We rode to the village of San Juan Chamula on horseback, 6
miles each way. No roads. It's good to be back in the saddle after so long, but I'm
sore. John's horse spooked when his rain gear whispered and flapped and nearly bucked him off. I nearly fell off my horse, laughing. The land is severely eroded. Red earth bleeding.
O
At Chamula, where you purchase the tickets to enter the church, is a stash of confiscated cameras. An effective warning. We are here on their terms. Photographs are forbidden.
Hybrid Catholic Mayan church, San Juan Chamula
Inside the hybrid Catholic Mayan church, large bolts of chintz material are draped from the rafters spanning the ceiling. There are pine needles on the floor. And all the saints lining the sides of the church wear shaving mirrors at head height to remind us. And the floor is lit with candles everywhere.
Mayans chanting. Copal burning. Coca-cola bottles, the gods' drink of choice and home brew. It is very spooky and is very holy. It is the center of power, you can feel it, we've been searching for this place without knowing it.
I was overcome with tears at the main altar. We offered up pine needles and rose petals and lit two candles, concentrating on the convergence.
At the altar of the three Marys we light another candle. And the soft voices of Mayans chanting in an alien tongue fills the darkness.
O
At Chamula, where you purchase the tickets to enter the church, is a stash of confiscated cameras. An effective warning. We are here on their terms. Photographs are forbidden.
Inside the hybrid Catholic Mayan church, large bolts of chintz material are draped from the rafters spanning the ceiling. There are pine needles on the floor. And all the saints lining the sides of the church wear shaving mirrors at head height to remind us. And the floor is lit with candles everywhere.
Mayans chanting. Copal burning. Coca-cola bottles, the gods' drink of choice and home brew. It is very spooky and is very holy. It is the center of power, you can feel it, we've been searching for this place without knowing it.
I was overcome with tears at the main altar. We offered up pine needles and rose petals and lit two candles, concentrating on the convergence.
At the altar of the three Marys we light another candle. And the soft voices of Mayans chanting in an alien tongue fills the darkness.
Outside, we greet the elders who give us permission to take photos of the outside of the church for 300 pesos. We offer them two old silver 5 centavo quetzocoatl coins. They are very pleased by this gift and don't let us pay the full price.We are no longer tourists, but long-lost friends. We shake hands several times to come to complete this transaction. It is sealed with aguagardiente.
The ride back home to San Cristóbal de las Casas was long and cold. But good. A long day.
This might have been Aug 18. I didn't date it.
Other horsey bits
Becky Dart: Born to Run
Kiger mustangs carry rare Iberian Sorraia mtDNA
The jockey's baton
B/G Sandwich Shops plate, or the tale of Ralph Moody
Eating the Wind
Helgar the Horrible
Letter to Sigrun in Iceland (Helgar the Horrible)
The Little Shits
Shetlandish Escape Artists
Shetland foal, H.M.S. Salt
Horse Chestnuts
Sitting Deep
While Reading Essays by Robert Hass
There is so Much We Save from Childhood
FIRST SWIM
NEW MOWN HAY, RAISED BY HORSES, ODE TO STEPHANIE,...
AFTER THE SOLSTICE, MACHU PICCHU
WILD HORSES IN THE RAIN
LATE HOUSEWARMING POEM TO WM.T.WILEY
HORSES RUNNING THROUGH THE STREETS OF ZENIA AT NIGHT
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