Abstract

GARCIA MACEDA, Jesús et al. Territorial organization and land distribution in the community of San Felipe Otlaltepec, Puebla, Mexico. Nova scientia [online]. 2015, vol.7, n.13, pp.267-285. ISSN 2007-0705.

San Felipe Oltaltepec, a Popoloca indigenous community of Puebla State, Mexico, has a territorial organization in sections. Urban and agricultural land appropriation has depended upon this delimitation. The conceptualization of the early and present section territorial structure and land appropriation was obtained through interviews and aerial photography, for comparison. Currently, there is a mix of housing of different sections, which does not correspond to the original arrangement of them. A similar situation was observed in the distribution of agricultural land. These changes are mainly due to marriages between members of different sections, which change the land ownership and belonging to a particular section. Despite the mix of housing of different sections, respondents expressed a deep sense of belonging to the section where they belong formally.

Keywords : territory; sections; identity; community; indigenous.