Tequio (Community Work)

Abstract

The concept of tequio, community work, is central to the sustainability of many indigenous communities around the hemisphere. This chapter examines the meaning of the concept and the manner in which calpulli members understand and actualize it, particularly as they organize the largest Danza ceremony in the United States. The concept of tequio is ancient, and it is indispensible for a vibrant, productive, sustainable calpulli. At the same time, it is a malleable concept, and members manifest it in complex ways