Dances as a Tradition and as a Dispute: Chinese Community Illusion at Chiapas´Soconusco

Abstract

Identifying the imprint left by Chinese immigrants, who arrived in Chiapas in the late 19th and early 20th Century seems somewhat trite for those who know the state and, especially, its coastal region: the Soconusco. However, as obvious as it may be, the existence of a gastronomic tradition that turned into an identity brand in the region known as Chinese food, does not mean that the construction of “the Chinese” or a “Chinese community” by the descendants of immigrants is a clear and palpable fact. The difficulties in this construction are addressed in this article mainly by means of the dance groups that exist in different coastal municipalities. The way the illusion of a community of blood descendants fades out in order to establish dance groups as municipal representatives in dispute of the assumption of the Chinese can be observed through their differences, especially showing the creative value of their activities.