La Adopción de las estampas jaliscienses en el imaginario nacional mexicano mediante la educación = The adoption of the Jalisco symbols in the mexican national imaginary through the education

Abstract

Since the end of the 19th century the State of Mexico emerged from national unity, promoted the symbols that gave rise to a major cohesion. In order to do this, the most emblematic images of national identity such as the charro, tequila, and the mariachi used as popular elements that built a common cultural imaginary were accepted by the rest of Mexicans around 1940. This article analyses the role played by the school in the promotion of cultural values and of «the Mexicanity» as a tool to propose a world-view that defines a national community. We will begin by pointing out the importance of the Congreso Nacional de Instrucción Pública (1889-1890), at which matters of unification were prominent and where postulates of a centralized scientific policy were raising. In later conferences, the need to create a national Mexican school is present in order to train citizens to know the great ideals of the persecuted nationhood. Besides of the deep social, economic and political changes of the 19th century, the existing ideological fights in defining the project of the country and in forging a national identity are also highlighted. We specially focus on the eternal debate in the educational field between «what is indigenous» and «what is Spanish» initiated by the revolutionary movement in 1910. How should revolutionary education be? How should be use school to achieve the oldest wish of national unity? Contributions of Manuel Gamio and José Vasconcelos are exposed. Their different educational views range over the value of Spanish language use and the indigenous languages use in education. On the other hand, other events such as the Guerra Cristera and the implementation of the socialist education system divided the Mexicans. Since Ávila Camacho Government, after Lázaro Cárdenas, a national unity policy was promoted again. The most burning and troubled issues were put aside, promoting religious neutrality and teacher's professionalization. In this process, teachers lost their role as social promoters. During these years, History and Civics programmes and school manuals reflected the ideal of the Mexican man identified with the charro (inseparately connected to the mariachi and tequila), even when he had nothing to do with some Mexicans from Chiapas or from Yucatán. These original elements of different rural areas are those incorporated from the school and, also, from everyday life to the unitarian imaginary and then, projected to the national and international scenario.