Giver, receive and return. The Otomi logic of reciprocity around the pilgrimage to "Little Mexico"

Abstract

This text explores the logics of reciprocity and exchange around the pilgrimage to ‘México Chiquito’, the most important ritual trek for the otomies of the Sierra Oriental de Hidalgo. As a result of the authors’ participation in the pilgrimage, they identify and analize the diverse circuits of commitment and debt payment mobilized by the pilgrims, since the original motivation of the ritual arrangement is to establish communication and gift offerings circuits with the guardian entities that assure the well-being of the participants and the extended community. Also, they deliberate about the concept of reciprocity from the local definition and valoration expressed in a great diversity of instances, institutions and social relations that are amplified to the bonds established with the non-human entities.