Regional Mexico:An Overview

ANTH 221: Peoples and Cultures of MexicoKimberly Martin, Ph.D.

Culture and the Environment

• Ecological anthropology = the study of the relationship between a groups culture and its environment– includes how culture affects the

environment and how the environment affects culture.

– Reciprocal and cyclical mutual adaptation (adjustment) of cultural systems to environment and environmental systems to culture.

Systems Theory• Cultures are systems• All parts of a system are interrelated– Kinship system, economic system, religious

system, political system (etc.) are parts of the larger cultural system

• Systems Change in Feedback loops (cycles)– Positive feedback = as one thing increases,

others also increase– Negative feedback = as one thing increases,

others decrease

Determinism• Kinds of determinism include – Biological determinism = our biology is our

destiny; our psychology, social systems and culture are determined entirely by our genetics, anatomy and physiology• Vs. biology and environmental conditions interact with

each other to produce psychological and social systems and culture.

– Environmental determinism = the physical environment determines what the culture of a society will be.• Vs. Environmental “possibilism” = the environment

limits the kinds of culture that a society can develop.

Geographic ZonesDesert = dry with no grass, little rainfall, desert adapted cactus and succulent plants

Geographic Zones• Steppe = a relatively flat grassland

without trees, not quite dry enough to qualify as a desert.

Geographic Zones• Savannah = a relatively flat

combination of grassland and open forest where a forest canopy does not form.

Geographic ZonesTemperate forest = high density of trees that do not form a canopy, but allow light to filter in; light to moderate seasonal rain

Geographic Zones• Temperate Rainforest = Heavily

forested with tree canopy and heavy seasonal rain.

Geographic ZonesTropical Rainforest = Heavily forested with multiple levels of canopy, heavy rain year round.

Geography and Climate Zones

Geography Zones: Altitude

Relief Map

Satellite Map

The central plateau and the valley of Oaxaca = high altitude plateaus with savannah and temperate forest geography and seasonal rain.

The Maya Area = Tropical rainforest (the Highland Maya and Savannah/Steppe (the Lowland Maya).

The gulf coast = primarily savannah and tropical rainforest..

Political Map: Major Cities

Political Map: States

States of Mexico