Since Time Immemorial

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The book explores the evolution of Native custom as a legal concept utilized by Indigenous litigants in colonial Mexico, particularly in matters of marriage, governance, land, and labor. By examining diverse sources, including missionary records and Native histories, the author reveals how Indigenous communities adapted European legal categories to assert their rights. Highlighting marginalized voices and community spaces, the work illustrates the dynamic interplay between imposed imperial legal structures and local adaptations, ultimately demonstrating how claims to custom facilitated the creation of new rights amidst historical change.