«El halago del voto popular». Indigenous electoral participation in Talamanca, Costa Rica, 1919-1948

Abstract

This paper explores electoral politics, a perspective rarely used to understand early-twentieth-century indigenous history. Drawing from numerous archival sources and newspapers, as well as from a famous first-hand-witness testimonial novel, the paper first examines electoral results in Talamanca. It then turns to the role of influential indigenous figures both in the organization of ballots and in connecting with political parties. Finally, it traces the activities of the Communist Party of Costa Rica in the region. This investigation concludes that the indigenous men of Talamanca remained active voters during this period, and on an informal level also served as organizers for party and electoral activities. However, with a few exceptions analyzed in this paper, those men were largely excluded from the possibility of being elected themselves in spite of the progressive reforms that Costa Rica’s electoral system was undergoing. Underscoring elections as a crucial aspect in the lives of several early-twentieth-century indigenous communities deepens our understanding of other, more widely investigated topics, such as the impact of the indigenista movement and the relationships between Amerindians and populist and leftist parties.