Trique
Encyclopedia
The Trique or Triqui (ˈtɾiki) are an indigenous people of the western part of the Mexican state of Oaxaca
, centered in the municipalities of Juxtlahuaca
, Tlaxiaco
and Putla. They number around 23,000 according to the Ethnologue
surveys. The Trique language
is a Mixtecan language
of Oto-Manguean
genetic affiliation. All Trique peoples are known for their distinctive woven huipil
es, baskets, and morrales (handbags).
Trique people live in a mountainous region, called "La Mixteca Baja", in the southwestern part of the state of Oaxaca
, Mexico
. The elevation within the Trique region varies between 1,500 - 3,000 meters (4,921 - 9,843 feet). This high elevation permits low-lying cumulus cloud
s to envelop entire towns during the afternoons and evenings.
Like many other southern Mexicans, many Trique men travel to Oaxaca City
, Mexico City
, or the United States
as day labor
ers or migrant worker
s. As the average daily salary of a rural Oaxacan is less than $5 (U.S.) and La Mixteca is the poorest region of Oaxaca, migration and remittances sent back to Oaxaca confer economic benefits to both migrant Triques and their families in Oaxaca. Trique women are more likely to remain in the Trique region and do not travel as often as Trique men do.
. During pre-colonial and colonial times, this was a common practice amongst Native Americans in Meso-America, other groups like the Mixtec
s of Oaxaca continue practicing a dowry based marriage. It is typical in Trique culture for a man to offer a bride's family money, food, and other products in exchange for the bride's hand in marriage. Generally, the husband and wife know each other prior to this arrangement and there is no arrangement without consent.
The distinction between a dowry
and slavery
/prostitution
is sometimes open to misinterpretation. In 2009, for instance, a Trique man was arrested in California after he paid his bride's family $16,000 United States dollar
s and food. Those opposed to this custom argue that it appears to them to be like slavery or prostitution. Those opposed to intervening in this custom argue that consent is required and that this Trique custom is not conceived of as immoral.
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
, centered in the municipalities of Juxtlahuaca
Juxtlahuaca
Juxtlahuaca is a cave and archaeological site in the Mexican state of Guerrero containing murals linked to the Olmec motifs and iconography. Along with the nearby Oxtotitlán cave, Juxtlahuaca walls contain the earliest sophisticated painted art known in Mesoamerica, and only known example of...
, Tlaxiaco
Tlaxiaco
Tlaxiaco is a city, and its surrounding municipality of the same name, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is located in the Tlaxiaco District in the south of the Mixteca Region, with a population of about 17,450. The city is formally known as Heroica Ciudad de Tlaxiaco in honour of a battle waged...
and Putla. They number around 23,000 according to the Ethnologue
Ethnologue
Ethnologue: Languages of the World is a web and print publication of SIL International , a Christian linguistic service organization, which studies lesser-known languages, to provide the speakers with Bibles in their native language and support their efforts in language development.The Ethnologue...
surveys. The Trique language
Trique language
The Trique language is an Oto-Manguean language of Mexico spoken by the Trique indigenous group of the state of Oaxaca and elsewhere...
is a Mixtecan language
Mixtecan languages
The Mixtec language, actually multiple languages, belong to Otomanguean language family of Mexico, and are closely related to the Trique and Cuicatec languages. They are spoken by over half a million people. Identifying how many Mixtec languages there are in this complex dialect continuum poses...
of Oto-Manguean
Oto-Manguean languages
Oto-Manguean languages are a large family comprising several families of Native American languages. All of the Oto-Manguean languages that are now spoken are indigenous to Mexico, but the Manguean branch of the family, which is now extinct, was spoken as far south as Nicaragua and Costa Rica.The...
genetic affiliation. All Trique peoples are known for their distinctive woven huipil
Huipíl
A huipil is a form of Maya textile and tunic or blouse worn by indigenous Mayan, Zapotec, and other women in central to southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and western Honduras, in the northern part of Central America. Some are also worn by men, particularly in Guatemala...
es, baskets, and morrales (handbags).
Trique people live in a mountainous region, called "La Mixteca Baja", in the southwestern part of the state of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The elevation within the Trique region varies between 1,500 - 3,000 meters (4,921 - 9,843 feet). This high elevation permits low-lying cumulus cloud
Cumulus cloud
Cumulus clouds are a type of cloud with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges. Cumulus means "heap" or "pile" in Latin. They are often described as "puffy" or "cotton-like" in appearance. Cumulus clouds may appear alone, in lines, or in clusters...
s to envelop entire towns during the afternoons and evenings.
Like many other southern Mexicans, many Trique men travel to Oaxaca City
Oaxaca, Oaxaca
The city and municipality of Oaxaca de Juárez, or simply Oaxaca, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of the same name . It is located in the Centro District in the Central Valleys region of the state, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro del Fortín...
, Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, or the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as day labor
Day labor
Day labor is work done where the worker is hired and paid one day at a time, with no promise that more work will be available in the future. It is a form of contingent work.-Types:Day laborers find work through three common routes....
ers or migrant worker
Migrant worker
The term migrant worker has different official meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. The United Nations' definition is broad, including any people working outside of their home country...
s. As the average daily salary of a rural Oaxacan is less than $5 (U.S.) and La Mixteca is the poorest region of Oaxaca, migration and remittances sent back to Oaxaca confer economic benefits to both migrant Triques and their families in Oaxaca. Trique women are more likely to remain in the Trique region and do not travel as often as Trique men do.
Custom
One of the notable customs of Trique people is the practice of female dowriesDowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
. During pre-colonial and colonial times, this was a common practice amongst Native Americans in Meso-America, other groups like the Mixtec
Mixtec
The Mixtec are indigenous Mesoamerican peoples inhabiting the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla in a region known as La Mixteca. The Mixtecan languages form an important branch of the Otomanguean language family....
s of Oaxaca continue practicing a dowry based marriage. It is typical in Trique culture for a man to offer a bride's family money, food, and other products in exchange for the bride's hand in marriage. Generally, the husband and wife know each other prior to this arrangement and there is no arrangement without consent.
The distinction between a dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
and slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
/prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
is sometimes open to misinterpretation. In 2009, for instance, a Trique man was arrested in California after he paid his bride's family $16,000 United States dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
s and food. Those opposed to this custom argue that it appears to them to be like slavery or prostitution. Those opposed to intervening in this custom argue that consent is required and that this Trique custom is not conceived of as immoral.
See also
- Trique languageTrique languageThe Trique language is an Oto-Manguean language of Mexico spoken by the Trique indigenous group of the state of Oaxaca and elsewhere...
- Santo Domingo del EstadoSanto Domingo del EstadoSanto Domingo del Estado is a town and municipal agency inhabited by trique indians in the municipality of Putla Villa de Guerrero, Oaxaca, Mexico. In this town speak the trique language...
- San Juan CopalaSan Juan CopalaSan Juan Copala is a little town in the municipality of Santiago Juxtlahuaca in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, inhabited by Trique Indians. Its inhabitants have declared themselves autonomous of the Mexican state and founded the Autonomous Municipality of San Juan Copala in 2006.It has been the...
- San Martín ItunyosoSan Martín ItunyosoSan Martín Itunyoso is a Triqui Trique language town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 82.93 km².It is part of the Tlaxiaco District in the south of the Mixteca Region....