Masculinities and emotions in the masonry trade:

Voices of indigenous ñöhño men at work

Abstract

From the theoretical-methodological perspective of masculine gender studies, this article identifies and analyzes the emotional repertoire of indigenous ñöhñomen from the micro-region of Higueras, Querétaro, who are engaged in construc-tion work. As the predominant industry in this region, construction work is carried out in the context of masculinity particular to the region. Conformity is necessary in the workplace, and in turn it shapes the construct of masculinity throughout the community. The researcher’s methodology is based on social constructionism, which gives vital importance to the spatiotemporal context that influences the origin, development, and expression of emotions. The above allows us to emphasize the sociocultural elements that give ethnic identity to the inhabitants of this microregion. The methodological strategy used was of a qualitative type that, through ethnographic work and the application of a series of semi-structured interviews with ñöhño men, managed to identify the importance of the kinship system in the teaching-learning processes of the masonry trade, which functions as a network for the integration of young people into the world of work. The article also explains how men’s emotions have a deep relationship with the mandates of masculinity that they must fulfill and for which they are trained. Work perfor-mance is highlighted as the articulating axis of emotions, so the work structures the guidelines for emotional control and expression in indigenous men.