Territorial memory and socio-environmental transformations in San Luis del Valle, Chignahuapan, Puebla
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35197/rx.22.02.2026.20.agKeywords:
rural communities, enviromental change, cultural practices, local knowledgeAbstract
Rural communities in Mexico face transformation processes associated with various factors, such as environmental, productive, and socio-cultural changes, which have modified the historical relationship between the population and the territory they inhabit. In this context, the territorial memory of communities constitutes a fundamental tool for understanding how inhabitants perceive and interpret the transformations their environment has undergone. The objective of this research was to analyze some of the socio-environmental transformations perceived by the inhabitants of San Luis del Valle, Chignahuapan, Puebla, based on the reconstruction of community territorial memory. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach and a case study methodology; observation tours were carried out in the community, alongside photographic records and informal conversations with local inhabitants, who shared experiences and memories related to their territory, the productive activities they performed, and their practices or customs. The results show that inhabitants identify significant changes in specific aspects, such as rainfall regularity, the reduction of the San Luis Stream's flow, modifications in traditional agricultural systems, and migratory processes to the United States. Likewise, the persistence of cultural practices and forms of community organization that contribute to strengthening local identity was observed. It is concluded that territorial memory allows for the reconstruction of socio-environmental transformations that occurred over recent decades and constitutes a mechanism through which the community preserves knowledge, values, and ways of relating to its territory in the face of changing scenarios.
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