ABSTRACT
Indigenous peasant communities have been involved in a perpetual struggle to retain their communal lands upon which their livelihoods, identities, and communities are based. These lands, on the other hand, are viewed as part of the national patrimony upon which the nation depends to establish a more favorable position in the global market system. Understanding the dynamics of indigenous communities also requires macro level analysis of their relations with the state, given that the ejidos and Indian communities are official sectors administered by the state. Functionalists suggest that institutions such as the civil-religious cargo system, endogamous marriage practices, communal land tenure, and rituals that emphasize conformity foster a "collective mentality of the community" that serves "to equalize the life chances and life risks of its members". The community solidarity that emerges from impetus conditions may evolve political dialogue in which expressions of nationalistic autonomy become increasingly important.
