The Mixteca Region is a region in the state of Oaxaca

Oaxaca

Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...

, Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

, part of the broader La Mixteca

La Mixteca

La Mixteca is a cultural, economic and political region that covers parts of the states of Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca in south-central Mexico....

 area which covers parts of the states of Puebla

Puebla

Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....

, Guerrero

Guerrero

Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....

 and Oaxaca

Oaxaca

Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...

.
The region includes the districts of Juxtlahuaca

Juxtlahuaca District, Oaxaca

Juxtlahuaca District is located in the southwest of the Mixteca Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. The largest town is Santiago Juxtlahuaca.The district is at an average elevation of 1,690 meters above sea level, and has an area of 1,848 km2....

, Silacayoapam

Silacayoapam District, Oaxaca

Silacayoapam District is located in the northwest of the Mixteca Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.The climate is temperate, with average temperature of 20.6°C...

, Huajuapan

Huajuapan District, Oaxaca

Huajuapan District is located in the north of the Mixteca Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. The principal city is Huajuapan de León.-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:*Asunción Cuyotepeji*Cosoltepec...

, Coixtlahuaca

Coixtlahuaca District, Oaxaca

Coixtlahuaca District is located in the northeast of the Mixteca Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. As of 2005 the population was 9,018, down 2.8% from 2000.The region is generally from 2,000m to 3,000m high, mostly hilly or mountainous with small plains....

, Teposcolula

Teposcolula District, Oaxaca

Teposcolula District is located in the center of the Mixteca Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:*Chilapa de Diaz*La Trinidad Vista Hermosa*San Andrés Lagunas...

, Tlaxiaco

Tlaxiaco District, Oaxaca

Tlaxiaco District is located in the south of the Mixteca Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. The main city is the Heroic City of Tlaxiaco-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:*Chalcatongo de Hidalgo*Magdalena Peñasco...

 and Nochixtlán

Nochixtlán District, Oaxaca

Nochixtlán District is located in the southeast of the Mixteca Region of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico.The main city is Asunción Nochixtlán.-Municipalities:The district includes the following municipalities:*Asunción Nochixtlán*Magdalena Jaltepec...

. The largest cities are Huajuapan and Tlaxiaco

Tlaxiaco

Tlaxiaco is a city, and its surrounding municipality of the same name, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is located in the Tlaxiaco District in the south of the Mixteca Region, with a population of about 17,450. The city is formally known as Heroica Ciudad de Tlaxiaco in honour of a battle waged...

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According to the 1990 census the region had 556,256 people over the age of five, of which 227,680 spoke Mixteco

Mixtecan languages

The Mixtec language, actually multiple languages, belong to Otomanguean language family of Mexico, and are closely related to the Trique and Cuicatec languages. They are spoken by over half a million people. Identifying how many Mixtec languages there are in this complex dialect continuum poses...

.

Handicrafts

The Mixteca produce diverse handicrafts including cups, masks, cotton and wool textiles such as towels, blankets, blouses, bags, belts, petticoats, embroidered shirts, cotton and wool shawls, reed baskets, furniture, candles, ceramics of different clays for different purposes, saddlery, rockets, knives, iron, grinding stones, brooms and fine palm hats. Women make the textiles and pottery in their free time.
Men are involved in blacksmithing, carpentry, cutlery and harness making, working at home.
Children begin to learn craft work about six years.
Because of its importance in the regional economy, the craftsmanship of palm products deserves a special reference.
Palms are used to make hats, mats, purses, toys, brooms, handbags and so on.

Social Organization

The Mixtec family is basically nuclear and patrilineal, although migration has influenced the family structure as men often spend long periods away from home.
Municipal authorities serve for one year only.
Judicial offices are held by the trustees and mayors, who serve as prosecutors and judges.
Farmlands are organized into ejido

Ejido

The ejido system is a process whereby the government promotes the use of communal land shared by the people of the community. This use of community land was a common practice during the time of Aztec rule in Mexico...

s and municipal properties, and smallholders have autonomy within these properties.
The Council of Elders is important in some villages, although in others it has practically disappeared.