background.

Origin of the term

Wards Churchill, an American scholar with Native American ancestry, was the first to popularize the term indigenismo. Another author who contributed to its extension was the Mexican anthropologist Guillermo Bonfil.

On the other hand, Ronald Niezen, a Canadian anthropologist, has defined the term as the international movement that seeks to protect and promote the rights of different indigenous peoples.

Beyond these academic definitions, indigenismo gained strength in post-revolutionary Mexico. At that time, indigenous culture was identified with Mexican nationalism and some traditions began to be claimed as part of the heritage of the country.

First Inter-American Indigenous Congress

One of the key events in the consolidation of indigenismo was the convocation, in 1940, of the First Inter-American Indigenous Congress.

Representatives from most of the countries of the continent participated in this meeting. As a result, indigenismo was adopted as the official policy of those countries.

Characteristics of indigenism

Indigenism is an ideological trend focused on the assessment and study of indigenous peoples. This encompasses the cultural, political and anthropological aspects of these peoples, with a special emphasis on questioning the mechanisms that have caused their discrimination.

Indigenism in politics

In its political aspect, indigenism is focused on demanding social improvements for indigenous peoples. Theorists of this current carry out analyzes in which they criticize the marginalization situations to which, historically, the members of these cultures have been condemned.

Another characteristic of political indigenism is to deny the Europeanization of the elite of the countries that were colonized.

In short, indigenism seeks to increase the representation of native peoples in the spheres of power and that their needs and organizational peculiarities are taken into account.

Indigenism in art

Culture and art are two fields in which indigenism has had great importance, especially since the 20th century. Previously, some remote antecedents among the Indian chroniclers can be named.

The theme of indigenous artistic works has reflected the oppression and misery to which the native peoples were condemned. In addition, they reflect the customs, traditions and character of its members.

Indigenist literature

Within the different artistic genres, it has possibly been literature that has most adopted indigenous ideas.

This relationship between literature and indigenous people dates back to the 1920s and had a special impact on Latin American countries with a larger indigenous population.

Indigenous as a social and political subject

Indigenism tries to give prominence to the members of the native peoples. It is about turning them into social and political subjects and that their traditional beliefs and customs are respected.

Claims of indigenism

Supporters of indigenismo demand a series of measures to improve the lives of indigenous people. The first is to recognize the right to their lands, which includes the wealth of the subsoil. In practice this would amount to the return of the land that was taken from them.

On the other hand, it is also requested that their identity, both ethnic and cultural, be recognized. In this sense, the claim includes the right to maintain their traditional institutions and the defense of their languages.

Likewise, the indigenistas demand equal rights with the rest of the inhabitants of each state and an end to the repression of which, many times, they have been victims.

Representatives

Alejandro Marroquin

Mexican anthropologist Alejandro Marroquín was well known for his work on indigenism. One of the best known is Balance del indigenismo. Report on Indigenous Policy in America, which was published in 1972 by the Inter-American Indigenous Institute.

Jose Maria Arguedas

This Peruvian was a writer, anthropologist, teacher and ethnologist. Born in 1911, Arguedas was the author of an important number of short stories and novels that made him one of the most recognized writers in his country.

Arguedas is considered one of the pioneers in introducing a global vision of the indigenous world in literature. In his work he describes Peru as a country divided into two cultures: the Andean and the European. Both are forced to coexist, although clashes are inevitable.

Cândido Rondon

Candido Rondon, also called Marshal Rondon, was a Brazilian explorer and military man who explored various areas of his country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Among his career highlights the exploration he carried out in Mato Grosso and the western part of the Amazon. Rondon was the first director of the Brazilian Office for the Protection of the Indian and dedicated part of his work to creating the Xingu National Park.

Diego Rivera

Diego Rivera

The Mexican Diego Rivera was one of the greatest exponents of Mexican muralism. This pictorial trend included indigenism in its theme.

The historical context favored Mexican nationalism to begin using indigenous cultures as a distinctive element.

Indigenism in Mexico

One of the Latin American countries in which indigenism has had the greatest historical presence is Mexico. Some authors affirm that some of the religious defenders of the natives during the conquest were the predecessors of this movement, such as Fray Bartolomé de las Casas.

However, the rise of indigenism came with the triumph of the Revolution. From that moment on, Mexican nationalism adopted this ideology as a differentiating factor from the old policies of Porfirio Díaz.

In spite of this, some experts affirm that the indigenismo of that time only considered the indigenous people as if they were something of the past. Thus, they claimed their culture but without paying attention to the reality of the indigenous peoples that still survived.

Muralism

Fight for Independence, by Diego Rivera

Muralism was an artistic trend that appeared in Mexico after the triumph of the Revolution. His best known representative was Diego Rivera, his most visible head being the painter Diego Rivera

In the turbulent post-revolutionary historical context, Mexican intellectuals tried to build a new national identity, with the social ideals of the Revolution. It was also a movement with a great nationalist conscience and that wanted to eliminate racism towards indigenous people that had been present since colonial times.

The theme of the muralists included the mythology of the pre-Hispanic peoples, as well as their historical figures. Likewise, their traditional symbols and scenes appeared.

Lazaro Cardenas

Lazaro Cardenas

Some years after the post-revolutionaries related nationalism with indigenism, President Lázaro Cárdenas opted for the institutionalization of the latter movement.

Since his arrival to the presidency, Cárdenas began to apply some measures favorable to the indigenous people. In 1935, he created the Autonomous Department of Indigenous Affairs. Three years later, he founded the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Peruvian indigenous

Modern Peruvian political indigenism is closely related to APRA, one of the most important political parties in the country.

Aprismo, as the movement was known, demanded policies that would put an end to the exploitation of indigenous people, in addition to having the nationalization of foreign companies in its program.

The party also advocated that the historical traditions of indigenous peoples be combined with technology and the modern economy. Ultimately, it was about creating a new model of the country, both politically and socially and economically.

Cultural indigenism

An indigenous art movement appeared in Peru in the 1930s. Its main representatives were the writer José María Arguedas, the photographer Martin Chambi, the musician Daniel Alomia and the artist José Sabogal.

This movement had antecedents that go back to the time of the conquest, with chroniclers such as the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega or Guamán Poma de Ayala. Later on, a current appeared that receives the name of literature from the Emancipation period, characterized by writings that collected a kind of Quechua lyric.

At the end of the 19th century, there was a new impulse in the indigenous theme within literary realism. Works such as Our Indians or Birds without a Nest were his best examples. At the beginning of the 20th century, writers included miscegenation as one of the main themes in their works.

As has been pointed out, the indigenous current itself began in the 1920s. The main characteristic of this movement was its vindication of the indigenous from its own experiences and not with an outside vision.

Indigenism in Colombia

In theory, the newly founded Republic of Colombia granted indigenous people the same rights as other free citizens. With the Constitution of Cúcuta, promulgated in 1821, the payment of tribute and mandatory personal service were eliminated, in addition to ordering the division of the reservations so that the indigenous people could be owners of their plots.

Appearance of Colombian indigenism

The Regeneration period was a vindication of colonial structures, as well as Catholicism. At that time, several laws related to the natives were drafted, with the intention of determining "the way in which savages who are reduced to civilized life should be governed."

In practice, this legislation meant that indigenous people were left out of the general Colombian administration. On many occasions they were under the tutelage of Catholic missionaries. The indigenous people were considered minors in many legal aspects. This situation lasted well into the 20th century.

As had happened in Peru and Mexico, indigenismo was a response to this situation. Starting in 1920, this movement began to promote a new vision of the indigenous people that would grant them greater dignity and recognize their culture and rights.

In addition, many indigenistas began to combine Colombian nationalism with the ancient heritage of pre-Hispanic cultures. These attempts, however, did not prevent many indigenous people from losing their lands.

In 1941 there was a turning point in the advance of indigenismo. That year the Colombian Indigenous Institute was founded, a body related to the First Inter-American Indigenous Congress.

It would be that organization that would take the steps to establish a new indigenous policy in the country.

Land reclamation

Starting in 1970, new indigenous organizations appeared in the country, such as the Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca. Their main objective was to recover the lost lands, their culture and their language.

This social struggle achieved some results in the 1980s. Although they could not achieve all of their objectives, they did succeed in their intention to legally control their lands.

On the other hand, the Colombian indigenismo had an important confrontation with the Catholic Church. The latter was forced to give up part of its powers in education, which allowed the Division of Indigenous Affairs to take over some educational centers.

Later, in 1978, the government assumed ethnoeducation as the official training policy for indigenous people. This concept included bilingualism and respect for traditional culture.

References

1. Reyes, Roman. Indigenism. Obtained from webs.ucm.es
2. Alcina Franch, José. Indigenism today. Obtained from ugr.es
3. National Autonomous University of Mexico. What is indigenismo ?. Obtained from nacionmulticultural.unam.mx
4. Ars Latino. Indigenism in Latin American Art. Retrieved from arslatino.com
5. Povos Indígenas no Brasil. What is Indigenist Policy ?. Obtained from pib.socioambiental.org
6. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Indigenism. Retrieved from britannica.com
7. Kaltmeier, Olaf. Indigenism. Retrieved from uni-bielefeld.de