ABSTRACT
In many societies, generational conflict becomes a well-established and often deeply implicit cultural pattern and as such remains invisible not only to the natives but to the investigators as well. It does not seem likely that the conflict between generations has been a cultural pattern in El Nopal. During the colonial times and the times of independence until the distribution of land in the early 1930's, there was no occasion for any generational conflict among Mazahuas from El Nopal either. Colonial and post-colonial labor on great haciendas did not affect the traditional kinship system and essentially did not disrupt the family life of the Indians in this area. Generational distinctions remained unchanged throughout the varying historical periods, and paradoxically they started shaking as a result of the happiest event in the history of Mazahuas from El Nopal: the Agrarian Reform with the effective distribution of land.
