Displacement of Indigenous Populations in Mexico: an Analysis of the Wixárika People

Abstract

Cultural appropriation and its impact on the sacred sites of Indigenous peoples, such as the Wixárika in Mexico, represent an ongoing challenge that traces back to the colonial era. This article examines how economic development initiatives, particularly mining concessions, tourism, and infrastructure expansion, have disrupted the cultural and ecological integrity of sacred landscapes like Wirikuta. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2022 and 2024 in Jalisco and San Luis Potosí, the study identifies a paradox in state policies that simultaneously celebrate Indigenous identity while enabling extractivist practices. Through a qualitative analysis of testimonies, legal documents, and public discourse, it highlights how territorial appropriation acts as a contemporary mechanism of dispossession, threatening both material and spiritual dimensions of Indigenous life. The article offers new insights into the role of territorial sovereignty, ritual continuity, and ecological justice as central components for safeguarding cultural heritage in the face of modern development pressures.