Chiapas, Mexico.
Long associated with an ongoing native separatist movement, Mayan ruins, coffee, chocolate, and dense jungles, Mexico’s southern state of Chiapas consists of distinct, overlapping slices of cultures and topography. Here, the people and the land cannot be separated, and these points of conflict have not been fully reconciled.
Tucked along the middle of Mexico’s border with Guatemala, the Lacandón jungle is one of the country’s last remaining primary rainforests. The forest is home to nearly 600 Lacandón Maya people, one of the smallest and most remote ethnic groups in Mexico, who continue to speak their ancient language and live off the land. The Lacandón have become the custodians of the forest and have invested heavily into sustainable ecotourism, resisting incursions from other Maya farmers from the rest of Chiapas, often putting them at odds with their more powerful neighbours.
The story of San Juán Chamula is inseparable from its sister town, San Cristobal de las Casas, a mere 10kms away. The stark contrast between the two, culturally, economically, and socially can be felt within seconds of arriving. San Christobal is a backpackers’ haven; flocks of tourists— domestic and foreign— visit the town for its cobblestone streets, stunning colonial architecture, gastronomic experiences, and handicraft markets. While tourists in San Chris sip on craft chocolates, meanwhile, fifteen minutes away in Chamula the vibe could not be more different. The town is nearly one hundred percent ethnic Tzotzil, direct descendants of the Maya, and to say they are wary of outsiders would be an understatement. The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife.