Geometry of Ixil
Traveling in the Ixil met all my best travel criteria. Off the beaten track due to remoteness and little tourism infrastructure(compared to other areas) few people come here. Many of the gringos we saw were probably development people. Even if there were many other gringos the feeling is very distant from the developed tourist areas.
Nebaj, Chajul, Cotzal, the three main towns of the Ixil triangle, are still very traditional, tradition seriously modified by the Spanish conquest for sure but tradition nevertheless. A majority of the women wear traditional dress. Some of the men still do as well, though most wear western dress of button down shirts or t-shirts and pants. mud brick and spanish tile dominate architecture in Chajul and Cotzal instead of cinder block and concrete.
And the area is stunningly beautiful! The towns sit in deep valleys surrounded on all sides by high forested mountains. Saturday Lilian, Jason and I walked out of Nebaj over a pass into the small town of Acul. Coming into view the Acul valley had all the pastoral beauty of Europe with the wildness of steep mountains. We were stunned and stood just looking for a few minutes.
A few more minutes walking brought us into Acul. Acul is a model village created by the government during the war to control the Maya. Two groups of Maya live here, about 400 families, thrown togehter. The fields and streets were very clean, well kempt, though pigs, chickens and turkeys wandering around or tied to fences don't match our criteria of clean.
Walking through town some children started talking with his, jumping from Spanish with us to Maya with each other. They wanted us to take pictures of them. Mom came out and we fully expected her to shoo us away. And an amazing thing happened. She approved and disappeared into the house only to return in her best dress, her finest wuipil and corte, shirt and skirt.
A frenzy of photography ensued. They loved seeing themselves in the digital cameras, laughing and poking each other at every image. Soon they were taking our pictures, quickly grasping how to use the cameras. We tried looking as serious as they do when having their picture taken but couldn't quite get there.
This experience touched all of us, the family too I think. Many Maya disapprove of pictures of themselves, some ask for money. This family only wanted copies. We have their address and will send the pictures.
Oh geez, and then there is the dairy and cheese! Great cheese. I'm bringing some home with me.
There is much, much more to tell about these three days in the Ixil but they must wait for the slide show.
PS: My connection here is too slow to upload pictures. Look for them later.
Nebaj, Chajul, Cotzal, the three main towns of the Ixil triangle, are still very traditional, tradition seriously modified by the Spanish conquest for sure but tradition nevertheless. A majority of the women wear traditional dress. Some of the men still do as well, though most wear western dress of button down shirts or t-shirts and pants. mud brick and spanish tile dominate architecture in Chajul and Cotzal instead of cinder block and concrete.
And the area is stunningly beautiful! The towns sit in deep valleys surrounded on all sides by high forested mountains. Saturday Lilian, Jason and I walked out of Nebaj over a pass into the small town of Acul. Coming into view the Acul valley had all the pastoral beauty of Europe with the wildness of steep mountains. We were stunned and stood just looking for a few minutes.
A few more minutes walking brought us into Acul. Acul is a model village created by the government during the war to control the Maya. Two groups of Maya live here, about 400 families, thrown togehter. The fields and streets were very clean, well kempt, though pigs, chickens and turkeys wandering around or tied to fences don't match our criteria of clean.
Walking through town some children started talking with his, jumping from Spanish with us to Maya with each other. They wanted us to take pictures of them. Mom came out and we fully expected her to shoo us away. And an amazing thing happened. She approved and disappeared into the house only to return in her best dress, her finest wuipil and corte, shirt and skirt.
A frenzy of photography ensued. They loved seeing themselves in the digital cameras, laughing and poking each other at every image. Soon they were taking our pictures, quickly grasping how to use the cameras. We tried looking as serious as they do when having their picture taken but couldn't quite get there.
This experience touched all of us, the family too I think. Many Maya disapprove of pictures of themselves, some ask for money. This family only wanted copies. We have their address and will send the pictures.
Oh geez, and then there is the dairy and cheese! Great cheese. I'm bringing some home with me.
PS: My connection here is too slow to upload pictures. Look for them later.
posted by Michael at 11:36 AM
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