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San Juan Chamula

Traditional Maya Community Near San Cristóbal

Apr 24, 2007 Timothy Dzurilla

The church in Chamula is one of the most profound examples of Catholicism and Maya traditions. It should be on every southern Mexico traveler's itinerary.

Overview

This Tzotil community is about 10 km northwest of San Cristóbal de las Casas is one of many. The local costume is very distinctive: men where loose woolen, grey, black, or pink tunics, or in cooler weather, fuzzy black woolen tunics. The women wear simple blouses, colorful braids, blue shawls, and fuzzy black skirts.

History

The Chamulans have fought hard over the centuries to maintain their own unique culture and heritage. In 1524 they staged a strong rebellion against the conquistadors and in 1869, the Chamulans attacked San Cristóbal to gain more rights to land and culture.

Templo de San Juan

One of the most moving reasons to visit Chamula is to see the Templo de San Juan, the main church, a profound combination of traditional Maya rituals and Catholicism. Inside, the chapel is lit by hundreds of candles placed in front of statues of various saints, the air smells sweetly of incense, and there are small groups of people kneeling on the floor amidst pine needles performing prayers and rituals.

You will see praying people lighting dozens of candles – each representing a member of the family and certain significance is attached to different colors– sipping local sacred liquor called pox, and some even sacrificing chickens.

To enter the church, outsiders must purchase a ticket at the local tourist office for a small fee. Respect for this sacred space is imperative and men should remove hats and women should cover up as much as possible. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the church.

Local Festivals

The most dramatic festival in Chamula is during Carnival, okin tajimultic, which also marks the 5 “lost” days in the Maya calendar. Because the Maya calendar is broken into 18 different 20-day periods, it leaves extra five days to complete a solar year. During Carnival, a ceremony is carried out in front of the church where brightly dressed men run through burning harvest chaff.

Another big festival in Chamula is the celebration for San Juan Bautista –who represents the sun and is, by some accounts, more revered than Christ– lasting from June 22-25 climaxing the evening of the 24th.

Also, the changing of cargos between December 30 and January 1 is a fascinating event. Cargos, or mayordomo, are the separate holders for all of the saints in the church.

Catholic and Protestant Divide

Chamulans take their religion very seriously. If someone is found to have lost faith in the Catholic religion or has converted to the more sober Protestant side of Christianity, they are expelled from the community. This has led to the displacement of thousands of Chamulans to other local communities, including recent shantytowns surrounding San Cristóbal.

Getting There

You can get to San Juan Chamula easily from San Cristóbal either by taxi or one of combis which leave from one block west and one block north of the market frequently. You can also travel via horseback from many travel agents in the city center.