I have so many things to say about my visit to this village today. My mind is crowded with the BIGness of what I saw and felt.
I want to tell you about how the pine needles are sacred to this group of indigenous Mayans, the CHAMULANS. How they covered the floors of the church, how slippery it was to walk through them, but how each footstep crushes the needles and releases the pine scent through the air.
how there were candles burning on the floor, and groups of Mayan women huddled together sitting and murmuring. About how I could hear the soft hum of voices, and when I stood very still and closed my eyes I could hear that they were actually chanting in Tzotzil. And it was so beautiful. And I tried really really hard to squeeze back tears, but they came anyway. All that happened. To me. Today.
But I’m not finished because I also want to tell you about how the number 13 is significant to their beliefs for many reasons, one of which is that there are 13 layers of heaven. 13 layers of heaven. wow.
When I heard that I got out my notebook and scribbled it down.
About how they believe there are not 4 directions, but 5. North, south, east, west, and CENTER.
I’m not done yet because I also have to say that their church is no longer associated with the vatican since they expelled the last Catholic priest from their town in the ’60s. They pray to many many saints. All of whom were encased in the most enchanting glass cases you can imagine, draped with rich fabrics, and strands of manzania fruit around their necks. I do not think many things are holy. But those big saints with their big dark eyes following me around the room felt like it to me. They did. The big mirrors hanging around their necks shone with soft golden light. These are the saints the Chamulans revere the most.
I don’t have photos of all of that because cameras are forbidden inside the church. But I took pictures with my mind. And I’m going to store it all safely away in the big diary in my heart where I keep the most special things. bEcause that’s where it all belongs.
And one more thing. These crosses are ancient Mayan symbols, not christian crosses. And another thing…that is to say…if YOU ever travel to San Cristobal de las Casas and a local tells if you want to go visit the indigenous villages that you are to just go stand in front of the cathedral at 9:30 more or less and wait. Do not bother asking, but how much is it, or who exactly will be there, or how will they find me, or this all sounds so vague…are you SURE? wouldn’t it be better to make arrangements with an offical tour operator? Just go stand there. Don’t kavetch. The guide will find you. And I really really hope you’ll get the guide that I had, Cesar. Oh and if you get a chance taste the POSH (alcoholic beverage used in rituals).
And only take pics when your guide gives the go-ahead and not one second before or after. Otherwise you might get expelled from San Juan Chamula like that priest did in the late 60’s. And you wouldn’t want THAT would you?
Sent from my iPad
I am reading Lavinia Spalding’s _Writing Away_, which is about keeping a journal, specifically a travel journal. She quotes Barry Lopez: “The key, I think, is to become vulnerable to a place. If you open yourself up, you can build intimacy. Out of such intimacy comes a sense of belonging, a sense of not being isolated in the universe.”
I read Lopez’s quote the day after I read this post, and I thought “Mary Ann knows this, in her bones!”
Thank you, as always, for taking us along.
Reading about your adventures prompted me to finally make those reservations for a room in one of my favorite cities in the US, New Orleans. We’re going for three days and we’ll take lots of pictures and write about that beautiful old city that is so French and Spanish and unique. thanks for the wonderful post!
Wow…I Say…Wow! What a moving, memorable experience you’ve given us.
Mary Ann, would like to see some pictures of you on your adventures!! (I know, I know…you’re camera-shy!!) There can be no bad pics of MAM as we would all be looking at you through eyes filled with awe and wonder and love and kinship and……
Fascinating reports, Mary Ann! When you wrote;
“…About how they believe there are not 4 directions, but 5. North, south, east, west, and CENTER.”
It knocked my socks off. It takes a person of your sensitivity to pull these sorts of life changing gems from the world and bring them home to us. It’s as if you were a world-traveling mother bird collecting things to feed your young.
This is a fascinating, magical and an utterly unique experience. Thank you for sharing the stories and the pictures.
Yes, Yes, YES!! I remember similar churches in San Miguel. They were USED: dogs could wander in and out, big plastic buckets with superman on the outside filled with gorgeous fresh flowers, saints in glass cases with christmas lights on them even tho it was summer. And it was all magic!
Five directions – of course!!! Center, omg, how did we forget the most important one? What an amazing adventure youre having. Thank you for sharing each step with us.
Hugs!
Really, really fascinating. Thanks again for sharing. 🙂
So glad you got to experience this. For me too one of my lifetime mind memories.
Yes, you are in a very interesting part of the country, MA. I was speaking with a woman here today who knows the area and the history well, and just being in a ‘tribal’ area makes it very rich in history … very different from here as you know. I learned a lot. You are able to drink it all in visually as well. Fabulous photographs .. making me drooooool. Donna
I haven’t been commenting, but I am drinking in every photo and every word. Fascinating. Thank you!
I like that whole ‘center’ bit. Really. It makes such perfect sense, since when we begin; whether it’s to run an errand, take a walk down a street or fly or drive hundreds of miles, from where we each begin is from ‘center’ of wherever we might be at that particular moment in time. I like knowing the Mayan’s have included that integral part of their journey. I think most folks are never sure exactly where it is they are headed cuz they don’t take a moment to figure out where to begin and where they’re center truly is…life is just so dang busy..I think most folks don’t bother thinking it matters really all that much, but having a ‘center’ to begin from is important and they; the Mayan’s know this…you can’t learn that from any GPS on the planet cuz because we each have our own ‘center’ to begin from…it is something unique we each carry within ourselves. I also like the idea that heaven has more than one layer in it…13…an odd number…odd is always better than even, it’s just one more chance that you get it right in the end and end up on the sweet side of the ever after. 🙂
Just went through all your posted photos of this trip – what a visual feast! A celebration of colour. Intoxicating! So different from the grey, grey, grey I see outside my window. Thank you so much for sharing…
Love hearing about the culture.
joan,
weather is v.v. pleasant. gets in mid to upper 60s day . too hot to sit in direct sun. and night…maybe low 40s i,d say. some nights high 30s. I wear long sleeved shirts days and put on a fleece jacket and scarf at night. Light a big fire every night. this is the dry season.
I LOVE graveyards. You can learn so much about a community by visiting the graveyard. A few years back, I do a photography collaborative book called Thinking Outside the Box about graveyards. It came out fabulous! I can spend hours poking around. I don’t find them creepy at all.
Interesting facts about the native people…I love knowing about the history. The sky looks blue and clear…what’s the weather like…I was there in April when it was never cold except at night in SCDLC…must have been the elevation. It was very damp and foggy when we were there. I don’t see the people bundled up so I’m guessing it’s warm?
Five directions? N,S,E, W and CENTRE??? OMG, how simple that statement is and how true and yet, I simply had not thought of that before. I love it! Thank you for sharing that, MA!!
A Mystical journalist. That’s you NEW role.