glossary of local terms

adobe

sun-dried mud bricks

agencia

office/secretariat of the agente and other community officials; can be at the municipal level

agente

most senior political authority in a community (an elected position)

águila/ aile

aguilameans eagle; “eagle wood” is valued for timber, watershed protection and soil improvement, from Alnus jorullensis, Alnus acuminata tree species

aile

see aguila

agua rodada

(literally travelled water); water for irrigation that used to be transported through wooden or reed channels

alcalde

high-ranking official in cargo system; duties are both religious and civil

alcatraz

Calla lily with broad trumpet-like flower, Zantedeschia

amarillo

(literally yellow); traditional Oaxacan sauce or stew

armadillo

Dasypus novemcinctus

arroba/
arrobita

measurement equivalent to 12kg

asamblea/
asamblea general

main decision-making body in the community, in which all comuneros or ciudadanos take part

atole

pre-Hispanic drink made from corn that is cooked, ground, strained and boiled

brizia

probably  Brizia maxima or “Big Quaking Grass” ; annual grass grown for its bronze-coloured flower panicles

cacomixtle

small nocturnal animal with distinctive long black-ringed tail, Bassaricus astutus ; sometimes called ringtail cat but actually related to the raccoon

canoitas

small irrigation channels made from natural material such as reed or wood

cargo

(literally position): system of unpaid community service duties. The different cargos include alcalde, mayordomo, topil etc.

cartucho / cartuchito

flowering plant, non-indigenous, Argylia radiata ; much cultivated in cool and humid areas of the Sierra Norte

catrin/
catrines

“dandies”; used here to mean apparitions of the devil dressed in elegant clothes

centavos

cents

chachalaca

(literally chatterbox), long-tailed, ground-dwelling bird, Ortalis vetula 

chingre

traditional alcoholic drink made from fermented sugarcane

ciudadano

literally citizen: male, whose voice or vote counts in community decisionmaking

coati

raccoon-like mammal with long black and white tail, Nasua narica

comal

flat clay or metal pan or griddle on which tortillas are baked

comisario/ comisariado

community  official; see comisariado de bienes comunales

comisariado de bienes comunales

official in charge of community property, particularly land and natural resources (sometimes known as representante communal); also the office/committee with this responsibility

comunero

registered community member with rights and responsibilities

CONASUPO

Comisión Nacional de Subsistencias Populares  (National Commission of Basic Provisions) ; government shops providing basic provisions

díade reyes

see fiesta de los reyes

fiesta de los reyes / día de reyes

(literally fiesta of the (three) kings); Epiphany

fiesta de muertos

Day of the Dead;originating in prehispanic Mexico, now celebrated in November, a festival when Mexican families remember their dead, and the continuity of life

fiscales                                   

cargo position that involves activities related to the church

flor de niño

literally child’s flower ; see niño

INI

National Indigenous Institute ;  in July 2003, became Comisión Nacional Para El Desarrollo De Los Pueblos Indígenas

jonote

‘umbrella’ tree, Heliocarpus species, tiliaceae family;  Tilia mexicana is found in montane cloud forest, has medicinal use

Liga Feminil

Women’s League, which organises activities of benefit to the community

madroño

Arbutus menziesii, tree/shrub native to region,cultivated for ornament (leaves, flowers,  berries), brown dye and tannin (bark) and for furniture (hardwood) ;  Ericaceae (heather) family

maguey

agave, aloe-like plant, about 1 metre high ; spikey leaves and fibrous trunk. Fibre used for making hammocks, rope, baskets etc; also basis of alcoholic drink

mancomunados/ pueblos mancomunados

communities that share land, in this case Lachatao and Amatlán, both of which are joined with Yavesía

manta

coarse cotton cloth traditionally used for making clothes

martha

type of coati, nocturnal long-tailed, raccoon-like mammal, Potos flavus

mayordomo

person responsible for arranging community festivals ; cargo position

mezcal

traditional Oaxacan alcoholic drink made from the maguey plant (Agave species)

metate

pre-Hispanic three-legged sloped rock and grinding stone, used to grind cacao beans, corn etc

molinillo

Wooden stick with rings used to whisk hot chocolate and create cap of foam or froth

mozo

worker, helper, servant

municipal agencias

agencias that are part of a municipality, in this case Ixtlán de Juárez ; see agencia

niño /flor de niño

“child’s flower”; wild flower

nixtamal

corn cooked in ashes and lime to soften it to make tortilla dough

owner of the mountain

Zapotec deity,Guzio,“the lord/owner of the mountains”, said to live in the Sierra Norte and to take care of mountain people and their resources

panela

home-made, unrefined sugar, by-product of sugar production used for sweetening, characteristic of this region

paxle / paxlito

wild flower

pesos

currency

poleo

“pennyroyal” , a kind of mint, used as a tonic and anti-spasmodic;  Mentha polegium

presidente

municipal president – the highest authority in the municipality

presidente del  consejo de vigilancia

person in charge of keeping watch over the community’s land

PROFEPA

Environmental Protection Agency, part  of SEMARNAP

reforma agraria

secretariat of the federal government institution in charge of resolving land conflicts

regidor

cargo official responsible for supervising topiles and maintaining order in the community

revolution

Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920, triggered in part by the Mexican government’soppressionof the rural poor, and leading to a prolonged power struggle.  

salsa

sauce

secretario

secretary; cargo position with responsibility for community correspondence,  minute-taking, issuing certificates etc; sometimes a municipal post

SEMARNAP

Department of the Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries

sector caracterizado

senior group within the asamblea, formed of 25-30 people who have completed their cargos

servicio

doing service, as in undertaking a cargo position

síndico

group of senior officials whose authority is second only to that of the agente 

son / sones

dance accompanied by a chorus; broad term for Mexican regional music and dance tradition, each region has its own distinctive brand of son

suplente

deputy

taco

snack, filled tortilla

tamales

traditional dish of ground maize with various fillings, wrapped in  banana or corn leaves

tapir

mammal with elongated snout, three-toed hind legs and four-toed forelegs ; Tapiralla bairdi 

tejamanil

traditional rough pinewood planks or  roofing tiles/shingles

temazate

a small deer; Mazama americana

tepache

traditional Oaxacan alcoholic drink made from water, pineapple and pulque (distilled from a species of maguey – Agave atrovirens)

tepezcuintle

large burrowing nocturnal rodent,  hunted for meat; Cuniculus Paca

tequio

unpaid, obligatory collective work for the benefit of the community

tierra caliente

(literally hot lands); an area or zone in the territory of Tiltepec with a hotter climate, as distinguished from tierra templada (temperate) and tierra fría (cold).

tlacuaches

Mexican possom

troceras

sharp woodcutting tools

topil / topiles

junior cargo position; duties include helping to keeporder in the community and running errands

tortilla

maize-based flat bread

Tuxtepec paper mill

the paper mill that had the logging concession in the forests surrounding various communities in the Sierra Norte for approximately 25 years

wild pig

Pecari tajacu

wild turkey

Penelope purpurascens

Zapoteco

one of 15 indigenous languages that exist in Oaxaca; considered the most important as it is widely spoken in the Sierra Norte