Las múltiples caras de San Cristóbal

The extensive history of Chiapas book that I have been reading talks about the many faces of Chiapas. My town, San Cristóbal de las Casas, also has many faces.

1. Indigenous

There are two main indigenous groups - Tsotsil and Tzeltal - both classified by language, both under a broader Mayan cultural and linguistic umbrella. The indigenous population in San Cristóbal has grown tremendously over the past 50 years due to religious-political expulsions. Basically, it sounds like Catholic leaders decided to solve an issue with land scarcity by kicking newly-evangelized protestant indigenous people from their rural homes. Thus formed the "cinturones de miseria" (misery belts) around the periphery of San Cristóbal.

2. Mestizo 

Defined in the book I was reading today as "a person who lives according to the cultural patterns of western society and who identifies with a national culture." These tend to be more middle-class Mexicans, generally Catholic. The book cautions against using the word "ladino," because its cultural meaning is "skillful," and could really describe any cultural group.

3. Hippie

Often overlapping with the below categories.

4. Zapatista

Chiapas was and is the heart of the Zapatista movement, which became internationally relevant when revolutionaries took over San Cristóbal and surrounding areas on January 1, 1994. The movement is still alive here and attracts many Mexican and foreign supporters. They are sometimes behind scary road blocks. They also have some progressive, autonomous schools in indigenous communities. Stay tuned to see if I´m able to visit one.

5. Tourist

From everywhere.

6. Expat

Same.

7. Researcher