CHUJ INDIANS IN MEXICO

CHUJ INDIANS SPEAK MAYAN AND THEY HAVE ABOUT 40,000 IN GUATEMALA AND MEXICO. BOTH NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CHUJ CAN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. THEY HAVE OCCUPIED THEIR TERRITORY FOR MILLENIA. THEY HAVE LIVED IN GUATEMALA SINCE PROTO MAYA. IT BEGAN IT'S DIFFERENTIATION INTO MODERN MAYA LANGUAGES 4000 YEARS AGO.

CHUG WAS APPLIED TO THE GROUP BY THE SPANISH, MEANING "LOOSE WOOL OVER GARMENT BY MEN". TZELTAL, CHUJ REFERS TO PRINTED COTTON CLOTH. THE CHUJ KNOW THE WORD IS SWEAT BATH. THEY LIVE IN THE CHUMATAN MOUNTAINS. THEY PLANT COFFEE. POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN GUATAMALA IN THE 80'S FORCED THEM TI LIVE IN TOWN CENTERS AND BUILD VILLAGES IN ISOLATED MOUNTAINS. SOME HAVE MOVED TO L.A.

THEY HAVE ABOUT 16,000 IN SANMATEO AND ABOUT 9000 IN SAN SEBASTIAN COATAN. THEY ARE CORN AGRICULTURALISTS. THERE LANDS ARE IN 3 CXLIMATES - COLD, TEMPERATE AND HOT. IN COLD COUNTRY THEY PASTURE CATTLE PLUS OTHER FARM ANIMALS, AND COLLECT PLANTS AND WOOD. IN THE TEMPERATE ZONE THEY PLANT CORN, BEANS, SQUASH AND CHILIS. IN HOT COUNTRY THEY PLANT SUGARE CANE, HENEQUIN, REEDS AND BANANAS. HUNTING IS LESS IMPORTANT AS GAME HAS BECOME SCARCE. IN SPRING TIME THEY HAVE MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS. AT MOUNTAIN TOPS AT NIGHT THEY ATTRACT THE FLOCKS OF BIRDS WHICH THEY CLUB, ROAST, AND EAT. HOMES KEEP CHICKENS AND OTHER AND OTHER FARM ANIMALS. RED MEAT MUST BE EATEN TO PREVENT SOUL LOSS DURING 5 DAYS AT THE END OF YEARAFTER 18 MONTHS. ALL FAMILIES PROCURE ANIMALS AT THAT TIME.

ORIGINALLY THEY RELIED ON THE TRADE OF THE SALT. AFTER 1960 WHEN THE ROAD WAS BUILT COMMERCIAL SALT BECAME AVAILABLE. SAN MATENOS REVERTED TO SUBSISTENCE MAIZE FARMING. THEIR INCOME WENT FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST. MANY CHUJ LEFT THE TOWN AND LIVE IN LOWLAND VILLAGES. THE EMIGRANTS LIVE LIVE IN HOT COUNTRY AND GROW THE TRILOGY OF CROPS.

CHUJ WOMEN DO NOT WEAVE, BUT THEY EMBROIDER ON COTTON BROADCLOTH. IN A WOMEN'S COOPERATIVE SHE HAS MARKED THEIR EMBROIDERIES AND BLOUSES AND TOURIST ITEMS IN THE CAPITAL CITY.

EVERY FIVE DAYS THEY HELD MARKETS. SANMATEO HAS A MARKET EVERY WEEK. MANY TRAVELTO SAN ANTONIO HUISTA FOR TRADE.

CHUJ MEN WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME IN AGRICULTURE. CHILDREN SCARE OFF THE BIRDS. ALL OF THE FAMILY HARVESTS THE CROPS. WOMEN MAINTAIN THE HOUSE AND HAVE RITUALS. MEN WORKED ON THE COAST ALSO. THEY OWN SMALL PLOTS OF LAND.

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