As one of the most historic places in Mexico, Chiapas is a state with a rich cultural heritage, an indigenous past and present, and a true enchantment that is the result of its people maintaining their past while making way for the future. Named for the Nahuatl words "Chia" (a seed used to create a regional drink) and "apan," or river, the city's name literally means "In the river of chia."
A region whose pre-Hispanic influences include Maya, Toltec, and Olmec, Chiapas is a state rich in natural resources and beauty. It's known for its fine wood, lush jungles, lake and river fishing that yields bass, lobster, and shrimp, as well as production of coffee, corn, cotton, and bananas, to name a few. It's also responsible for one third of the crude oil extracted in Mexico. Indeed, Chiapas has everything nature has to offer—plentiful rivers, hills, volcanoes and impenetrable jungles, as well as hundreds of lakes and waterfalls and impressive flora and fauna.
History
The territory of Chiapas was originally populated by the Olmec and Mayan groups, and their presence can still be appreciated today at various archeological sites such as Palenque and Bonampak. The region was later populated by the arrival of various Mayan groups, and was one of the most populated areas of the continent until the Spanish arrived. Until 1533, Chiapas was considered a part of both Mexico and Guatemala, until the Mexican government decreed that Chiapas had the freedom to decide to which country they'd like to belong. The state officially became annexed into Mexico on September 14 in Ciudad Real, what is now known as San Cristobal de las Casas. By 1538 the city was neatly gridded with cobblestone streets and the Spaniards took over. They quickly imposed their own Christian beliefs upon the Indians, and most were pushed out of the center of town to the outlying barrios on the edge of the city. In 1544 Bishop Bartolomé de las Casas tried to effect humane changes to what he deemed an outrageous act, but was for the most part ineffective. In 1943 the city's name was changed to honor this patron of the Indians.
It's interesting to note, in light of the current Zapatista movement, that a conflict with the goverment has been taking place for centuries. In 1528 Diego de Mazariegos initiated a similar conflict of cultures that still lives on today. Led by Subcommandante Marcos, the Zapatista Liberation Army (EZLN) has been fighting for health care, education, land distribution and representative government for the various indigenous populations throughout Chiapas. Several years ago the group launched an armed rebellion and captured San Cristóbal, thereby forcing the government to recognize the political and economic problems in Chiapas. After negotiations, the two groups agreed to a truce and the terms were set out. However, the negotiations were stalled after little results and a subsequent massacre in the winter of '97/'98 ensued in Acteal, near San Cristóbal. Since then, there have been sporadic instances of violence, but as of yet no foreigners have been injured. Be forewarned that even today there are occasional outbursts as the principal issues of this conflict remain unresolved.
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