Community Practices as Intangible Cultural Heritage: Three Cases of Communities in Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

The Constitution of the United Mexican States, Article 2, recognizes and guarantees the right of indigenous people to decide, choose and apply their own rules and normativity; however, development policies, joined with factors such as migration, undermine the continuation of the traditions of indigenous people, which could be preserved as intangible cultural heritage. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) considers as intangible cultural heritage the “traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants” helping to maintain diversity in an increasingly globalized society (UNESCO, 2016a). In this sense, this paper presents community practices of Oaxaca, identifying those that have the characteristics to be considered as intangible cultural heritage. It is proposed that community practices such as Sistema de Cargos, Guelaguetza, Tequio and Community Assemblies qualify to be part of the intangible cultural heritage and, therefore, are practices that must be protected.