Reconceptualizing Changing Indigenous Masculities and Usos y Costumbres in a Mixtec Transnational Community: The Case of San Jeronimo Progreso

John Alvarado
Anthropology
UC Riverside

This project examines, documents, and analyzes the changes in indigenous masculinities as exhibited by Mixtec men from San Jeronimo Progreso, Oaxaca, Mexico. This project examined the impact of migration and the development of households across the U.S. and Mexican border on indigenous masculinities as they are displayed in the context of usos y costumbres (customary law). This project is the first of its kind to take into consideration the indigenous language of the town, since members of the community continue to express themselves and worldview in Mixtec. This is a transnational project and will take place in Mexico and U.S. Although this project focuses on changing male identities, it is not just about men, but indigenous families and their lived experiences as they maintain their customs and traditions in an ever evolving world.