Indigenous Mexican Americans facts for kids
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,475,436 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| California, Texas, New York, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada | |
| Languages | |
| American English, Spanish, Mixtecan languages and other Mesoamerican languages | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, Mesoamerican religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Native Americans in the United States |
Indigenous Mexican Americans are people living in the United States whose families come from the original native groups of Mexico. They are also called Mexican American Indians. Many of them speak an Indigenous language from Mexico as their first language. Sometimes, they might not speak Spanish or English. They may or may not see themselves as "Hispanic" or "Latino."
Where Do Indigenous Mexican Americans Live?
Many Indigenous Mexican Americans live in California. This state has a large and growing number of people from Mexico's native groups. About 200,000 people in California come from one of Mexico's more than 60 Indigenous groups.
A large number of these Indigenous Mexican Americans are from Oaxaca, a state in Mexico. California is home to between 100,000 and 150,000 Indigenous Oaxacans. Around 50,000 of them are estimated to be Mixtec people. The Mixtec are an Indigenous group from the La Mixteca region in Western Oaxaca and nearby areas of Puebla and Guerrero.
Facing Unfair Treatment
Sometimes, Indigenous Mexican Americans face unfair treatment. This can come from other Spanish-speaking Mexican Americans. For example, some people might use disrespectful words like "Oaxaquita" (meaning "Little Oaxacan") or "indito" (meaning "little Indian"). These words are used to be mean or to make fun of someone.
Indigenous Mexican Americans have sometimes been laughed at, teased, or bullied. They might also face unfair ideas about them (stereotypes) from non-Indigenous Mexican Americans. This kind of unfair treatment, or racism, can happen in Mexican American communities, just like it can in Mexico.
Some Mexican Americans, even if they also have Indigenous backgrounds, might look down on Indigenous people who still speak their native languages. This can happen if they have stopped speaking a Mixtecan or other Indigenous language themselves. They might have adopted Spanish or English and then not respect those who have kept their original language and culture.
Famous Indigenous Mexican Americans
Many Indigenous Mexican Americans have become well-known in different fields. Here are some of them:
|
|
