mixtecas

Mixtecs are an indigenous ethnolinguistic group of Mexico, concentrated in the Mixteca region of Oaxaca, with smaller populations in Guerrero and Puebla. They speak a group of related languages known as Mixtecan languages, and many communities are bilingual in Spanish. The term Mixtec is used for both the ethnic group and its languages, which comprise numerous dialects with varying degrees of mutual intelligibility.

Traditionally, Mixtecs organized in independent or loosely affiliated communities with strong genealogical and ceremonial ties. They produced rich codices that recorded histories, lineages, and migrations, and they were renowned for crafts such as metalwork and weaving. The Mixteca traded extensively with neighboring regions on the Pacific coast and inland, contributing to wide-ranging exchange networks.

During the Spanish conquest and colonial era, Mixtecs encountered evangelization and incorporation into the colonial economy. Diseases and conflict affected populations, while others adapted by joining mission churches or working in mining, agriculture, and crafts. The post-contact period saw continued regional variation in language and culture, as communities preserved customs, ancestral lands, and communal governance.

Today the Mixtecs remain one of Mexico's largest indigenous groups. In Oaxaca they sustain numerous communities with traditional landholding, language, and craft traditions, even as many people migrate to urban areas or abroad, especially to the United States. Efforts to preserve Mixtec languages and culture include bilingual education and cultural programs, though language endangerment remains a concern for some varieties.