CHUJ INDIANS

THE CHUG ARE A MAYAN PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE HUCHUETENANGI. CHUG IS A LOOSE WORD WORN BY CHUJ MEN. THE CHUGS THINK IT MEANS SWEAT BATH. DURING THE 1980'S THERE WAS SOME POLITICAL VIOLENCE WHICH FORCED THE CHUG TO LEAVE CITIES AND LIVE IN SMALL VILLAGES IN THE MOUNTAINS. SOME LEFT GUATEMALA. THEY HAVE A POPULATION OF ABOUT 29,000 PRESENTLY. THEY SPEAK A MAYAN LANGUAGE AND ALSO SPANISH. SINCE THE 1970'S CHUJ WOMEN HAVE BEEN BILINGUAL. THESE FOLKS HAVE OCCUPIED THEIR TERRITORY FOR MILLENIA. THE CHUG'S ANCESTORS THE PROTO MAYA LIVED HERE FOR OVER 2000 YEARS.

A MODERN CITY IS ON A PRECOLUMBIAN MOUND WHICH DATES TO A LATE CLASSIC PERIOD (600 TO 900 YEARS AGO). IT IS BY A RICH SALT DEPOSIT. CHUG SALT WAS TRADED THROUGHOUT REGIONS OF MEXICO. GUATEMALAN TROOPS IN 1980'S CUT DOWN TREES FOR FOR ROAD WHEN THEY WERE IN
A PERIOD OF CIVIL STRIFE. THIS LOWERED THE WATER TABLE TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT ONLY A SALT DEPOSIT IS LEFT. IN PRE-HISPANIC PERIOD SAN SEBASTIAN COATAN WAS A FOCAL POINT OF TRADE AND RITUALS.

THE CLOTHING THE GUATEMALANS WEAR ARE FESTIVE. THE WOMEN EMBROIDER SOME WONDERFUL HUIPILS OR BLOUSES WITH WRAPPED SKIRTS. THE WOMEN WEAR SOME COTTON PANTS. MEN WEAR SOME COTTON PANTS AND EMBROIDERED SHIRTS. THE WOMEN WEAR THEIR HAIR BRAIDED , WRAPPED WITH RIBBONS.

THEIR MARRIAGES ARE ARRANGED. THERE IS A COURTSHIP PATTERN WHERE A YOUTH MIGHT FIND A GIRL WHO HE MIGHT LIKE AND CONTINUE TO MEET HER AT COMMUNAL WATER SPOTS. IF SHE LIKES HIM IF SHE LIKES HIM SHE FINDS A WAY TO MEET WITH HIM THAT WILL TAKE HER OUT OF THE HOUSE. WHEN HE FEELS HE CAN START A HOUSEHOLD HE TELLS HER PARENTS OF HIS INTENTION AS WELL AS THE GIRL. IF THEY APPROVE THEY GET A SPOKESPERSON TO GO ALONG TO THE GIRL'S HOUSE. BOTH PARENTS ALL OF THIS STUFF. IF THE GROOM IS POOR HE MAY WORK FOR THE BRIDE'S PARENTS.

THE NUCLEAR FAMILY IS THE SMALLEST DOMESTIC UNIT. THE MEMBERS ARE CHILD CARE DUTIES WITH HUSBAND'S BROTHER'S AND PARENTS. THE FAMILY SOMETIMES PLANTS AND HARVESTS, AND THEIR CROPS
ARE SHARED ON A WORK BASIS. THEY FAVOR THE FIRST SON. THEY HAVE AN INITIATION CEREMONY FOR BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS. THE OLDER CHILDREN INSTRUCT THE YOUNGER CHILDREN.

THEIR GOVERNMENT BUILT SCHOOLS ON THEIR TOWNS. THE SCHOOLS PUNISH NATIVE LANGUAGES. THE SCHOOL BOOKS DEPICT INDIAN CULTURE AS A PROBLEM TO MODERN SOCIETY. SOME OF THEIR MYTHS ARE BELIEVED TO BE STUPID. TEACHERS ARE PROVIDED MANUALS FOR EACH OF THE TOPICS, FROM ASTRONOMY TO MATH. SOME PROGRAMS HAVE NOT BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE SCHOOLS.

A FEW FAMILIES HAVE BECOME PROTESTANT IN SAN SEBIATIAZ. THIS TOWN IS SPLIT BETWEEN TRADITIONS AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. THE TRADITIONAL MAINTAIN , THE 260 DAY CALENDAR TO CELEBRATE THE RITUALS OF PLANING AND HARVESTING., NEW FIRE, AND NEW YEAR CATHOLICS THINK THESE ARE LIES.

THEY TRADITIONALLY BELIEVE MOST NATURAL FEATURES HAVE HAVE SPIRITS, HILLS,ROCKS, STREAMS, AND CAVES. A PETITIONER BRINGS AN OFFERING USUALLY CANDLES AND LIQUOR AND WATER WITH HIS OR HER QUESTIONS ON A SMALL PIECE OF PAPER. THE NEXT DAY THEY RETURN AND PICK UP THE WRITTEN ANSWER. THEY HAVE SEVERAL SPECIALISTS WHO MAKE PRAYERS. EACH TOWN SHOULD HAVE A PRINCIPAL PRAYER WHO SITS IN THE RITUAL CALENDAR. THEY HAVE DIVINERS, HERBALISTS, BONE SETTERS, MASSEURS AND SORCERERS.

THEY HAVE MANY CEREMONIES THAT ARE HELD AT BIRTH , PURIFICATION OF MOTHER AND CHILD IN A SAUNA, AND BURIAL OF AFTER BIRTH AND BAPTISM AND OTHER PURIFICATION, MARRIAGE, DEATHBED, LIBRIAL PURIFICATION, AND ANNIVERSARIES. PRAYER PRACTITIONERS CAN PETITION FOR HEALTH, SOBRIETY, GOOD CROPS, AND STRONG ANIMALS WHO SETS THE CHUG BELIEF THAT DEATH IS A TRANSITION TO ANCESTORHOOD. THEIR SPIRITS ENFORCE THEIR MISFORTUNE . SPIRITS MAINTAIN AN INTEREST IN AND ADVICE IN FAMILIES AND THEIR MEMBERS.

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