Chajoma facts for kids

Mixco Viejo, the main city of the Chajoma Maya.

The Chajoma were an ancient Maya people who lived in the highlands of Guatemala. They spoke a language called Kaqchikel. They had a large and powerful kingdom during the Late Postclassic period, which was a time before the Spanish arrived. The Chajoma were one of the three main kingdoms in the highlands, along with the K'iche' and the Kaqchikel.

Their name, Chajoma, means "people of ocote" (a type of pine tree). In old documents, the Chajoma were sometimes called the "bee people" or "hive people." Later, during colonial times, their name was changed to Sacatepéquez, which means "Grass mountain" in another language called Nahuatl. This is why many towns in the area today have "Sacatepéquez" in their names, like San Juan Sacatepéquez.

Where the Chajoma Lived and How Many There Were

The Chajoma kingdom was quite large, covering about 900 to 1000 square kilometers. It stretched from the Motagua River in the north to the Las Vacas River in the east. Their neighbors included the Poqomam kingdom to the south and the Kaqchikel kingdom to the west.

The Chajoma kingdom included both cool highland areas and hotter lowlands in the Motagua Valley. The best land for farming was in the southern highlands, so most people lived there.

The main city of the Chajoma was an archaeological site now called Mixco Viejo. The Chajoma had several names for this city, including Chuapec Kekacajol Nima Abaj. Other important Chajoma towns included El Horno, Las Vegas, and El Ciprés. Some smaller sites were like outposts or lookout points to protect their lands.

Experts believe that between 15,000 and 20,000 people lived in the Chajoma kingdom during the Postclassic period. They were divided into 15 to 20 large family groups, called chinamit. After the Spanish arrived, about 14 of these family groups were still around.

Known Rulers

Here are some of the known rulers of the Chajoma:

History of the Chajoma

How the Chajoma Began

Ancient stories say that the ancestors of the Chajoma, Kaqchikel, and K'iche' peoples all came from a mythical place called Tulan. After a time, they left Tulan and traveled until they settled in the highlands of Guatemala.

However, archaeological findings suggest that the ancestors of these groups were already living in the Guatemalan highlands during the Classic Period (before 900 AD).

An old document from 1555, called the Título de los de San Martín Jilotepeque, tells us about the Chajoma's history and their rulers. This document also helped prove that Mixco Viejo was indeed the capital city of the Chajoma, not another group as once thought.

The Postclassic Period

The Chajoma said they hadn't lived in the lands where the Spanish conquerors found them for very long. They had originally come from an area around Zacualpa and Joyabaj, north of the Motagua River. Around 1400 AD, they started moving south. This move was well-planned and fast. They quickly built new towns in easily defended places to protect their new territory.

The Chajoma also formed alliances with other groups. For example, they shared noble families with the Xpantzay clan of the Kaqchikel people. This helped them stay strong.

Around 1410, a town called Ochal became a Chajoma town. The Chajoma moved their capital to Ochal (also known as Och'al Kab'awil Siwan) because the powerful K'iche' Kingdom of Q'umarkaj was expanding. Later, around 1425, the K'iche' took over the Chajoma's old capital at Zacualpa.

Lajuj No'j's Rule

A powerful Chajoma leader in the 1400s was named Lajuj No'j. Around 1450, with help from the Kaqchikel, he stopped a rebellion by people living near the Motagua River. After this, Lajuj No'j moved his capital from Ochal to a new city called Saqik'ajol Kaqapek, which is the archaeological site we now call Mixco Viejo.

The Chajoma and Kaqchikel were strong allies for a while. However, the Kaqchikel later turned against Lajuj No'j and defeated the Chajoma.

The Chajoma also fought wars with their other neighbors, the K'iche' and the Poqomam. In the late 1400s, the Kaqchikel conquered some Chajoma villages for their K'iche' overlords. Lajuj No'j was killed around 1480 in Iximche, the Kaqchikel capital. After these battles, the Chajoma likely paid tribute to the Kaqchikel, but they were not fully controlled by them.

Just before the Spanish arrived, the Chajoma, led by their ruler Achi Q'alel, rebelled against the Kaqchikel. At that time, the Chajoma lived in the areas of modern towns like San Martín Jilotepeque, San Pedro Sacatepéquez, and San Juan Sacatepéquez.

Spanish Conquest

We don't have many direct stories about how the Spanish conquered the Chajoma. It seems it was a long and difficult fight, not a quick victory.

After the Spanish conquest, many Chajoma people were forced to move. People from the eastern part of the kingdom, including some from Mixco Viejo, were moved to San Pedro Sacatepéquez. The rest of the people from Mixco Viejo and the western part of the kingdom were moved to San Martín Jilotepeque. This was part of the Spanish plan to gather indigenous people into new towns, called congregaciones.

The Chajoma rebelled against the Spanish in 1526. They fought a battle at a place called Ukub'il, somewhere near the modern towns of San Juan Sacatepéquez and San Pedro Sacatepéquez.

Even after being moved, some Chajoma people slowly returned to their old lands. This sometimes caused problems with their neighbors, the Poqomam. However, some of these new settlements eventually became officially recognized towns.

Archaeological Sites

Many archaeological sites show us where the Chajoma lived and what their cities looked like.

El Ciprés

El Ciprés is an important site that was rediscovered in 1991. It has a well-preserved ballcourt, which was used for a traditional Mesoamerican game. Like many Postclassic sites, it was built in a place that was easy to defend, on a plateau surrounded by deep ravines. Most of the buildings are small but show fine stonework.

El Horno

El Horno is a major site in the eastern Chajoma region. It is divided into three groups of structures, all built in easily defended spots on hillsides.

Group I is the largest and includes a ballcourt that was never finished.

Group II and Group III each have two pyramids and several house platforms. Pottery found at Group III is very similar to pottery found at Mixco Viejo, suggesting they were from the same time period.

Las Vegas

This site was first explored in 1991. It has 26 structures divided into four groups, built on a defensible ridge. Each group has at least one pyramid and several house platforms. The buildings are not well preserved, but some have walls made of cut stone blocks. Evidence of burnt buildings suggests that the site might have been violently destroyed, possibly during the Spanish Conquest.

See also

In Spanish: Chajoma para niños