Zinacantan

The Zinacantan men's costume is much more colorful than that of the woman. It has been said, "Zinacantecos are like birds-the males have brighter plumage than the females." Today however, females are bidding for equal brilliancy. The Zinacanteco woman wears a white cotton blouse, covered in dazzling flowers. The huipil (see WV146) is tucked into an indigo blue cotton skirt, worn around the body, pleated in front and bound twice at the waist by a red wool sash with green stripes and white warp, [identical to the men's sash]. What was once a rather plain cotton shawl has become a device for adding even more color. The example here is especially unique, not only for its color and floral design, but for the "shadow weave" at the ends creating stylized flowers in the background. The long colorful yarn tassels are used to tie the garment around the shoulders for protection against the sun or the cold.

The colorful male garment is a tunic that has changed dramatically within the past few years. The newer model of the men's tunic is darker, almost magenta, decorated with embroidered flowers and multicolored thread tassels (see WV149) . A blue or black and white checkered scarf with long red wool tassels is worn around the neck; the yarn for the tassels is dyed and arranged by the men.

The men make the low-crowned hat of white palm, with a buckskin strap and multicolored ribbons, a contemporary version of the feathered headdresses worn by the ancient Maya. The hat is replaced once or twice a year, usually before the major fiestas of San Lorenzo and San Sebastian. The men carry either a net bag or a more expensive hand-tooled leather bag over their shoulder.

Flowers have become important to the Maya of Zinacantan, as they have brought a great deal of prosperity to the region. Initially, some villagers began to sell flowers at the nearby tourist destinations, such as San Cristobal de las Casas. Quickly demand for flowers came from numerous sources, including hotels, restaurants, and private citizens. Today, Zinacantecos export their flowers throughout Chiapas, Yucatan, and Oaxaca. The photograph of the valley shows the many greenhouses that cover the local landscape.