Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 08:38:47 -0400
From: Pierre William JOHNSON, <[email protected]>

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IS A NON-EDITED AUTOMATIC TRANSLATION FROM SPANISH

Workshop of New Technologies and Indian Journalism in Oaxaca

The first fruits for a social impact in benefit of the Indian peoples of Oaxaca.

*Gonzalo Santiago García.
*Juan de Dios Gómez.
*Pierre William Johnson.

1. - Oaxaca, the Indian peoples and their context.

Oaxaca is an entity of towns and diverse cultures, manifested in the continuous existence of the towns Amuzgo, Cuicateco, Chatino, Chinanteco, Chocholteco, Chontal, Huave, Ixcateco, Mazateco, Mixe, Mixteco, Nahuatl, Triqui, Zapoteco, Zoque, as well as of the indigenous communities that conform these towns and its ethnic, linguistic and cultural regroupings as the case of the Tacuates. In this context the black communities also cohabit.

According to data of the Indigenist National Institute 1 based on the sources of the INEGI 1990, in Oaxaca they exist a million approximately, three hundred twenty and eight thousand, four hundred twenty eight inhabitants bigger than five years of age, taking exclusively into account the linguistic approach for the determination of the condition of indigenous. Considering other approaches, the indigenous towns constitute approximately between the 60 and 70 percent of the population of Oaxaca, making for the most part of our entity a state indigenous.

Although the indigenous towns are distributed in the whole entity of Oaxaca, according to the form of holding of the earth, they continue living in approximately 1,563 agrarian nuclei, of which 793 are communities and 770 are public land 2In her the peoples control and they possess their lands for the use and daily enjoyment, believe and they recreate their culture and they energize their political expression in the mark of a singular and diverse political autonomy in our country. This way according to the election form and appointment of the municipal authorities, during 1998, 418 municipalities of the 570 that exist in the entity, have welcomed the own normative régime (usually called "uses and customs") to name to their authorities. Everything implies it a majority presence of the municipalities that we could categorize under the name of "Indigenous Municipalities", governed by an own normative system that settles down as fundamental principles, the conception of the power as service, the communal earth as entity of collective enjoyment, the communal work as the axis of the community growth and the system of positions like a space of permanent formation to exercise the public service.

In spite of all this cultural and social wealth, people of Oaxaca face an extremely difficult reality and full with conflicts. In first order it is important to stand out the confrontation that is evidenced in those conflicts in that the community norms and the state norms are involved. Conflicts that generally arise when the community authorities have emitted their verdict, but the state authorities, alleging a superior ability subjects to revision these decisions, ending up in some cases to prosecute to the community authorities, for the exercise of their functions according to the community norms, situation that implies, certainly, an ignorance of our norms, authorities and their jurisdictional abilities.

And beyond the signal conflicts, they have arisen -in half of the intense political fog that you/they suffer they show face society to the new millennium and of the cultural aggressions that have generated crisis of identity - a series of bound conflicts to the dispute for the municipal power, before the desires of some sectors and parties, to obtain bigger limits of political control and of the distribution of the municipal revenues. In the last municipal electoral process of 1998, an approximate number of 50 indigenous municipalities had problems postelectorales of very diverse nature. In front of these challenges and for lack of state norms that facilitated the resolution of the problems, one had to opt for the political negotiation, how only instrument to determine the final situation of the controversies. This way the lagoons and the legal holes, they have been the rule of gold that you/they have allowed to the political parties to take determinations for the communities and indigenous people, ignoring of cut the dignity and justness in the same ones. This way in many municipalities, for external influences -fundamentally of the political parties - and for the voracity of other, it has broken the consent and the community harmony, imposing family uneasiness, the social imbalance and the political ingobernabilidad. Joined to the above-mentioned, in the last years the conflicts related with the distribution of the municipal finances have been increased.

2.-The old forms of communication and the new technologies in the heart of the Indian communities.

From the first times of the Indian nations of Oaxaca, forms of communication have existed among people. Among the oldest they highlight THE SNAIL, the shell of this crustacean, era used to communicate important events, calls and other signs.

Without place to doubts two in the ways that are conserved today in day are the oral tradition that is not more than a form of passive resistance, of communicating of generation in generation histories, stories, legends of Indian people. The other form that it is conserved it is the community assembly, government's maximum organ where it is informed and the life of the Indian community argues.

Later, with the entrance of the Indigenist National Institute, the Indigenist Radios arise. In Oaxaca they work until the moment four radios that are controlled by the State.

The calls new technologies.

The handling of Internet is relatively new in the breast of social organizations, civil organisms and Indian communities. The appearance of the Army Zapatista of National Liberation in the neighbor state of Chiapas, the use came mainly to empower from the electronic mail and of incipient electronic nets.

In Oaxaca, the organizations or civil organisms that they have empowered this technological resource it is the Indigenous Front of Oaxaca Binational that works mainly with migrants in the mixteca of Oaxaca; Committee of Civic Defense in the Cuenca of the Papaloapan; Services of People Mixe, in the Sierra Mixe; and Union of Indigenous Communities of the North Area of the Isthmus.

The emergence of more than a hundred of civil organisms, and the problem of the financing, it has been the main reason of the incursion in the use, mainly of the electronic mail. At commercial level, dozens of cybercafés flourished, also as servants among those that highlight for their antiquity Antequera. In the academic area it is where more it has been developed. At the moment the University Benito Juárez of Oaxaca, the Technological Institute of Oaxaca, University of the Sea, they are developing an important work on the use of the new technologies and their impact.

2. - First Workshop of New Technologies and Indian Journalism.

Before the previously signal thing, Binigulazaa A.C organism that almost takes ten years working the area of the communication undertakes the odyssey of developing the First Workshop New Technologies and Indian Journalism "La Flor de la Palabra", the days 2,3 and 4 of March. The experience that he/she left this activity was fruitful.

They participated 16 Indian and non Indians of the following organizations: Organizaciones Indias por los Derechos Humanos de Oaxaca (OIDHO); Grupo de Apoyo a la Educación de la Mujer (GAEM); Taller Universitario de Derechos Humanos; Colectivo Oaxaca por la Paz; Mujeres contra la Represión de la Región de los Loxichas; Tequio Jurídico; Centro de Capacitación Integral para Promotores Comunitarios; Colectivo Luna Zeta. Colectivo Luna Zeta.

Most of participants were their first approach to the computer and the new technologies In the second of the cases, the era use only of electronic mail. The approached topics were "The Communication India in Oaxaca" imparted by the anthropologist Juan of God Gómez; "The social Impact of the new technologies of the information in Latin America", in charge of the sociologist Pierre William Jonson; "The social impact of the new technologies of the information in Mexico and in particular in Oaxaca", on the part of Fortino Torrentera; "The Project of the Net of Intercommunication of Indian People of Oaxaca", in charge of the communicologist Gonzalo Santiago García and Pierre William Jonson.

In the second part of the workshop the topics Introduction were approached to Internet, and electronic mail. The Web how to navigate and to find information of Indian people and of the impact of the new technologies? Introduction to the mail lists, types of clever and handling rules of clever. To be concluded they gave the basic elements of the journalistic goods as note, interview, and article. To conclude with the evaluation of the workshop.

3. - Tequio, guelaguetza, Indian words that strengthen community processes.

The results of the Workshop New Technologies and Indian Journalism responded to the objectives outlined in a beginning and opened potentialities to build a process that rebounds for the processes of communication in the breast of the communities, social organizations, civil organisms and Indian communities.

Also one of the concerns and necessities of the participants in the workshop are the continuity of the training process in the new technologies. In this sense, a Second Workshop will be developed contemplated tentatively for the month of July.

The social impact of the calls new technologies of the information and communication in the entity are incipient. The workshop was also useful to analyze the topic and to share strategies for the use of these tools that strengthen the organizational, community processes and of development of Indian people.

The above-mentioned reinforces it the intervention of Cristino, indigenous chinanteco, "the computer, is not more than a drawer where the native can see the world... it can be a tool that helps us for our awakening."

4. - The Project of the Net India of Oaxaca

The project embraces not only the training for the members of Indian people of Oaxaca but it is complementary part of an integral project of communication that has its support basically in Internet, handling of clever of diffusion and social impact for the development of people.

One of the contributions that has the position in a second phase, is the appropriation of the new technologies in hands of Indian people. With this position the native would stop to be study object, to be subject of her to become historical, social and cultural.

On the other hand, a diffusion list is developed at the moment, where they are given to know the news, urgent calls or activities that carry out the social, civil organizations and communities of the entity of Oaxaca. In construction is the page of the Net India of Oaxaca whose address is http://www.laneta.apc.org/rio

We consider that the support provided by the community MISTICA, will allow to achieve that the objectives and outlined goals are completed in benefit of our Indian people of Oaxaca.

For comments, the address is [email protected]

Evaluation of the First Seminar-workshop New Technologies and Indian Journalism

For the same participants. 16 answers to the questionnaire

LA FLOR DE LA PALABRA

1. How do you evaluate the acting of the different sections of the seminar-workshop?

	Very well	Well	Acceptable	Bad
Thursday
Indigenous communication in Oaxaca	9	4	2
Presentation of Internet	5	8
The social impact of the new technologies in Mexico and Oaxaca	8	5	2
Room of computer: training about mail and Web	5	7	3
Friday
Room of computer: training on lists of mail	4	8	3
Journalistic goods	4	8
Dynamics on the massive means of communication	7	5
Presentation of the project of Net of Intercommunication of Indian Peoples	6	5	1
Saturday
Room of computer: Training	6	7	1
Forum-debate: How do we seek to operate the net?	8	3	2

2. How do you evaluate the duration of the sessions?

	Appropriate	Too short	Too long
Thursday
Indigenous communication in Oaxaca	9	4	1
Presentation of Internet	9	4
The social impact of the new technologies in Mexico and Oaxaca	10	1	2
Room of computer: training about mail and Web	7	8
Friday
Room of computer: training on lists of mail	6	8
Journalistic goods	9	3
Dynamics on the massive means of communication
Presentation of the project of Net of Intercommunication of Indian Peoples	10	3
Saturday
Room of computer: Training	7	8
Forum-debate: How do we seek to operate the net?	10	4	1

Comments

2. What session did it lack or could you suggest for a next event?

• Thinks that it lacked but time in the second session of computer. To know the search motors better.

• Because it should be but time and one schedule but I fix.

• Practice in journalism

• To continue with that drifted and in accordance with the necessities of the assistants

• On topics specifies of Usenet, Chat�

• More computers for learning. Because some partners didn't make anything.

• Lacked the presentation of those that we attend. I believe that it is super an activity and non session important that it allows to break the ice for the realization of the workshop and the INTERCOMMUNICATION promotes.

• I think that we were continued qualifying.

• Convoking bigger.

• To clarify the concept of autonomy, necessity, infrastructure.

Comments on the different sections of the seminar/workshop

• In general it was well distributed the time. I think that it is good first to have the theory but wide with outlines it stops once to transfer it in practice step to step.
• Well, I say that we all should toss them many desires on these projects and I can him� to learn on these.
• It was interesting in everything.
• God willing they repeated again so that the teaching process and learning will be formed with monitors of what we write in this course.
• I believe that we need more training on the Web, Usenet, the journalistic goods, the how to navigate and to look for information. It is understandable that all the above-mentioned is due to lack of time.
• That all the comments were well.
• To be organized better and to make more diffusion among the organizations.
• That it occurred material didactic and bibliographical suggestions.
• The participants sometimes need a little more than time. To manage the drawer.
• In all the sections of the seminar-workshop it was very rich the communication, and the most astonishing thing was to discover that you can also contribute for Internet and to contact excluded people.

1. How do you evaluate the seminar in organization terms?

5. That aspect could improve for a following event?

• Presentation of Internet
• To specify contained to be able to assimilate and to go out with the trust of that learned
• To be more participatives the students by means of the motivation of the achievements of the communication.
• Perhaps to give copies the first day to have more information (copies, materials writings)�
• To put more computers and to explain better.
• To have the technical definitions of the computation vocabulary in writing.
• To invite the different organizations to be able to improve more.
• To be a little stricter in the times.
• The coordination in the computation room.
• The practical explanation, and the computer handling.
• Some seats that have a palette to write.
• In the other event that will be carried out could enter earlier and to dedicate more time to the debate table.

6. The seminar / workshop gave you desires of... (you can choose several answers):

7. Comments and general suggestions

• I believe that I am ahead more. It was very good.
• The possibility that they are maximum two in a computer.
• To thank them the workshop, to treat that the organizations know the proposal.
• These are well for us because it is good to learn many things.
• To continue impelling these workshops until achieving the objective.
• In the first place to CONGRATULATE THEM since for this initiative is viable to advance in building, from the life of the natives, the fairrest socio-political, economic alternatives. To USE THIS MEANS FOR A COLLECTIVE END is necessary.
• In second place, the technological training believes that one needs a lot.
• In third place, the more positive small steps for a Great Project that to accelerate the process, and then not to advance.
• It gave me a lot of pleasure to participate in the course, since it will strengthen me in my work. They have just put us on the Internet.
• To continue diffusing the convocations for further participation.
• The computation room was very restricted. If you could look for some other wider side and with more computers so that the learning is more flowing and a slate is used in the computation room.
• That all and all the committed organizations with indigenous people believe the alternative, of to propose and to share these technologies, to resist chained to the liberation. "Winds to all the organizers". Today and we all are always.
• Anyway we need the Internet. It cannot begin if you don't have one it schemes exclusively for the net.
• That will be carried out weekly.

Didactic material of support for the Workshop New Technologies and Indian Journalism.

• What Internet is it?
• What is the electronic mail?
• What are the mail lists?
• The mail lists according to Laneta
• What is the Web?
• Rules for the writing of mail messages
• Rules for lists of diffusion

Articles of the Community Virtual Mistica distributed for the Workshop New Technologies and Indian Journalism.

• Yanapanaku, propuesta de organización y construcción de la red global de solidaridad

• Las comunidades virtuales como conductoras del aprendizaje permanente

• El impacto social de las nuevas tecnologías de la información y de la Comunicación en perspectiva �algunas reflexiones

Author: Pierre Johnson, sociólogo, e-mail: [email protected]

1 Socioeconomic indicators of the indigenous towns of Mexico. Indigenist National institute. Arnulfo Cambris, Coordinator. Mexico. 1993. [ back ]
2 Source: National institute of Agrarian Development (INDA). 1996 [ back ]

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Last modified: 19/04/2000