Our Ways of Communicating - Ayuujk (Mixe)

This video was meant as just one preliminary part in a series about trusted voices and traditional means of communication within the indigenous Mixe community. The goal was to highlight indigenous ways of decision-making to counteract the rampant misinformation in social media.

"Good morning everyone, my name is Próspero Martínez and I am from Tlahuitoltepec of the Mixe Nation. Today we are talking with some colleagues about the public squares where we celebrate and congregate, and how this is carried out. When we meet in the town square and the people of our community bring their products, at the same time, we talk with acquaintances from our community as a form of coexistence, by meeting and seeing one another healthy and well and recognizing each other as part of the community. From those who sell pulque to those who sell canes and bananas. Therein lies the greatness of our community because we continue with the practice of making the plaza a place where barter is practiced in addition to the use of currency, but above all we practice mutual understanding. This is interesting for others and they want to understand above all what are the topics of conversation when we meet in the square. When the public square is realized, it is like a meeting point with other community members who come from farther away or live from one end of the territory to the other in different small towns, and the square is where ideas flow and particularities are expressed. For instance, (we talk about) our domestic animals as well as the crops that are traditionally grown as well as the preparation of the land for planting. This is generally commented upon and general information is also transmitted about the products that we sell from the foodstuffs that nature gives us in our work plots, which is what life provides us. And between this talk is how we express ourselves with others when we meet in the square and how we greet each other naturally as members of the same community although sometimes we may not know each other. But the square is a great space for communication where we can meet and recognize each other. There is also the sharing of a snack or the products that are sold during the square. That is also where we find out who our authorities are when they are just appointed or those who we do not know who else is in front of the people as authorities or the events that occur in different parts of the community or the region. Also when the parties are prepared in the square is where they communicate or make known what is going to be done. In short, the square represents a force of social-communal cohesion because not all communities continue with this form of local commerce as we continue to do in our town when we convene in the square as our ancestors inherited it. Thank you very much."

Видео Our Ways of Communicating - Ayuujk (Mixe) канала Endangered Language Alliance