Indigenous languages in Mexico John P. Schmal

The most recent census count in Mexico reveals that a multitude of languages are used by Mexican nationals throughout the country.
It is true that the percentage of Mexicans who are speaking indigenous languages is steadily declining, but a great many people have held on to their mother tongues, sometimes taking it with them to other parts of Mexico.
The Mayan language is the second most commonly spoken language in Mexico... read more

indigenous-groups

Campeche: on the edge of the Maya world John P. Schmal

Located in the southwestern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula along the Gulf of Mexico, the State of Campeche was named after the ancient Maya Kingdom of Ah Kin Pech (Canpech). For thousands of years, the Yucatec Maya has been the dominant Mayan language throughout the Yucatán Peninsula, including Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo. read more

indigenous-groups maya Campeche Yucatán Peninsula

Tracing Your Indigenous Roots in Mexico John P. Schmal

Because I volunteer a few days each month as a Mexican genealogical consultant at the Los Angeles Family History Center, many people have asked me for assistance in tracing their indigenous roots in Me... read more

family

Are you related to the Aztecs? John P. Schmal

For five centuries, North Americans have been fascinated and intrigued by stories of the magnificent Aztec Empire. This extensive Mesoamerican Empire was in its ascendancy during the late Fifteenth and... read more

history indigenous-groups

The indigenous people of Oaxaca John P. Schmal

The Mexican state of Oaxaca, located along the Pacific Ocean in the southeastern section of the country, consists of 95,364 square kilometers and occupies 4.85% of the total surface area of the Mexican... read more

indigenous-groups social-issues Oaxaca, Oaxaca

Indigenous Mexico: an overview John P. Schmal

The Republic of Mexico is a very large country, boasting a total area of almost 1,978,000 square kilometers (760,000 square miles) and a population of 103,400,165 (July 2002 estimate). With its central... read more

culture-customs history indigenous-groups

The indigenous past of Zacatecas John P. Schmal

Millions of Americans today look to the Mexican state of Zacatecas as their ancestral homeland. But it is very difficult to locate historical information on Zacatecas in the English language media. As ... read more

history indigenous-groups Zacatecas

Indigenous Chihuahua: a story of war and assimilation John P. Schmal

Several million Americans look to the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua as their ancestral homeland. Chihuahua - with a total of 245,945 square kilometers within its boundaries - is the largest state... read more

indigenous-groups social-issues Chihuahua, Chihuahua

The best records in the world: aids for genealogical research in Mexico John P. Schmal

painting in Casa Cuervo, Tequila, Jalisco

From one end of Mexico to another, countless church books and civil registries have chronicled the life events of ordinary laborers and slaves, alongside those of wealthy landowners. Millions of baptisms, marriages and confirmations were performed and it appears that a great number of these church records have survived to the present day. read more

history

Sixteenth century indigenous Jalisco John P. Schmal

Jalisco is La Madre Patria (the Mother Country) for millions of Mexican Americans. Given this fact, it makes sense that many sons and daughters of Jalisco are curious about the cultural and linguistic ... read more

history indigenous-groups