In this article we discuss some specific forms of participation and agency of children of indigenous communities who live in the context of what has been called a “low intensity war” that has taken place in the Mexican southeast during the last 20 years. We begin with a reflection on the terms of citizenship and participation, and on the importance of recognizing the complexity of the situations these girls and boys are experiencing. We also emphasize the relevance of taking into account -more than the age differences- their ethnic belonging and the asymmetrical power relationships linked to the issues of identity and resistance within their own cultural context. Finally, we present some examples and testimonies about the participation of girls and boys in three contexts: the family, the school and the community, and we end with an analysis of the political participation of girls and boys in the Zapatista Resistance Movement
