Mayan Girls in the educational project of the Porfiriato in Yucatán, 1877-1911

Abstract

The following article presents some aspects related to the education of Maya girls in the state of Yucatán during the Porfiriato. An attempt was made to analyse projects for the integration of women belonging to indigenous societies into the Mexican national State through the educational process in childhood. It is proposed that the Porfirian purpose of the instruction largely followed the principles of scientific positivism and the ideal of civilization adopted by the Mexican elites in the course of the 19th century. The sources available in the General Archive of the state of Yucatán and the collection of historical documents of the House of the History of Education in Mérida were used as a documentary base. Through this information, certain characteristics were identified that were related to the formation of the small ones, the incorporation of these to the schools and the social and cultural reservations that could be presented with respect to the teaching in the region of study.