Aspiring politicians in town can learn a few tricks from an old cacique—16th-century Mexico’s Don Domingo. For others, Carol Callaway’s lecture “A Mixtec Cacique: Sacred Ancestors and the Catholic Church,” about this Mesoamerican wheeler-dealer should be a rich introduction to the indigenous Mixtecs of Oaxaca. Yeah, you’ve heard of the Mayans and Aztecs—and maybe even those spunky Teotihuacans—but there’s also a great story in Mexico’s Mixtecs, whom Callaway has studied as an assistant curator at the Pre-Columbian Museum at Dumbarton Oaks. Don Domingo’s historia is all about intrigue, power, and wealth—and how a native leader managed to keep the reins during the early days of Spanish colonial rule. The talk, hosted by the Mexican Cultural Institute, promises tales of espionage, bribery, arm-twisting, backstabbing, secret dealings, and grandstanding—all without the Washington aftertaste. At 6 p.m. at the Mexican Cultural Institute, 2829 16th St. NW. FREE. (202) 728-1628. (Tom Stabile)