Acculturation of the Indians of Mexico *Maria Frankowska **From the pre-Conquest period until the Revolution of 1910.The problem of transforming the lives and culture of theinhabitants of the New World under the influence of peoplefrom Europe that completely destroyed the orderthe existing things and brought in place new structuressocial-political, previously unknown achievements in the field ofmaterial culture and a new worldview; arousedIt has long been the interest of researchers from differentspecialties within the social sciences, but especiallythe interest of etngrafos1. Many of them put specialattention in their studies, particularly those carried out during thepast decades, the problems of acculturation, to eithertransformation processes arising as a result ofdirect contacts and long-term and mutual influencesThey have over them various ethnic groups of different cultures.Such processes are not limited, naturally, America andher to Latin America, the more we want. Howevernotes that these processes are more intense and shapes morevaried in this territory, which undoubtedly is linked directly orindirectly with the consequences of the conquest andIberian colonization. Problems and processes related toset of complicated phenomena of acculturation came to* In this paper devoted to indigenous issues have been capitalized especially since theethnic names to highlight its importance.** 7UDGXFLGR SRODFR SRU 6WDQLVDZ GHO $ GDPRZLF] \ -??????? DGZLJD 5DGXM-Lachowicz?1 The name ethnography was used in this article in the broad sense given to it inPoland. It includes certain disciplines as ethnography, ethnology, cultural anthropologyand social anthropology.be the subject of many considerations and scientific discussionsmainly initiated by American researchers.Found them reflected in many publications devoted boththe strictly theoretical reflections on the context, contentand terminology studied the idea, as the analysis of thesituation, human attitudes, influencing factorsdynamics of change, the types of contact culturesor the orientation of the processes that create transformations;all it based on a particular local research material.In this rich body of work on acculturation no shortagenot interesting considerations mexicanos2 authors. Thewhich leading ethnographer of Mexico have undertaken theseissues are undoubtedly explains why similar processes havein that country almost from the beginning of its history to theToday, its national importance, its own specific andgreat local differentiations despite fundamentalmechanisms similarities of these processes. The importance ofthese processes can be witnessed nationally, betweenother, through testing to include directing thenational life Indian population groups left outits margin, many still in Mexico, and that live uptoday in many parts of the country in conditions that, in mostcases formed situations come from the periodcolonial.Mexico is a country cuallos acculturation canobserved at different times and stages; in initial phases, almost2 A meaning particularly important for considerations about the problems and processesacculturation in Mexico, have the works of eminent Mexican representative of anthropologysocial, G. Aguirre Beltran: Acculturation, Mexico 1957 and Regions shelter. Thecommunity development process and Sunday mestizo America, Mexico 1967. Literatureon this subject is extensive but, however, it is mainly researchfielded same. Long extracts from different theoretical statementsprominent Mexican authors such as M. Gamio, MO Mendizabal, M. Saenz, J. de la Fuente, L.Villoro, A. Villa Rojas and M. Leon Portilla, can be found in the work of J. Comas (ed.): Theapplied social anthropology in Mexico. History and anthology, 1964. Mexico is alsodevoted to this subject, among others, the very interesting article by M. Leon Portilla: cultural miscegenation andRace in Mexico, "Native American", Vol. 23, Mexico 1964, no 3, pp. 183-200 and theM. Nolasco article: The region of Cholula, whose translation is currently published in Volume14 of "Ethnography Polska".in statu nascendi, in the development and final stages, in formsspontaneous or, conversely, directed; with voluntary acceptancethe alien or the creative transformation of the same elements,either accepted opposition and sometimes even with complete disgust.In consideration of the many forms of acculturation anddifferentiating their types seems to be especially interesting,important further information on the problems and issuesThis complicated phenomenon, just in the way they appearin Mexico, especially when you consider that in the lastdecades have been started in different regions of thecountry, either your own local research and researchersforeigners. They have as many resultpublications, often of high value, dedicated to the issuechanges acculturation, providing abundantvaluable material in many cases facilitated acloser knowledge of the history and mechanisms of theprocesses that interest us, which, and this should be emphasized,They had a decisive influence on the creation and trainingspecific system of ethnic relations and culturesMexico, and extensive biological and cultural mix ascharacteristic for this country.The mix of peoples and cultures is not a new phenomenon inMexico. Already in the distant early history there were examplesthat ethnic groups, which had a way of lifediametrically different culture and different elements haveI been living together for a long time. Manyauthors have paid attention to such fenmenos3. they are verymany examples that confirm the mutual adaptation of3M Leon Portilla presented very widely from the point of view of the problemsacculturation phenomena of this kind, in the article mentioned in footnote 2 on thecultural and ethnic miscegenation in Mexico, by first exposing the interplay ofnomadic and sedentary over the territory of Mexico in pre-Conquest times groups. They canalso find quite a few materials among others, in the work of W. Krickeberg: AltmexikanischeKulturen, Berlin 1956. R. Pina Chan: A vision of the prehispanic Mexico, Mexico 1967 Aless detailed and more shortened form's data with Mexico History of W. JimenezMoreno, J. Miranda and MT Fernandez, published in Mexico in 1967. Data on individualforms of culture of these two groups as well as the process of adopting a sedentary lifestyleby nomadic peoples, they are also found in the famous chronicle of Sahagun.peoples and cultures in the formative period of thecivilizations developed in ancient Mexico. WithoutBut it must be assumed that not all the facts of this typeThey can be treated as the result of processesacculturation. Many of them probably could be explainedas different forms of dissemination of cultures. Onacculturation itself, or on the changesThey are, as we have already mentioned, longmutual influence they have on each other different ethnic groupsdifferent cultures, one can speak safely in the case oftransformation processes that took place in the highlandsMexico as a result of contact nomadic peoplesthat decendan North and peoples growers, sincelong established in this area.Recoltadores hunters and peoples, commonly defined inliterature with the general name of Chichimecas, Teochichimeca-Chichimeca of the steppes, as calls Sahagun, who wanderedconstantly from place to place in search of game andwild vegetables, armed with bow and arrows, leftgradually getting used to the sedentary way of life,known for a long time the inhabitants of the ValleyMexico. Accepting the upper reaches of the culture ofup, farmers retained, however, his characterwarrior transformed over time, such asAztecs, in a town of well developed culture that dominatedin a large area.An interesting concept, which illustrates the possibilitiescreators of changes found in the process ofacculturation, he was described by the eminent Mexican scientistRoman Pina Chan, trying to clarify, based on sourcesarchaeological two enigmas in the history of pre-Conquest Mexico:the origin of the Toltecs and the blame for the destruction ofTeotihuacn4. In his opinion the people who beat city4R Pina Chan: A Vision of prehispanic Mexico, Mexico 1967, pp. 107 - 223. UniversityNacional Autonoma in Mexico. Institute of Historical Research. Cultures SeriesMesoamerican: 1.between 650 and 900 AD, in the last periodhistory of Teotihuacan, which was characterized by a cleardecay of culture, were the Chichimecas, who had adevelopment level considerably lower than the inhabitantsThis famous center. After beating the city and livinglong together with the rest of the populationwho was there, the Chichimecas, "during the lastTeotihuacan period conquered the city, develop apoorer and take the arts [...] Teotihuacan culture and idealslike pattern and origin. " According to Pina Chan "occupationIt Teotihuacan Nahua Chichimecas groups is evident also insocial and religious changes taking place in the latter period,it abandons worship the gods relatedagriculture and fire cults arise, the sun and the war, morekeeping with the character of the conquering group [...] In turn, thetheocratic organization takes on a more militaristic character orwarrior [...]. "5 The winners came after acceptinggradually the scope of the Teotihuacan culture developeddifferent technical and artistic skills so broadlyas a result succeeded Toltecas name, which meansskilled craftsman. These "Toltec" as called Sahagun, "allchichimecas were appointed, and had no other particular name, butthe taking of curiosity and delicacy of the work they did,that Toltecs were called, that is both as it were officialpolished and curious [...] "6. These people, who had already calledToltecs I move after some time the Valley of Mexiconorth and settled on the river Tula, where he built hisCapital celebrated Tollan (Tula), becoming gradually the symbollegendary of all the arts, sciences and skills.This important for the history of Mexico, transformationnomadic people in sedentary farmers and skilled artisansIt took place, in the opinion of Pia Chan, in the last phase of theexistence of Teotihuacan. However processes