Transnational Oaxacan indigenous identity: The case of Mixtecs and Zapotecs

This paper examines cultural and political dynamics that result when migran ts from indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Mexico, migrate to the United Sta tes. Forced from their homeland because of economic conditions and prevente d from complete settlement and incorporation in the United States due to th eir "illegal" status and economic and social barriers, the migrants create and live within a third sociocultural and political space popularly referre d to as Oaxacalifornia. The cultural politics of this third space are shape d by tensions between the indigenous communities and various instances of t he Mexican state that attempt to retain political hegemony over the indigen ous communities within Mexico and abroad. Central to the transnational proj ects of the transnational indigenous organizations is the construction of p an-Mixtec, pan-Zapotec, and pan-Oaxacan indigenous identities, which is a s trategy with some contradictions, but one that appears to be effective fur advancing the objectives of the organizations at this historic moment.