Indian Villages of Chiapas

This area near San Cristobal de Las Cases truly was 'another world' kind of place...it felt separate from the rest of Mexico.  The tribes of the Tzeltal and Tzotzil Indians are descendants of the ancient Mayans.  The people still dress in their native clothes, speak their own language, practice their own religion and shun influence from the outside world.  They seem to thrive on tourism, yet don't like having photos taken so we had to be discreet.  Our first stop in each village was the market.

  

 I wonder what's for dinner - chicken or snails?

Their clothing was fascinating.  Many women wore black wool skirts - really just a rectangle of what looked like 'fun fir' tied with a bright sash.  Other women wore black skirts with intricate embroidery.  Men also wore fur, either black or white.  Purple was the obvious predominant colour and we're sure it must have had some religious or traditional significance, but nobody could confirm for sure.  Many women wore elegant shawls over one shoulder.    

Even the children wore the traditional clothing.

The countryside was green and productive, dotted with small houses and quaint churches.

 

  

The religion practiced in the region is a mixture of Catholicism and ancient Mayan traditions.  We ventured inside one dark church where hundreds of people were either chanting and singing in front of ancient relics, or sitting on the floor with their families having picnic lunches and drinking alcohol or Coke.  There are no pews in their churches.  The floor was covered with pine boughs and hundreds of lit candles (a slight fire hazard) stuck to the floor with melted wax.  Sacrifices are made for healing and we watched a man break the neck of a live chicken to make his offering.  Photos are strictly forbidden so I didn't risk losing my camera.  

Local gas stations didn't bear the logos nor standards we're accustomed to.

We only saw women working the land or herding the animals.

Women were also the ones carrying heavy loads of wood (used for cooking & heating fuel) along the roadside.

Woman carried their babies or toddlers in slings, typically on their backs.  Notice the lady below is carrying a child on her front and a load of wood on her back!

 

In one village Brian met a young girl who took us to her home (really a shack covered with tarps) where the women of her family worked as backstrap weavers.  We admired the many beautiful pieces for sale.  I bought a couple of shawls there, and a woven table runner at the market.  

In leaving the area we came upon a field of wild calla lilies right beside the road.