ABSTRACT
The 1990 census recorded 14,500 Amuzgos in the state of Guerrero with an additional 2,000 living across the Santa Catarina River in the neighboring state of Oaxaca. The municipio lies within the Costa Chica, one of the seven geographical regions of the state of Guerrero. Women sew and weave clothing and other items for local consumption, but also for sale in regional markets. Mestizos in the three main Amuzgo communities of Huajintepec, Tlacoachistlahuaca, and Xochistlahuaca effectively utilize not only their own family wealth acquired in the communities, but also their ties to kinfolk in regional market centers and urban areas toward enhancing their wealth and influence. While the concentration of rainfall and high insolation rate assists the regional tourist industry, it frequently has negative effects on the predominantly rain-fed agriculture of the region. Ethnic markers, such as language and clothing, have been used in traditional anthropology as major factors in designating a culture area.
