THE 13 MAIN ETHNIC GROUPS OF CHIAPAS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The ethnic groups of Chiapas are thirteen: Akatecos, Ch'oles, Chujes, Jakaltecos, K'iches, Lacandones, Mam, Mochós, Tekos, Tojolabales, Tseltales, Tsotsiles and Zoques.

Chiapas is an entity recognized for bringing together a great diversity of peoples in its land. In fact, it is estimated that 32.7 percent of the total state population is indigenous.

Most of the indigenous communities that inhabit this state have Mayan ancestry and are present in both Guatemala and Mexico.

Indigenous groups of Chiapas, Mexico

It is estimated that in the state of Chiapas, there are approximately 1,141,499 people over the age of 5 who speak an indigenous language.

Unlike other states, where the percentage does not reach 5%, in this state they represent 27% of the total population.

Akatecos

Members of the Akateco people speak a language that belongs to Mayan roots. Therefore, they are an ethnic group of that origin.

Although its main settlements are in San Miguel Acatán, Guatemala, they have spread throughout the states of Mexico, including Chiapas.

Ch'oles

Approximately in the year 1530, the Choles left the Chiapas jungle, towards what is now Palenque, Tila, Tumbalá. As well as, Octiopá and San Pedro Sabana, Yuyuxlumil or Río Amarillo.

Chujes

The Chujes, also known as the Chuj people, are found mostly in Guatemala.

In Chiapas they are present in three municipalities: La Trinitaria, La Independencia and Las Margaritas.

According to INEGI, in the 2000 census, there were 1,796 Chuj speakers, of which 60% were under 15 years of age.

Jakaltecos

The jakaltecos have been living in the Mexican Republic for more than 100 years, it is inferred that they settled in Mexican territory, in Chiapas, without knowing that they had crossed the border from Guatemala.

K'iches

Chiapas is one of the states in which the K'iche indigenous people live, in the municipalities of Las Margaritas and Marqués de Comillas.

It is in this group that the complex worldview embodied in the Popol Vuh originates, a book that has been disseminated among other Mayan ethnic groups.

Lacandons

Essentially, this ethnic group occupies the jungle area of ​​Chiapas, the so-called Selva Lacandona.

They are considered to be native to the Yucatan peninsula and Guatemala. However, they migrated for various periods to the jungle, fleeing from attempts to be relocated to the so-called "towns of peace."

Mames

The Mam from the Mexican side settle in several Chiapas communities, including: Acacoyagua, Acapetahua, Frontera Hidalgo, Mazapa de Madero, Mazatán, Metapa, Villa Comaltitlán, Siltepec, Suchiate, Tapachula, Tuzantán, Unión Juárez, Maravilla Tenejapa and Frontera Comalapa.

Regarding their productive activities, the Mam grow corn and beans, generally.

Mochos

The mochós settled in some of the peripheral populations of the municipal seat of Motozintla, which is located south of the Sierra Madre.

Tekos

Those belonging to this indigenous people usually live in the municipality of Mazapa de Madero.

Some of the communities they cover are: Bacantón Altamirano Uno, Chimalapa, Nuevo Paraíso, Tierra Blanca, Valle Obregón, Veracruz, Villa Hidalgo.

On the other hand, in Amatenango de la Frontera the localities are for example: Barrio Nuevo, Chiquisbil, El Porvenir, Granadillal, Nuevo Amatenango, Sabinalito and Frontera Comalapa.

Tojolabales

Approximately 90% of the Tojolabales live in Las Margaritas and Altamirano, in southeastern Chiapas, in lands that border Guatemala.

Tseltales

Most of the Tseltal Indians settled in the region known as Los Altos. Thus, the Tzeltal municipalities with the most territorial space are: Ocosingo, Chilón and Altamirano.

Tsotsiles

Also, members of the Tsoltsil community live in Los Altos. Some of the communities where they are found are: Chalchihuitán, Chamula, Mitontic, Zinacantán, Huitiupán, Simojovel de Allende, Bochil, Ixhuatán, Soyaló, Ixtapa, Teopisca and San Cristóbal de Las Casas.

Zoques

The territory currently occupied by the zoques in Chiapas is divided into three parts. The first is the Gulf slope, the second the Sierra and the third, the Central Depression.

They are also located in the municipalities of Tapalapa, Amatán, Copainalá, Francisco León, Ixhuatán, Ixtacomitán, Ocotepec, Ostuacán, Pantepec, Tecpatán, Rayón, Tapilula, among others.

The Zoques have Olmec ancestry, a tribe that emigrated to Chiapas and Oaxaca.

References

1. National Commission for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Mexico (April 2017). "Atlas of Indigenous Peoples". cdi.gob.mx
2. National Commission for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of Mexico (December 2004), "Lacandones", Indigenous Peoples of Contemporary Mexico. gob.mx
3. Instituto Nacional Indigenista-Secretaria de Desarrollo Social, (1994) "Mocho", in Contemporary Ethnography of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, Western Region, Mexico.
4. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Institute of Historical Research (1996) "The northern border of New Spain, Mexico."
5. Historical Research Institute-National Autonomous University of Mexico (1990) “Indian slavery in the early years of the Colony. Altos de Chiapas ”, Nélida Bonaccorsi.