Social Geography of the Maguey. Way of Life in a Region of Tlaxcala

Abstract

The objective of this article is to document how activities linked to maguey production are socially reproduced in the town
of Villalta, Atlangatepec. I observe how the inhabitants of this town claim space to recreate a way of living with the plant and
with the other producers. I conducted in-depth interviews and tours in the production area, and took aerial shots using a
Phantom 4 drone. The results show a lifestyle based on songs, smiles, intrafamily union and coexistence with the plant. What
I describe is a symbiosis between people and the earth. The inhabitants of this town promote trust both with visitors who
consume their products and among producers. To them, maguey is not only a source of economic income, it is a pleasure, an
implicit pretext to keep the family and the community united, and to promote a kind of development that, as don Presciliano
expressed it, means that “we are all happy... it is best to live together”.