La classification de la diversité de maïs des Mixtèques et des Chatines de la Sierra Sur, Oaxaca Mexique

Abstract

This paper explores the traditional knowledge about maize diversity in two indigenous communities. We describe the differences on maize vocabularies and on the folk taxonomy in order to define their effect on maize population differentiation between both indigenous communities. We work in two neighboring municipalities located in the Sierra Sur, Oaxaca, one Mixtec and the other Chatino. We use a comparative approach to describe the environment and the culture of both municipalities. We link the local maize knowledge to its diversity, looking at local maize classification and maize vocabulary. In both municipalities, we performed interviews and maize collections in two villages with contrasting environment. Classification of maize diversity by local name shows differences in structure and in richness, from one locality to the other and from one municipality to the other. We found differences between municipalities in both the list of local names and the maize race distribution. Maize vocabulary is rich and complex among both Chatino and Mixtec farmers, we did not find maize-type cognates. Following those results, we concluded that maize diversity and maize population differentiation between Mixtec and Chatino municipalities is maintained and reinforced by the cultural and linguistic separation.

Keywords

• Mixtec
• Chatino
• Native maize
• Local classification
• Indigenous languages