Critical Anthropology, shared ethnography and autoethnography among the Maseualmej in Puebla’s Northeastern Sierra (Mexico) (1984-2015)

Abstract

I shall sketch here four decades of anthropological research with two maseual organizations. With the Unión de Cooperativas Tosepan, I did, and still do, what is called ‘critical anthropology’, related with their project of social and economic change in the region. I analized socio-cultural themes in function of objectives shared by the anthropologist and the organization. With the Taller de Tradición Oral Totamachilis, we went through a process of shared ethnography, which entailed a deep change in the classical forms of interaction between the anthropologist and the indigenous actors for the production of anthropological knowledge. From the very beginning, we agreed that we would define together the objectives of the research, elaborate the methodology, and publish under double authorship. Through discussions, we would try to reach consensus on the interpretations. After, I will talk about the rise —in the same area—of young maseualmej ethnographers which started producing an original reflection on their language and culture, in relation with their pedagogical and political concerns. This reflection may take the form of a monograph, a dictionary, a tale and, more recently, an audiovisual document or a radio programme.