Tequiografías
A series of revised school monographs to change how native peoples are represented within the educational system
Daniel Godínez Nivón, Tequiografías, 2010
Initiator(s)
Daniel Godínez Nivón
Description
The artist in close collaboration with the Assembly of Indigenous Migrants of Mexico City (AMI) has created a series of 8 school monographs which reinterpret some topics about historical events, places and habits of native peoples that are currently stereotyped. Through ‘tequio’, a system of unpaid social service typical of indigenous communities, they created the new monographs for topics such as ‘Assembly’, ‘Death’, ‘Tequio’, ‘Day of the Dead’, ‘Cargo System’, ‘The Seven Natural Elements’, ‘Health’, and ‘The Urban Indigenous’. The new cards follow the same structure of the usual monographs in being double-sided, where on one side there is a drawing representing the topic and on the other a written explanation of it. The new monographs, now called Tequiografías, are sold on the market, through the current system of distribution in stationery stores where families buy school’s materials for their children. Currently, the languages used are Zapoteco Didza Xidza, Tlahuiltoltepec Mixe and Spanish. After the dissolution of AMI in different ethnic groups in 2019, the artist has been working in collaboration with other groups such as the Organización social de Yolotepec de la Paz en la CDMX (Meixteco) and the Working Midwives (Triquis). They are developing some new Tequiografías such as the rights to the city, and how to live in the city as a woman and midwives for example.
Context
Godínez Nivón, whose family has an indigenous migrant background (Juchitan, Oaxaca), started collaborating with the AMI during the last year of his art studies out of his research about the representation of women in his family. He joined the tequio regularly for about a year before agreeing with the assembly on a project to create together. As happened to him, due to the massive production of standardised monographs which are sold all over Mexico, different native peoples who use the same materials for educational purposes, either in the cities or in their villages, don’t feel represented by them.
How to use it
Children and teachers use the Tequiografías at school or for homework. Users can download them for free.
Goals
Through the distribution of the Tequiografías both in urban and rural areas, children learn that a plurality of experiences and stories is possible, and it does not have to be either stereotypical or imposed. Moreover, through collective writing and drawing, the Assembly of Indigenous Migrants challenges the system of oppression from within, thanks to direct intervention in the education system.
Beneficial outcomes
Tequiografías facilitate the reflection on the self-representation of the indigenous groups living in the urban context as migrants. The monographs are created collectively following the system of the assembly, which facilitates decision-making and agreements within the group. The Mexican Ministry of Public Education does not control Tequiografías. However, Godínez Nivón made the Ministry promote them among indigenous teachers in some states. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, classes were broadcasted on national TV, and the artist noticed an increase in downloads from his website.
Néstor García Canclini (2019) Tequiografías: Reimaginating Interculturality, [online] Visible Project
Location
Mexico City; Tlahuitoltepec; San Juan Tabaá; Yalalag; Oaxaca, Mexico
Field
Repurposing, Use-It-Together
Strategy
Education, Indigenous Communities Rights
Users
Assembly of Indigenous Migrants of Mexico City (AMI), Organización social de Yolotepec de la Paz en la CDMX, Working Midwives, pupils, teachers
Maintained by
Initial supporters were The project was initially founded by the artist himself through the participation of exhibitions at Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo (MUAC), Mexico City; then it was included in other exhibitions at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, Paris; Galería Metropolitana, Mexico City; Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven and Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow. The project was shortlisted for the Visible Award in 2019. It is maintained by Daniel Godínez Nivón and users who download the materials.
Duration
2010 - ongoing
Coefficient of Arte Util
80%
Category
Scientific
Pedagogical
Politics
Urban Development
Economy
Environment
Social
