The population of Chiapas, Mexico's southernmost state, is largely Indian, especially Mayas who still speak their native tongue. In most parts of Mexico the visitor sees a mixture of modern and traditional culture, but in Chiapas it is easy to find villages whose ways are definitely tilted to the traditional. Driving a motorhome to and in such villages is generally difficult, and it is convenient to take a tour from a larger city, such as San Cristobal de las Casas. This can also help deter tourists from locally unacceptable behavior and gain entre where locals do not always welcome tourists.
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On a Sunday we took a tour to San Juan Chamula. It's an Indian area that takes in a population of about 75,000 people. They are very independent, poor and usually dirty; and they have refused any help from the Mexican government. The main attraction was the blue and white St John the Baptist Church and the bustling, huge
market square in front of it.
In this village men and women were sitting in their church pews reading from their bible and learning religious songs. We visited a modest home where we were served a native drink and tortillas filled with a tasty goat cheese. Excellent weavings made by the homeowner on a waist-loom were for sale. She sits on the floor with her legs tucked under her. The wool is held with a heavy leather belt around her waist. It looked so uncomfortable to be in that position. She told us she only did it for about an hour at a time.
Pictures were taken by Jeanne Nordgaard.
As we entered the church we found fresh pine needles strewn on the entire floor. There was a strong odor of incense and burning candles. Family groups were prostrated before their favorite saints. Hundreds of candles placed reverently on the floor in front of each penitent glowed in the dim light; red candles for someone who is ill, black announces death, but most were white. Many shamans prayed and burned incense to petition favors. Most groups had bottles of Coke or Pepsi on the floor and drank it between prayers. In the old days it was posh (sugarcane brandy). There were no clergy - the rituals are the Indians' interpretation of the old Catholic religion.
Then we visited Zinacantan, another Indian village dedicated to a different culture and traditions. It was very clean and the people were industrious. There was no selling or begging on the plaza. The men walked around proudly dressed in colorful garb; white short pants (the story goes that men think that their legs are beautiful), tunics woven of red and white threads, with bright flowers or designs embroidered on the woven cloth. The tunics had fuchsia tassels hanging loose at the bottom. They were topped off with hand-woven straw hats with semi flat crowns with many ribbons streaming from the brims. Like the mother bird, the women are a bit duller. They wear long dark wool skirts with white blouses, with beautiful fine wool scarves around their necks. Photos not permitted.
