MÉXICO PLURAL: Los mazahuas

The Mazahuas are an indigenous group living in the states of Mexico and Michoacán. The origin of the name is uncertain; some studies link it to the mythical first ruler of this people, Mazatecuhtli; others suggest it is a derivation of the Nahuatl mazatl, "deer," or Mazahuacán, "where there are deer." This people originates from the Nahuatl migrations at the end of the Postclassic period and the racial and cultural fusion of the Toltec-Chichimec settlements. The 2000 census identified 101,759 speakers of this language. They are settled in the northwestern and central-western regions of the State of Mexico, mostly in rural municipalities. Since the beginning of the 16th century, the Mazahuas have occupied this area, which is made up of a series of mountains, hills, and valleys with a predominantly cold climate. The Mazahua language is spoken in central Mexico. Its speakers call the language Jñatrjo, which is also their own name.