Visits to Ch'ol Communities in Chiapas

A beautiful river running through forests and fields

During our travels, I am always surprised by how each region of Chiapas is very distinct. In the North of Chiapas we visit a region where they speak the indigenous language Ch'ol. During a family visit, I spoke to a young girl who mixed Spanish with Ch'ol as she spoke, and I couldn't tell when she was speaking which. Her older sister laughed and said, "Here, we grow up speaking Espan-chol!"

Agroecology Organizing

Before visiting the rural communities for our workshops, we often first stop at the town center where we visit the Catholic church and meet the local priest. The communities usually have a priest who is from a different region or state of Mexico, but the current priest is a man of indigenous Ch'ol descent who is from a nearby town in the region. We sat down to talk with him after he finished a long catechist workshop. He offered us breakfast and we ate hot tortillas, eggs and beans as the priest spoke with us about local events and what they've been up to lately.

We then set dates and made plans for the events of the calendar year-- when the catechists will have formation meetings and when the youth group will have workshops. The organization I am working with gives workshops that focus on agroecological practices that help regenerate the land and improve people's livelihoods. Movements within the Catholic Church such as Pueblo Creyente (Believing People) are very organized around these topics. A big part of the local Church's work and social formation is protecting mother nature and the shared resources we have as a community on the earth. Therefore, the agroecological technician will be working with these different groups to teach and promote agroecological practices and concepts.

A Family Visit-

Natural Coffee Pest Management & Patio Gardens

Then we went to visit the first community of the week where the agroecological technician gave a lesson on how to make traps for the coffee berry borer or "broca de café". This tiny insect is one of the worst pests for coffee growers. We used a recycled plastic bottle, painted it red, and filled it with smashed coffee cherries and 70 grade alcohol. The pest is attracted to the red color and the smell of coffee and will get trapped and drown in the bottle. This is a natural, non-chemical remedy that can help deter the pest. On a large scale it might be difficult to implement, but we will see how it works out for participants as they experiment with it in their fields.

Workshop making the coffee berry borer trap

Then we took a walk around the garden of the local family whose home we were visiting. The grandmother has participated in workshops with the organization for almost 20 years! She lives with her daughter, granddaughter and two great grandchildren who also participate in the workshops.

Tomates de milpa

The grandmother showed us which seeds she was saving, such as cilantro and beans. I noticed a bunch of little cherry tomatoes growing all over their garden and I asked her if she saved those seeds as well. She took a tomato and smashed it between her fingers, allowing inner contents to fall on the soil. "That's how we plant those" she explained as she smiled. They are "milpa tomatoes" that grow wild in the milpa fields. They require no maintenance and sprout back up by themselves. It's nice to have edible weeds!

One of the great granddaughters who is 5 years old took us by the hand to show us around. She has an expressive and funny personality and loves any visitors who come to their home. In the picture above, she is handing me a handful of milpa tomatoes.

Hongos de oreja

We also picked up some mushrooms that they call ear mushrooms because of their shape: "hongos de oreja." These mushrooms also grow prolifically and they are edible for people.

Pigeon Peas- Frijoles de Gandul

We walked down to see their corn and bean cultivation where they also had pigeon peas planted throughout the fields. Pigeon peas, or "frijoles de gandul" in Spanish, are a bean that fix nitrogen into the soil, creating more nutritious and healthy soil. You can also eat the beans. The family also showed us an amazing fresh spring on their property that always has water, even during the dry season.

In the evening, we sat down in the kitchen for a meal with the family. They told us many stories. The grandmother told us about how she is actually from a different region of Chiapas where they speak Tseltal, and when she moved to this region to live with her husband, she had to learn Ch'ol. She spent a long time struggling to communicate and understand what her in-laws said to her. Now she is trilingual in Ch'ol, Tseltal and Spanish.

In every region of Chiapas we learn about a different context, hear many stories from families and see a glimpse into their lives. We're always grateful for their openness and generosity.