CHOL INDIANS IN MEXICO

THE CHOL ARE INDIGENOUS AND LIVE IN SOUTHEAST MEXICO IN THE CHIAPAS HIGHLANDS. THEY ARE ONE OF THE MAYAN PEOPLE. THERE ARE 140,800 SPEAKERS OF CHOL. THE HIGHLANDS CONSISTS OF VOLCANIC AREAS. THAT ARE SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAIN RANGES. THE PEAKS RANGE FROM 3000 TO 130,000. IT HAS FERTILE VALLEYS AND LARGE LAKES. EXPLORERS CAME TO EXPLOIT THE NATURAL RESOURCES.

IN 1554 THE SPANISH INVADED THE CHOL JUNGLE. THE SPANISH INVASION CAUSED THE CHOL AND MAYANS TO INTO GROUPS CALLED REDUCCIONES. EVENTUALLY THEY WERE SENT TO THE NORTH. THE PEOPLE SENT TO THE NORTH WERE THE CHOL ANCESTORS. THE CHOL WERE FORCED TO WORK ON ENCOMIEDAS UNTIL THE SPANISH GAVE THEM A DOCUMENT THAT GRANTED THEM LAND THEY HAD WORKED FOR GENERATIONS. THEN AGAIN IN THE 1800'S THE PRESIDENT CHANGED THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM TO AGRARIAN FOR MORE PRODUCTION. HE TOOK AWAY LAND FROM THE CHOL AND THE EJIDOS DID NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH NATURAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE CHOL. TODAY THERE IS CONFLICT BETWEEN CHOL AND LUICANDON SPEAKERS AS THE CHOL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE LAND OF THE LUCANDON.

CHOLE MEANS "OUR SPEACH " AND REFERS TO THE PEOPLE AND THEIR LANGUAGE.THEY PRACTICE CHRISTIANITY. MAYAN TRADITION ARE ALSO INCORPORATED IN THEIR TRADITIONS. THEY WORSHIP IN CAVES THEIR CURERS ALTERNATE BETWEEN CHURCHES TO CAVES TO GAIN POWER. EARTH OWNER, THE MAYAN CAVE GOD, AND CHRIST ARE RECONCILED, AND CAVE CEREMONIES CONTINUE.

THEIR FOODS INCLUDE CORN, LIVESTOCK, BEANS, SQUASH, BANANAS, AND GREENS AND FRUIT. ONE OF THEIR INCOMES HAS INCREASED THEIR NEED TO LEARN SPANISH IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. MOST GIRLS STOP SCHOOL IN 6TH GRADE DUE TO MARRIAGE AND FINANCES.

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