The ethnic groups of Jalisco are very small in population. Contrary to what you might think, the state like Jalisco has very few indigenous people, who also know the language of their ancestors.
According to a census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) in 2010, Jalisco had an indigenous population of only 36,020. In turn, these people were divided between the Huichol, Nahuatl, Purépecha and Mixtec cultures.
In this census, people aged 5 and over, and who were speakers of the language of their ethnic group, were taken into account. This represents less than 1% of the population of Jalisco.
Jalisco has, in percentages, very little indigenous population. The fact that indigenous women make up less than 1% of the total population is a reflection that traditions have been lost, or that ethnic groups do not come to this region for some reason.
The 4 main ethnic groups of Jalisco
1- Huichol
Based on official INEGI figures from 2010, the Huichol culture has a total indigenous population of 18,409 in Jalisco territory. This positions them as the predominant ethnic group in number of people.
The origin of this culture is uncertain; however, it is known that they somehow reached the Sierra Madre Occidental. They say that the ancestors of this culture were independent of any Mesoamerican culture.
In their religion they have the figure of the shaman intact. They make offerings, shields, and arrows to tell their point of view regarding the creation of the world. They also do religious acts calling for the Sun, the rain, and even for spiritual encounters.
They normally reside in the north of Jalisco. Its main source of income is agriculture. As for artisanal production, it is based on the recreation of animals, objects, skulls, among others, with very striking colors.
2- Nahuatl
There are 11,650 people of this ethnic group in the state of Jalisco. This would be the last ethnic group to exceed 10,000 people in this particular region.
The Nahua culture originated in central Mexico. It is considered pre-Columbian and belongs to the main cultures of Mesoamerica.
Their economic livelihood is based on agriculture. Their crafts are something that is also relevant, since with them they collect a moderate amount of sales.
3- Purepecha
The Purépechas or Tarascos, occupy the third place, with 3,960 people. This is a very low level, and it can be speculated that it may be because they are natives of Michoacán.
The architecture of this ethnic group is very outstanding. They were characterized by making pyramids in the shape of a "T". They were also rich in hummingbird feathers, which is why they used them in mosaics. This gave a certain prestige to their territory.
In the past, this culture and the Nahua had conflicts. The Nahuas tried more than once to conquer them, but to no avail.
The Purépecha knew about metallurgy; This forced the Nahuas, despite being enemies, to make deals in exchange for knowledge.
4- Mixtec
Mixtecos are at the bottom of this list, with very few inhabitants in the region. Its total population in the state of Jalisco is 2,001.
This, like the previous case, may be due to the fact that they are natives of Oaxaca, Puebla and Guerrero.
In the places where the Mixtecs settled, platforms and ball games predominated.
They were also characterized by having a great development in the technological and artistic fields. They made ceramic objects, carved bones, obsidian tools, among others.
Throughout history, the Mixtec remained strong against other predominant cultures, such as the Amuzgos, the Nahuas or Mexica and the Zapotecs.
References
- Ethnic groups of Jalisco. Obtained from Visit Jalisco: visita.jalisco.gob.mx. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
- Diversity - Jalisco. (2010). Recovered from INEGI: Cuentame.inegi.org.mx. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
- Huichol. Extracted from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
- Náhuatl: language and culture with ancient roots. Obtained from Arqueología Mexicana: arqueologiamexicana.mx. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
- Purépecha or Tarasca culture. Recovered from Universal History: historiacultural.com. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
- The Mixtecos and Their Culture. Obtained from Unknown Mexico: mexicodesconocido.com.mx. Retrieved September 28, 2017.