Indigenous Muslim Communities in Southern Mexico
Indigenous Muslim Communities in Southern Mexico
- Sandra Cañas CuevasSandra Cañas CuevasCIESAS-Northeast
Summary
Islam became a religious choice in southern Mexico amid a rebellion against the Mexican state by an army made up of the indigenous Mayan population. Muslim organizations or communities in Chiapas diversified over time. The conversion and practice of Islam among indigenous Mayans is a complex experience, and following their religious conversion, they have constantly negotiated between their ethnic and religious identities in creative and often contradictory ways. From a historical-constructivist perspective, it can be argued not only that identities of indigenous Mayan Muslims are shifting and multiple but also that some elements of these identities prevail and are enriched in unexpected ways. These identity dynamics can only be understood in the urban context of the growing inequality and racism faced by indigenous Muslims on a daily basis.
Subjects
- Indigenous Religions
- Islamic Studies
