Aug-2014
Ancient chicken rituals in Chamula
The Chamula facade
San Juan Chamula is a tiny village near San Cristóbal de las Casas in Mexico. The Chamula church without windows is well known in Mexico, but it is not only famous for it beautiful facade. Rituals with herbal plants, many different candles, but especially fish and chickens is what makes this place so interesting that it’s worth a visit for those who have some patience.
After having spent the morning in Cañón del Sumidero and Chiapa de Corzo I returned to San Cristóbal. While finding a way to get to the nearby village of Chamula I, by coincidence, got shouted at on the street by a Volkswagen asking me if I wanted to go to San Juan Chamula. I hopped in and asked the driver to let me know as soon as we’d arrive.
Volkswagen to Chamula (Photo by Cindy Rigters)
Entering Chamula
Before arriving to Chamula I expected quite a big village. Every local person who told me about Chamula spoke about the big square, the village itself and not to forget the church. When I arrive however I notice it’s quite a small place. Walking from where the Volkswagen left me I have to walk 200 meters to get to the church. Three little boys sit in front of the entrance and tell me I have to pay an entrance fee for the maintenance of the church and that it is not allowed to take any photos inside at all. I pay my dept of 20 pesos and stock my camera in my bag while entering this mysterious church.
Indigenous people with the Chamula church in the background
Walking through this religious building I cannot seem to find what I came for – where are those chicken rituals?
I decide to ask someone and they point out towards a family sitting on the ground surrounded by some kind of grass. I walk towards them and just stand there for a while. A closer view of the family sitting on what actually is green pine needles makes me realize they have really made an effort for this ritual. There are all shapes of candles with different colors placed in line from big to small in front of one of the saints, old bottles of coca-cola filled with different potions, bags with herbs almost hidden underneath the skirts of the ladies and last but not least, indeed one of the kids holds a chicken. The young boy doesn’t just hold it, it’s more like playing with it, since he looks pretty much bored of the ritual so far.
It seems better to just sit down with the family, since this might take a while and it probably looks a lot more respectful than just standing there staring at them. I have to sit beside two other families as well as I decide to move closer to the rituals and it seems they completely ignore me. After a couple of minutes though, the family on my right is done with their good spirit seeking for today as they stand up, look at me and with a shy smile say ‘adios’. I am definitely noticed by the locals.
Enchantment
The family where the young boy is still teasing the chicken are almost through their candles. I want to pay more attention to them to see what is going to happen, but in the mean while another man doing a ritual by himself is hitting his own body with a fish wrapped in a newspaper. He first held the fish above his candles, moved it through the smoke, spoke some magical words and started hitting his ankles, upper legs, back, arms, head – well, basically every part of his body – to remove the bad spirits and diseases. He says some more things to the saint I cannot understand since he speaks Tzotzil (one of the Mayan languages) and then just leaves, letting the people of the church clean up his burned up candles so that a new family can use his space. The family I was watching before started moving the chicken around. Nothing special according to my eyes was happening, until the woman took the chicken in her hands. She holds the feet and the head and twists the chicken as if she had to wring out wet clothes. The young boy takes the sacrificed animal back again in his hands and now simply holds it as his mother starts to gently hit his little sister on the shoulders and on the back. She gives her daughter a kiss, drinks a bit from the potion and makes her daughter drink it afterwards. Also she probably was burdened with some kind of disease her family wanted her to get cured for.
As I was allowed to watch the ritual as it happened I realized that this was one of the most interesting things I have ever seen in a church. Chamula is very unique, because the local Mayans are able to practice their form of religion that got blended with some Catholic beliefs when the Spaniards arrived in Mexico.
A local young girl walking down the stairs of the pavilion of Chamula
About Renate Rigters
Ever since I left my home country I felt at home at any other place I went to. I enjoy getting to know more cultures by talking to strangers and hearing their philosophy about life. Speaking with gestures when you can not find a shared language, finding places only the locals go to and learn about their customs and values. Hanging out with local people makes me happy. The experience of every new place is a step out of your comfort zone where I like to wander around until it feels like a second home.
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