THE ZAPOTECA
(Mexico)
MEXICO
GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL
M A N A G E M E N T A WA R D
The Government and Local Management Award (Premio Gobierno y Gestión Local) is a
non-governmental organization in which participate several academic institutions as well as
international foundations and social organizations, all of them interested in the discussion
of the municipal issues in Mexico.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION:
> All the 2,453 municipalities, the 16 delegations of the Federal Capital and every Indian
community ruled by “practices and traditions” are requested to participate.
> On the second half of august, the evaluation committee chooses, among the programs
registered, the more relevant governmental practices. So, selected programs are considered
semi-finalists and are requested for further information.
> In September, governments whose programs are semi-finalists are visited by an evaluation committee, which determines the convenience of considering the program finalist.
> Finalists assist at the awards ceremony and present to the jury a description of their
programs. The jury evaluates the experiences presented and chooses five winners.
THE ZAPOTECA
From very ancient times, the zapoteca established in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca. They
build barrages and irrigation channels and built a very diversified agriculture that feed several villages. The heart of that zone was the ceremonial center of Monte Albán.
Monte Albán was built at the top of a hill among the valleys. It is an assembly of pyramids and platforms which surrounds an enormous open area, where an extraordinary astronomical observatory is situated. Monte Albán was dedicated to mysterious gods cult and to
the celebration of military victories.
The zapoteca were, as well as the maya, the only ancient people who had a complete
writing system that combines ideas and sounds representation. This writing has been translated only partially.
In the year 800, the splendor of Monte Albán was suddenly finished as well as other of its
contemporary cities. Nevertheless, zapoteca culture continued in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca,
but some centuries after, the mixteca that lived to the north and the east of Monte Albán,
invaded the valleys and began a long fighting with the zapoteca.
Au t ho r i t i e s U n i o n o f Z o o go c ho S e c to r
Searching of leaving isolation and cumulating efforts to solve common problems and reaching
shared successes, is the goal that have the Authorities Union of Zoogocho Sector. 14 villages of the
Sierrra de Oaxaca initially composed the Union. Today, the Union has five more localities: 8
municipalities and 11 municipal agencies. The regional development program consists of a long term
strategy that is 12 years old. Its goal is to promote the integral development of the villages of the
Sector by the means of a concerted planning program. Community Assemblies ruled buy “practices
and traditions” are the highest level to make decisions. In the process of decision-making are involved
municipal authorities, citizen councils and representatives of productive organizations. The Union of
Authorities sessions every month to evaluate the course of the priority projects, to have agreements
and to be accountable to the citizens.
Zapoteca villages of Zoogocho Sector regional development
The Union of Authorities has promote regional development.. Its actions have reached successes
like: a) Construction and maintenance of 28 kms of roads and 95 kms of non-paved roads; b)
construction a water supply net, 30 kms long through five villages; c) installations of dry latrines
and a system of sanitation and treatment plants for all the communities, avoiding pollution of
rivers; d) improvement of telephone service by the means of installation of a regional antenna that
permits access to the internet; e) increase of the educational infrastructure: the communities now
counts with the Social Integration Center of Zoogocho, the Technological Agronomy High School
and the Training Center “Peasant to Peasant”; and f) the presence of clinics in the municipalities
and “health houses” in the small villages.
Jorge López
Jorge López was born in San Baltasar Yatzachi el Bajo on March 11, 1944. His native language is
zapoteca. He made elementary studies in San Baltazar Yatzachi and Teleala in the northern
mountains of Oaxaca. He made studies of schoolteacher in the Escuela Normal in Oaxaca City. He
has been teacher in elementary school and also in high school. Besides, he was supervisor of the
local educational system in Oaxaca. He worked for the Ministry of Public Education in Mexico City,
where he participated in the conformation of the zapoteca alphabet and the edition of books for
adult Indians education. At present, he is retired and presides the assembly of the Union of
Authorities of zapoteca villages from Zoogocho Sector.
Sergio Robles Camacho
Sergio Robles Camacho was born in San Bartolomé Zoogocho on February 24, 1944. His native
language is zapoteca. He made elementary studies in San Bartolomé Zoogocho in the northern
mountains of Oaxaca. He is Telecommunications Engineer from the National Polytechnic Institute
of Mexico City. He worked several years for the Ministry of Transport and Communications of
Mexico. He was Major of San Bartolomé Zoogocho in 1999 and member of the assembly of
authorities. At the moment, he is consultant for productive projects of the assembly of the Union
of Authorities of zapoteca villages from Zoogocho Sector.