Many of us know Mexico is a country rich in its culture, but few of us know that we are among the top 10 countries worldwide, with the largest number of indigenous people. It is only enough to say that indigenous Mexicans live in regions which its surface covers around a fifth of the national territory, in addition to the fact that a third of all the country’s municipalities are indigenous. Despite this, did you know that indigenous people contribute to 70% of their population for agricultural and craft activities, while the rest of the population only contribute with less than 17% of their population for these activities? The agro-commercial activities are the most important within this population and this is why within the actions that we can take to promote the growth of its economy and markets, it is by supporting local commerce, since the indigenous population, despite their great contribution in human resources, both natural, territorial and cultural, continue to be the sector with the least economic well-being of Mexicans.
The Mexican nation presents and represents a wide panorama, social, rich, and diverse, which the indigenous people contribute a lot with their cultural and traditional heritage. This is the reason why below we explain the production model in indigenous communities, which has an important economic strategy for obtaining resources and is that most of the resources that the indigenous use for commercialization, also require them for their subsistence and it is very interesting that one of the fundamental goals of their economic activities is favor their habitat conservation. This is why craft work is a specialized production and in many ways, it is made by the correct management of the natural resources. The handcraft as rural production, contemplates a high level of female participation and has the purpose to generate utilitarian and luxury objects that are part of the cultural heritage that mostly are not well appreciated, mostly by consumers, this is why our purpose is to generate awareness about the value of indigenous craft work, valuing from the effort of the workforce until the environmental sustainability.
When it comes to highlighting the richness of indigenous communities, the importance of the culture, worldviews, languages, festivities, and their traditional rituals must be emphasized also it includes medicine and artistic designs which speak to us about its peculiarity, exhibited in its rich and varied handcrafts. Among the economic activities it includes the jewelry production, such as: bracelets, rings, earrings and pendants, trays, among others. However, the trade in indigenous crafts has been updated to new fashions, impregnating their designs in new items for more everyday use, such as: clothing, cell phone items, as well as the use of new materials that are promoting growth in the economy of the indigenous peoples without setting aside their distinctive designs, and on the contrary, transcending their culture, traditions, languages, etc., even to the new generations. If there is something characteristic of our country is the creativity, that is why, it is not surprising that the contribution of indigenous communities to our nation is multiple and includes several dimensions: it is fundamental for cultural diversity, political, and social for the Mexicans. Its regions are strategic to foment the economical craft development, with our collective participation as local consumer, since the indigenous products are of great quality, and have a low environmental impact.
Lastly, we have the opportunity and a level of responsibility to not allow the modernization and civilization advances to alter the nature of the indigenous communities, nor the nature of its products, as well as protect their natural areas and protect the diversification of their culture and market, through the search of strategies that allow indigenous communities incorporate to modernity without interfering with its values, no without displacing its own culture. Unfortunately, the modern world is permeating many indigenous cultures, which are adopting external cultural guidelines that progressively displace their own culture. This led us to think that one way to solve this situation is by raising awareness among people worldwide, so they value the importance of indigenous people as holders of a large part of the biological heritage of the planet and of a vast and superior knowledge of sustainable managements of the ecosystems. This recognition must include the acceptance of these communities, despite having a very different life perspective from the existing modernity, they deserve to be respected.
