Maya civilization spans more than 3000 years in the rain forests and mountains
of what is now Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. During the Classic
period (A.D. 250-900), the Maya created a complex society that includes
literature, art, mathematics, astronomy, and calendrics. Living through
centuries of oppression, in the shadow of a foreign culture since the Spanish
invasion, the Maya have retained much of their traditional culture. This
is a testimony to the power and resilience of Maya traditions.
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| Alsemo prays at a curing ceremony |
CHIAPAS, the southern-most state of Mexico, borders Guatemala to the southeast. Today, over one million Tzotzil- and Tzeltal-speaking Maya live in the Chiapas highlands.
The indigenous people of Chiapas are among the most traditional of the three million Maya of Mesoamerica. They live in remote mountain and lowland communities where they grow their own crops, build their own houses, furniture and musical instruments, and the women still weave and embroider clothing for themselves and their families. Neighboring communities often speak different Mayan languages, and they retain their own ritual and ceremonial practices, along with a distinctive style of traditional dress.
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