San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. View of the name of the school represented by stones.
In the current context of Mexico where Indigenous people are structurally marginalized since schooling, the Telesecundaria Tetsijtsilin, which means “stones who sing” becomes a counterweight of resistance from the community of San Miguel Tzinacapan in Cuetzalan, Mexico.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A kid walks to his classroom with one of the murals of the school behind.
The school was founded in 1979 with the slogan “The best education for the poorest” but it took hold in 1994 defining it’s ideology caring about the native traditions of San Miguel, including the teaching of the original language Nahuatl, making Tetsijsilin the only school that teaches it at Cuetzalan.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A girl rests in her break at the entry of the school.
They also have an activity called “Communalism” which strengthens the relationship between the former and the current students. They having them to be the guide of their traditional dances and other workshops related to rural life. The practice of their traditions develops a feeling of pride against the discrimination that they suffer in their own country.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A girl eats her food in dinning room. The school feeds all the students.
The slogan Maseual pipil momachtianij sentakochitanij, which means “Indigenous boys that study and dream together” is one of the most important part of it´s ideology.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. View of one of the murals made by students of the school.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. Students rest in a tree and a sign in the school that says “The land is alive”.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A couple of students go down stairs for the “Communalism” a traditional practice of the school.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A student prepares for play the “Dance of Los Migueles” the traditional dance of the community of San Miguel Tzinacapan.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A student show the mask of a badger, one of the characters of a dance.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A couple students pose for a portrait before their dance.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A student plays the clown in “The Dance of los Matarachines”.
San Miguel Tzinacapan, Mexico-July 2019. A girl receives their diploma at Tetsijtsilin Graduation.
