Lacandon people facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lacandon

Hach Winik
Photograph of Lacandons published by Teoberto Maler in 1901
Total population
Mexico: approx 1,000
Regions with significant populations
Mexico (Lacandon Jungle in Northeastern Chiapas) and Petén, Guatemala
Languages
Lacandón, Spanish, some words in other Mayan Languages (Ch'ol, Tzeltal)
Religion
Protestant, traditional belief system, some Catholic influences
Related ethnic groups
Maya peoples

The Lacandon are a group of Maya peoples living in the jungles of Chiapas, a state in Mexico. This area is close to the border with Guatemala. Their home, the Lacandon Jungle, is along the Usumacinta River. The Lacandon are known for keeping their traditional ways. They are one of the most isolated native groups in Mexico. In 1943, there were very few of them left. Today, their population has grown to about 650 people who speak the Lacandon language.

Understanding Lacandon Culture

The Lacandon people avoided being controlled by the Spanish for a long time. They lived in small farming villages deep in the jungles of Chiapas and Guatemala. This helped them stay away from outsiders. Their customs are still very similar to their ancient ancestors. Long ago, some even shaped the heads of babies. This made their foreheads look like those seen in old Maya art. Into the 1900s, they still used bows and arrows. They made arrowheads from flint found in the rainforest. Today, they sell these items to visitors.

Traditional Beliefs and Gods

Until the mid-1900s, the Lacandon had little contact with the outside world. They worshipped their own many gods and goddesses. They did this in small huts used for religious worship. These sacred huts had shelves with clay incense burners. Each burner was decorated with the face of a Lacandon god. The Lacandon also visited ancient Maya cities. They prayed there and took small stones from the ruins for their rituals. They believed these Maya sites were where their gods lived before moving to the sky and under the earth. The Maya site of Bonampak, famous for its old temple paintings, became known to the world in 1946. This happened when Lacandon people showed American photographer Giles Healy the way.

Changes in Religion

Some Lacandon people still follow their old religious ways today. This is especially true in the northern areas around Lakes Naja and Mensabok. In the south, a yellow fever sickness in the 1940s caused many deaths. This led to big changes in their society. The southern group stopped worshipping their old gods in the 1950s. Later, they became Christians with help from the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL). Southern Lacandon helped SIL missionaries translate the New Testament into their language. But in the north, a spiritual leader named Chan K'in helped keep the old traditions alive. He lived to be very old and died in 1996. Chan K'in told his people to keep a respectful distance from the outside world. He said to take some good things but not let outside ways take over their life.

Lacandon Language: Hach T'ana

The Lacandon speak a Mayan language that is much like Yucatec Maya. In their own language, they call themselves Hach Winik. This means "Real People." They call their language Hach T'ana, which means "Real Language." The Lacandon have traded with other Maya groups for a long time. Because of this, they have added some words from Ch'ol and Tzeltal into their language. They have also created their own special ways of speaking Spanish.

Challenges to Lacandon Culture

The Lacandon people have had much more contact with the outside world in the last 30 years. In the 1970s, the Mexican government started paying them to cut down trees in their forests. This brought them closer to the national economy. At the same time, the government built roads into the area. New villages of Tzeltal and Ch'ol people were set up. These groups were more used to the outside world than the Lacandon. The roads led to more farming and logging. This caused a lot of trees to be cut down. In the early 1990s, the Lacandon saw times of conflict during the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas.

Helping the Lacandon Cope

Casa Na Bolom in San Cristóbal de las Casas works to help the Lacandon deal with these changes. This science and culture center was started in 1951. It was founded by archaeologist Frans Blom and his wife, photographer Gertrude "Trudi" Duby Blom. Casa Na Bolom, which means "House of the Jaguar," supports the Lacandon people. It also helps with research on their history and culture. The center gives them copies of photos and other records made by scholars. It also works to protect the Lacandon Jungle from problems like deforestation.

Lacandon History: A Journey of Survival

When scholars first studied the Lacandon in the early 1900s, they thought these people were direct descendants of ancient Maya. They believed the Lacandon had fled into the rainforest during the Spanish Conquest. They thought the Lacandon had stayed untouched by the outside world. This idea came from how similar the Lacandon looked to ancient Maya art. Also, they lived near old Maya ruins and knew how to survive in the jungle. They were not Christian or modern.

A More Complex Past

However, recent research shows a different story. Scholars now believe the Lacandon came from different Maya groups. These groups became refugees during Spanish colonial rule. Their language, clothes, and customs came from several different Maya groups from that time. It seems the Lacandon culture grew as different lowland Maya groups escaped Spanish rule. They fled into the forest and blended their cultures. The Lacandon became a distinct group around the 1700s. This means they are not direct descendants of the ancient Maya. Their culture formed through interactions among different native groups.

Living Independently

The Lacandon likely came from the Campeche and Petén regions. They moved into the Lacandon rainforest in the late 1700s. This was a thousand years after the Classic Maya civilization ended. Unlike other native peoples in Mesoamerica, they were not much affected by outsiders until the 1800s. While other groups lived under Spanish rule, the Lacandon lived freely in the tropical forest. This freedom allowed them to control how much they interacted with the outside world. They stayed in small, separate groups to protect their traditions.

Trade and Changes

For centuries, outsiders avoided the Lacandon region. There were scary stories about the dense forest. The Spanish, and later the Mexicans, tried to settle the area but failed. For generations, the Lacandon's only link to the outside was through trade. They often sought metal tools, salt, cloth, and other European goods. Outsiders wanted things from the forest, like timber and animal skins. This trade was slow but allowed some mixing of cultures and goods.

In the 1800s, outsiders looked to the forest for valuable wood and new land for farming. Farmers and ranchers moved into the area. The Lacandon moved deeper into the forest, losing more land. They survived by being flexible. They would accept, resist, or retreat from foreign culture depending on the situation.

By the late 1900s, the Lacandon had much more contact with outsiders. This led to land changes, diseases, and new cultural influences. When logging started on a large scale, the Lacandon often met forest workers. Some started working for wages, and their culture began to change. This process continues today. As the area developed, the Catholic Church set up missions. Many Lacandon became Catholic. They also faced pressure from cultural changes like never before. Their old way of life, hiding in the forest, no longer worked.

In 1971, a Mexican order gave 614,000 hectares of land to the Lacandon Community. This recognized the land rights of this small group over other settlers. But this did not end their problems. It actually created tensions between the Lacandon and their neighbors.

Lacandon Religion: Old Ways and New Influences

The religious practices and beliefs of the Lacandon have changed over time. These changes became more clear as they had more contact with the outside world. The Lacandon are a group that holds onto their culture. They have kept unique religious customs despite outside influences since the 1500s. It's important to know that they were not completely isolated. They traded with other native groups throughout their history.

The Lacandon have been very private about their religious rituals. This has led to many mysteries about their meanings. Also, the Lacandon are not all the same. There are differences in religious practices between villages. Lacandon villages are small and spread out in the Chiapas jungle. Those in the southern part of the jungle have had more contact with outsiders. They are more open to change and adopted Christianity faster.

Religious Leaders and Ceremonies

When Europeans first recorded contact, they thought the Lacandon were unchanged ancient Maya. The Lacandon call themselves Hach Winik, or "real people." They say they are descendants of the Maya. While they share history with the Maya, many of their religious practices are unique. In a village, a man with much religious knowledge might become a healer or religious leader. He performs important ceremonies. However, all male heads of household perform basic offerings and incense burning.

Ceremonies usually have only men taking part. They are done for many reasons. These include feeding a god, helping with fertility, aiding farming, and often for healing sickness. As contact with outsiders grew, so did diseases among the Lacandon. This led to more rituals focused on healing. Some gods also became more important, including one for foreigners.

Understanding Lacandon Gods

Lacandon gods include K’akoch, who created the earth, sun, and other gods. K’akoch does not interact with humans. Sukunkyum is believed to be the first god to come from a special flower. He is in charge of the underworld and judges souls. Sukunkyum also cares for the sun and moon. Hachäkyum is Sukunkyum's younger brother. He is the most important god because he created the jungle, animals, and people with his wife's help.

Below Hachakyum are other gods, like his son Tuub and his son-in-law Ah Kin Chob. Mensäbäk is the god of rain, very important to the Lacandon. Mensäbäk is linked to the ancient Maya god Yum Chac, also a rain god. There are also gods for thunder and lightning (Hahanak'uh), earthquakes (Kisin), and war and disease (Ak K'ak'). Strangely, the Lacandon seem to have no god for corn, which is present in all other Mayan groups.

More recently, Äkyantho', the god of foreigners, has become more important. This god is described as light-skinned, wearing a hat, and carrying a pistol. Äkyantho' is responsible for trade, medicine, diseases, some animals (like horses), and metal tools. He has a son named Hesuklistos (Jesus Christ), who is said to be the god of foreigners. This shows how the Lacandon fit new gods into their beliefs. They see Hesuklistos as a god but do not worship him much, as they see him as a minor god.

Sacred Places and Objects

Most Lacandon villages have a God House for ceremonies. Some are near the religious leader's home or an elder's home. Some villages hide the God House in the jungle so outsiders cannot find it. These sites are often guarded and hidden by plants. The God House is built low to the ground and faces east. Inside are items for ceremonies. These include drums, fire starters, benches, and ceramic bowls. There is also a conch shell "trumpet" to announce ceremonies. A large hollow trough is used to make the alcohol Balché for rituals. Most importantly, the God House holds rubber figures, incense (made of copal), and ceramic God pots. These are used to burn offerings.

Sacred places also include caves, Maya ruins, rivers, rock outcrops, or special jungle spots. These places are often remote and secret. God pots are small ceramic bowls with a god's head on the rim. The head is tilted back for incense or offerings. These pots are fired and painted red or black. They have male or female designs. Pots used for rituals are believed to be alive and have a soul. To give a pot life, the Lacandon used small sacred pebbles from Maya ruins. They also used cacao beans to give the pot a "heart." Each pot was made for a specific god or ritual. If kept well, they could be passed from father to son. When a pot was full or broken, a renewal ceremony took place. The old pot was left at a sacred place, and a new one was made.

Offerings and Beliefs

Offerings burned in God pots included incense, food, and rubber figures. Food was thought to feed the gods and keep order in the world. The rubber figures were made from tree sap, seen as blood from the tree. They represented blood sacrifices in some ceremonies. These figures were usually human-shaped, but sometimes animal-shaped. The smoke from the offering was seen as the essence, or soul, that the gods could consume. The rubber figures were splattered with red annatto dye before burning. Before the 1800s, the Lacandon would cut their earlobe or septum and smear the figure with blood before burning it. They believed the god could be sustained by the smoke of the burning blood.

Other beliefs suggest a history of human sacrifice, though these practices were not known in the 1900s. Some gods preferred human flesh and sacrificed other gods. They also believed that at the end of the world, gods would sacrifice humans and paint their houses with human blood. This behavior of the gods, similar to humans, might point to past practices among the Lacandon.

God pots and incense burners found at burial sites suggest ancestor worship. There are also reports of cremation burials and links to astronomy and dream interpretation. Not much is known about these practices. A belief about the god Akyantho’ is that he first gave the Lacandon tools, medicine, and other items. But then he took them away and gave them to foreigners. This was a punishment for the Lacandon's carelessness. So, the Lacandon had to interact with foreigners to get what they needed. Also, the Lacandon believed their gods once lived in the ruins with their ancestors. Many rituals were done at these sites. Breaking rocks or damaging buildings at the ruins was seen as disrespecting the gods. As ceremonies were interrupted and sites damaged, the Lacandon moved back into the jungles to perform rituals privately.

Lacandon Economy: From Self-Reliance to Trade

Historically, the Lacandon were not just hunters and gatherers or farmers. They did both as needed. They also moved around or stayed in one place. They would clear parts of the forest to grow crops and raise some animals. But they also hunted, fished, and gathered plants in the jungle. They did not need a structured economy. They relied on their own homes for food. As they had more contact with other people, their economy changed.

Early Trade and Modern Goods

The early Lacandon sometimes traded with outsiders. What little is known shows this was their main contact with the outside world. They traded animals, honey, beeswax, tobacco, cotton, and cacao for needed metal tools. As time went on, into the 1800s and 1900s, the goods they received became more advanced. These included firearms, kerosene, coffee, sugar, and clothing. Some Lacandon regularly traded with ranches in Chiapas. Through this, they learned languages like Spanish, Ch'ol, and Tzeltal Maya. This helped them understand other cultures and Christianity more easily.

For the Lacandon, trade with foreigners was very important. It was the only way to get things they could not make themselves. Over time, new technology reached the Lacandon. More trade in the 1800s also changed their way of life. They started raising chickens and growing oranges, plantains, and sugar cane. Instead of hunting with bows and arrows, they used rifles.

Logging, Tourism, and New Challenges

Some Lacandon worked for non-native people in logging camps. Others were paid by logging companies for the right to cut trees in their jungle. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, tourists came to Lacandon villages. They bought items like gourd bowls, bows, and arrowheads.

As other native people were given land in the Lacandon Jungle, traditional farming changed. Commercial farming grew, encouraged by the government. Also, fast deforestation from cattle grazing made the Lacandon move from spread-out homes to more central communities. This changed their economic practices. In the early 1970s, oil money in Tabasco helped Chiapas. The Mexican government set up a rainforest reserve. This stopped logging companies from using parts of the Lacandon Jungle. However, a Mexican government group, Nacional Financiera, S.A. (NAFINSA), took control of logging. They formed a company that contracted Lacandon communities for logging rights. But NAFINSA kept most of the money, 70%, while the Lacandon communities got only 30%.

After oil prices dropped in the early 1980s, international tourism became more popular. This affected the Lacandon economy, but also gave them a chance to earn money. Lacandon men spent time making arts and crafts. They sold these to tourists in larger towns like Palenque. In 1980, a road was built connecting Palenque to the Lacandon community of Nahá. This brought tourists directly to their communities. Lacandon merchants no longer had to travel for days. They could set up shops along the road and carry more items.

One of the biggest items sold to tourists are hunting kits – bows and arrows. Men making these now buy materials instead of getting them from the jungle. They focus on making the bows and arrows. These are sold at the Maya ruins at Palenque. They come in different sizes, from adult to child-sized toys.

The historical Lacandon relied only on themselves. But as they met more people and Mexico became a unified country, their economy changed. It became more dependent on trade with local people and eventually international trade.

Lacandon Geography and Land Use

The Lacandon became known for being isolated. This was largely because of where they lived. The geography discouraged many from going into Lacandon lands. Because of this, the Lacandon people were never fully "conquered" like other native groups in Mesoamerica. The rough land and thick forests in eastern Chiapas acted as a barrier. This limited social interaction outside the small, spread-out groups where the Lacandon lived for centuries.

Living with the Rainforest

The southern Maya lowlands, home to the Lacandon, have rugged limestone hills and a sub-tropical rainforest. This is known as the Selva Lacandona, or Lacandon Forest. Several rivers flow into eastern Chiapas, like the Usumacinta. These rivers, along with many lakes, swamps, and shorelines, add to the variety of Lacandon lands. The many types of plants and animals in these water and land areas have helped the Lacandon thrive. They live in a place that might seem harsh to humans. To use their resources fully, the Lacandon have special farming, hunting, and gathering methods. These methods are designed to protect the land and ecosystem. This allows for sustainable use and continued resources in the future. About 20% of the 700 Lacandon people today still use these methods.

Four Zones of Survival

James Nations points out four areas the Lacandon use to get diverse food and a healthy diet. The first is the primary or old growth forest. This is mostly tropical rainforest. This forest provides hunting for the Lacandon. Deer, peccary, agouti, and monkeys live there. The Lacandon also use many different plants from the rainforest for food and medicine. The medicinal use of plants is very important in their culture. This zone also helps keep the soil rich and stable. The Lacandon use this soil in their milpa systems, which is the second zone.

The milpa, or farmed field, is vital for the Lacandon people. Here, they use sustainable slash and burn methods. This keeps the milpa soils rich and the region healthy. The Lacandon farm in primary or secondary growth forests in January, February, or March. They let the remains dry until April. During this time, they also make fire breaks to stop fires from spreading. The burning happens in April, and planting starts soon after. Different crops are grown together in the milpa. Tree species like bananas are mixed with corn and vine plants like squash and chiles. Root crops grow underground. Plants are harvested in November or December after the rainy season. This cycle repeats for 2 to 5 years. Then, the milpa is replanted with trees and allowed to grow wild forest plants again. This area is then called an acahual. After 5 to 7 years, the land is used as a milpa again. After this second farming period, the land is replanted with trees and allowed to become a mature secondary forest (at least 20 years). Then, it will be used as a milpa again.

The third zone is the acahual. Lacandon farmers replant the milpa with tree crops like rubber or fruit. They get direct benefits from these plants. The Lacandon also use the acahual for hunting. Animals like deer and monkeys often visit the acahual to eat.

The last main zone is near water, like river banks, stream beds, swamps, and shorelines. These water areas give the Lacandon more protein and different nutrients. They use a specific type of snail (Pachychilus spp.) called t’unu as a protein boost. The snail shells also provide calcium and lime when burned. This lime is added to corn. It helps release important amino acids and vitamins that would otherwise not be available from the corn.

By using the primary forest, milpas, acahuales, and water areas, the Lacandon have kept a healthy diet. This has helped them survive for a long time.

A small dugout canoe in the Lacandón village of Lacanjá in 2001.

Archaeology: Tracing Lacandon Settlements

Three sites have been dug up and found to have old Lacandon items: El Caobal, Matamangos, and El Magal. The locations of these abandoned Lacandon sites have been passed down through generations. Fathers would take their sons to these places for hunting or exploring. The local elders who visited these sites as children are the last people who know where the old Lacandon settlements were. The Lacandon did not usually build stone platforms. This makes it very hard to find their lost settlements. So, the knowledge of the elders is very important.

Clues from Artifacts

Each site had different items. Some showed evidence of homes, others might have been places where tools were made. All show strong signs that Lacandon people lived there. The easiest sign of a Lacandon settlement is the presence of non-native plants like fruit trees. Another sign is traditional Lacandon pottery. The ceramic pots found at all sites were dark brown and black. They had a round, bowl-like shape, like the gourd bowls they also used. The rims of the ceramic pots were squared off, as if cut with a knife before being fired. Unlike their gourd bowls, which were often decorated, the ceramic pots had no designs. This might mean they were simple and easily made. Perhaps they were left behind when the group moved, and new ones were made.

El Caobal: A Place of Mahogany

The first site found near the ruins of Dos Pilas was El Caobal. It is on raised land surrounded by a swamp. In Spanish, "caobal" means "place of many mahogany trees." This refers to the large number of them, likely planted by the Lacandon. They used mahogany for canoes, and these trees are not native to the area. El Caobal also has many mango and banana trees, which are also not native. These were planted by the Lacandon for food. Under the jungle floor, hundreds of items were found. These included pottery, stone tools, metal pots, and broken glass. Some items were brought up by tree roots or found with a metal detector. Others were found by digging randomly. The many items suggest it was a home or a place where trash was left. Local items found included everyday ceramics and stone tools. Imported items included white pottery with painted designs, glass bottles, and metal tools.

Matamangos: A Tool-Making Spot

Matamangos is about one kilometer from El Caobal. It is known for its many mango trees, again showing that non-native plants point to a settlement. Matamangos was also on slightly raised ground near some old Maya house mounds. Digging near one of the largest mango trees revealed many chert pieces. These included chert cores, arrowheads, and small blades. Chert was a hard stone the Lacandon used to make arrowheads and other stone tools. A large piece of chert (a core) would be heated. Then, a bone would be struck with a round hammerstone (made of volcanic rock) against the core. This chipped off pieces to make sharp chert blades. A hammerstone, likely from the Guatemalan highlands, was also found nearby. It was smooth and rounded from use, fitting comfortably in the hand. It had scratches and chips from use. Finding these related items suggests it was a tool-making area or a discard site.

El Mangal: Sacred Incense Burners

Known as El Mangal, or "place of many mango trees," this site has trees much larger than those at Caobal or Matamangos. The area also has a lagoon known on regional maps as "El Mangal." The water in the lagoon is not good for drinking or cooking but is useful for washing and fishing. A family living at El Mangal found a whole machete. They also found pieces of thick, hard, brown pottery, which is traditional Lacandon ceramic. While digging a trash pit, the family found more pottery. These were not the smooth bowls found at El Caobal. Instead, they were identified as incense burners. They were bowl-shaped with a ring base and a hole for venting fire and smoke. Unlike the smooth everyday ceramics, these vessels had a modeled head of a god on the rim. This shows they were used for religious rituals. The modeled heads look very much like those made by the Lacandon today. Other decorations included carved lines and spikes. These vessels were used in "God houses" for religious purposes. During the Lacandon incense burner renewal ceremony, men would make the burners alone. They were placed in the god house, and the old burners were left at a sacred place in the forest. The presence of these incense burners suggests a religious god house, a manufacturing site, or even a sacred disposal place.

See also

In Spanish: Lacandones para niños