Lands Without Water: The Conflict Between Ejidatarios and Haciendas Over Water, Naucalpan, Mexico, 1920-1940

Rebeca López Mora

National Autonomous University, Mexico

Abstract: Since 1917, a great change in land tenure took place in this country, through the endowment and restitution demanded by the towns of Mexico. In the case of the municipality of Naucalpan, in the State of Mexico, the requests for endowments and restitution of land began in 1917. It was during the 1920s when the land began to be distributed to the peasants, but the water did not reach the ejidal lands. The large haciendas (estates) were able to conserve the use of water resources by having legal license to do so. This article exposes the struggle of the peasants of Naucalpan to obtain irrigation water from the Hondo River, the main source of water in this area. The matter was partially resolved in the 1930s thanks to the Regulation of this river, although its implementation had many complications by the fraccionistas (persons who buy sections of the estates) of the old haciendas. Throughout the 1930s, the distribution of water was carried out, after almost ten years of a tense situation between the ejidatarios (ejido members) and the large properties.