Their Story
History of the Indigenous Peoples
of the San Quintin Valley
INTRODUCTION
Much of this information has been researched by a fellow missionary, Allen Lee, of San Quintin. He is currently working with Wycliff in making oral tapes of the scripture for the many language groups that come to the San Quintin valley to work in the agricultural fields. One of the men from our church, Migel, is currently translating his dialect of the Triqui language.
BRIEF HISTORY OF MEXICO
Mexico was controlled by Spain from the 1500’s to 1821. From 1821 through the 1930’s was a period of wars, turmoil and political instability. Spain established Spanish as the official language, established the Catholic religion as the official state religion, and intermarried with the indigenous peoples.
Mexico won her independence from Spain in 1821 and established a democratic government and divided the country into states. Over the years blood lines that had ties with Spain became very important as these people had lighter skin, taller and more Caucasian appearing and were known as “Mexicans”. The indigenous people had true blood lines to their own people and were short, dark skinned and were known by their language group or by “indigenous”.
From the 1950’s on Mexico has seen periodic political violence and upheavals due to inequality among people groups and corruption, but nevertheless there has been more economic growth. The 2000’s have seen substantial improvement with international relationships, social services policy and medical services and education available to all people groups.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Up through the 1970’s indigenous children had little hope of going to school, receiving medical care, or receiving a birth certificate. They were not considered “Mexicans” by the government…therefore had very little value. Most of these children spoke only their native language.
One of their most beloved presidents…Benito Juarez (1858-1863 )…was an indigenous man but little was done for the plight of the many underprivileged in the southern states of Mexico. Uprisings occurred in the 1980’s among activist indigenous men and some Mexican people who felt the inequality to be wrong. The uprisings resulted in loss of life…but also change for the indigenous people.
Today in the 2000’s more people have access to social medicine, have schools (although the quality is far inferior to those of the Mexican children), and prejudice is much less prevalent.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
The Catholic Church integrated the belief systems of the indigenous peoples with the Catholic religion and the result has been a people living in fear. The people fear the priests (who have great power over their lives). They fear the spirits of the dead. There is fear of the air (belief that malevolent spirits bring all sickness through the air); fear of anything other than tradition; and fear to plant crops other than corn, beans and cactus for food would anger the spirits.
CLOSED COMMUNITIES
Indigenous villages have presidents who generally attempt to improve the lives of the people of his village. Anyone wishing to live in their village must receive approval by the village people and president. A village meeting is held and a vote of confidence is put before the people as to whether or not the newcomer can live with them or nearby. The vote must be unanimous.
Because of this closed society…an outside believer wishing to bring the Good News of Christ by living in the village must receive permission. This can be very difficult to impossible.
Today…in the San Quintin valley Oaxacan believers are being touched by God to return to their own villages to proclaim the gospel. They must be trained. The Bible Institute of Baja will provide training and desires to send men, women, and families back to their own villages where they are already approved to live out the life of the “new road” before their family and neighbors.
Juan and Dominga
Village: San Migel Tilquiapan, Oaxaca
MIGRATORY WORKERS
Indigenous peoples are primarily concentrated in the southern states (Oaxaca, Chiapas, etc.) Many of these tribal families live in small villages but have fields (several hectares) some distance from their homes in the village where they grow enough food for their own sustenance…but not enough to sell or make an income. So for years these tribal families leave their villages after their crops are harvested and migrate to agricultural valleys in the northern states to harvest the crops. This is the family’s form of income. They are gone more than half the year working as field workers to make an income to purchase other items needed for daily living. The average daily income for these field workers is $3.00 to $5.00 per day
One of the migratory agricultural areas is the state of Sinaloa (along the Pacific Ocean). Another one is the San Quintin valley of Baja California Norte.
Each April the field worker camps begin to fill up with the young and strong men and women who come from Oaxaca to work in the agricultural fields of Baja California. Miles and miles of strawberry fields, tomato fields, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, and more and more vegetable varieties can be seen. The valley swells with 30,000 new workers. These workers stay until around November when they return to Oaxaca. The average daily wage of these field workers is $10.00 to $20.00 per day.
This amount of money sounds wonderful to the naïve ear of these new workers. What they do not know is that the cost of living is very high and nearly all they make will be used for the cost of living in the valley.
CHOOSING A NEW LIFE
Some stay in the valley. The people of El Papalote are generally made up of families who were migratory workers but decided to stay in the valley. Most have family in Oaxaca.
A family will purchase a lot and begin building a cement block house. These homes may take years to build as they continue construction when they have the funds.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached and has been preached for many years in the field workers’ camps. Here they hear for the first time about the forgiveness and love of God. Here they learn that the Holy Spirit within them is more powerful than the spirits of the air. They learn that they can live without fear. Many, many receive Christ as Savior. Many return home to villages who have never heard the Good News…but there are no churches and no other believers.
God is challenging the hearts of the Mexican people to return as missionaries to their own people.
