Indigenous Intellectuals and Historical Memory: The Route of the Siera Flag in Zongolica, Veracruz

This article describes a civic ritual called the Route of the Siera Flag. In this ritual, a group of local intellectuals (re)produces symbols of identity that embody the regional aspirations of a group of people from the Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz. The ritual revolves around the recuperation of Mexican Independence as a founding act of Mexican nationalism and also site of production of zongoliqueño historical memory. We analyze the role of different groups of regional intellectuals –in this case, teachers– in the construction of an autonomous indigenous identity that may be linked in a re-signified way to national identity, and show how this commemorative act unfolds within a continuous process of dispute and negotiation.