Definition of Caste Warfare

When Mexico achieved independence from the Spanish Crown, the Mayan peoples of the Yucatan Peninsula lived in a situation of poverty and marginalization. This did not change in the following decades and, in fact, the lands they cultivated were worked without plows and the only force used were the arms.

With the passage of time the lands and mountains of the Mayan communities ended up in the hands of Creole or white landowners. At the same time, the Mayan peoples continued to be subject on a cultural and religious level.

The natives of Yucatan worked under conditions of submission for a landowner and he forced them to purchase their products in their own establishments at an exorbitant price. In short, the Maya lived in a context of poverty and inequality Social.

The armed insurrection lasted for more than 50 years

The native Mayans took up arms against the white and Creole settlers in July 1847. The first armed uprising took place in the town of Culumpich, 40 kilometers from Valladolid. The leader of the revolt was arrested and later hanged in a public square.

The indigenous leaders continued their struggle and came to dominate the eastern part of the Yucatan peninsula. However, due to the heavy rains in July and August the Maya abandoned their military positions and returned to work on their lands. It could be said that their traditions and rites were stronger than the thirst for revenge.

The government of Mexico supported the landowners so that they could fight the rebels and in this way recovered several localities initially lost by the Mayan occupation

However the government Yucatecan officer was permanently threatened by the Mayan rebels and for this reason they requested military support from various nations, including Spain, the United States, Cuba and Jamaica.

For their part, the Mayans tried to negotiate proposing that they could cultivate corn in badlands without having to make any payment for it.

Initially, the indigenous proposal was accepted and a treaty of peaceBut some Mayan leaders refused to make peace and hostilities began again. The fighting continued until in 1901 the federal troops occupied the last Mayan stronghold, the town of Chan Santa Cruz.

Main consequences and inappropriate use of the word caste to describe the conflict

The population of Yucatán was significantly reduced, both due to military casualties and due to diseases or migratory movements. On the other hand, several Mayan towns were totally devastated and the incipient sugar industry disappeared.

Regarding the concept "castes" used by the chroniclers of the conflict, has been questioned, as it does not fit with the reality of the facts. In this sense, in the Yucatan peninsula there was no caste system, simply a subjugated people.

Photo Fotolia: Panda