The Indigenous Community of Mazahua

Back in Time with Mala

(As told to Jenny Johnson, Journey North)
They call me "Amalia Gomez Cruz". But my real name sounds like Mala and my last names are certainly of Spanish influence. I live in a small village in an area about 20 minutes outside of Zitacuaro, Michoacan. This is located in the north eastern part of Michoacan. All around us are high mountains and rolling open fields were there were once beautiful evergreens. It is very different than the other surrounding cities or villages in this part of Michoacan because we are El Mazahua.



Mala welcomes you to her home in El Tigre.

Mazahua is a the community of about 14,000 people that lived on this land before the Spanish came to what is now called Mexico. We still dress, prepare our food and talk as our ancestors did over 500 years ago.



Mala preparing tortillas. She grinds the blue corn with a traditional stone and slate.


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