MIXTEC INDIANS IN MEXICO

MIXTEC IS AN OTO-MANGUEAN SPEAKING TRIBE. THEY HAVE 12-60 DIFFERENT MIXTEC LANGUAGES. THERE ARE 400,000 SPEAKERS. THERE ARE 400,000 SPEAKERS OF MIXTEC LANGUAGES TODAY. THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THESE LANGUAGES BEGUN BY 4400 B.C. THE MIXTEC AND ZAPOTECOS WERE ACTUALLY KINDRED PEOPLE SEVERAL 1000 YEARS AGO. BY 1521 THE ZAPOTEC AND MIXTEC INHABIT. THE MIXTEC SPLIT INTO 100'S OF INDEPENDENT VILLAGE SITES. THE MIXTEC GROUP HAS 57 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. 400 YEARS AFTER CONQUEST THE OAXACAN INDIANS WERE SEEKING NATIVE LANGUAGE.

AFTER THE 8TH CENTURY A.D. THE ZAPOTEC CULTURE PEAKED. THEN SOON AFTER THE MIXTECS BEGAN TO DOMINATE THE REGION, DISPLACING ZAPOTECS. THERE WAS MINIMAL LIFE AT MONTE ALBON, EXCEPT THAT THE MIXTECS ARRIVED IN THE VALLEY BETWEEN 1100 AND 1350, THEY REUSED OLD TOMBS AT THE SITE TO BURY DIGNITARIES. THEY LIVED IN THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATES OF GUERRORO AND PUEBLA. HERE THEY BECAME BUILDERS AND ENCROACHED INTO THE ZAPOTECS. BUT THE MIXTECS PROMINENCE WAS SHORT.

THE AZTECS GAINED CONTROL OF OAXACA FOR A FEW DECADES. AZTECS ESTABLISHED A FORT ON THE HILL OF HUAXYCICAC OVERLOOKING OAXACA. IT LASTED A FEW DECADES. MIXTECS WORKED THE FIELDS AND PAID TRIBUTE TO THEIR RULERS. TODAY THE MIXTEC INDIANS ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LINGUISTIC GROUPS OF SOUTHERN MEXICO OCCUPYING AN IMPORTANT LINGUISTIC GROUPS OF SOUTHERN MEXICO. OCCUPYING AN IMPORTANT TERRITORY OF 40,000 SQ. KM.

THE MIXTEC ALTA OR HIGHLAND MIXTEC OCCUPY APPROXIMATELY 38 CITIES WEST OF OAXACA. IN 2000 MIXTECO INDIANS IN OAXACO NUMBERED 241,000. BOTH THE ZAPOTECS AND MIXTECS IN FACT ARE GAINING EMPLOYMENT IN BAJA, CA.

IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT BY 2010 MIXTECS AND ZAPOTECS WILL COMPRISE 20% OF THE AGRICULTURAL LABOR FORCES IN CALIFORNIA. THE MIXTECS BUILT SUCCESSFUL CIVILIZATIONS LONG BEFORE THE AZTECS WERE HERE.

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