Abstract
This paper explores the largely overlooked role of indigenous spirituality in the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) uprising of January 1, 1994, in Chiapas, Mexico. While the EZLN publicly maintained impartiality towards religion, this research argues that Mesoamerican spirituality was a critical foundation for their resistance. Focusing on the Popol Vuh, the sacred text of the Maya, this paper highlights its central role in shaping the Zapatista struggle. Despite colonial efforts to eradicate indigenous traditions, the Popol Vuh was meticulously preserved. The text’s creation narrative, detailing humans fashioned from corn, establishes a profound, sacred link between the Maya people and this staple crop. This spiritual connection is crucial for understanding the EZLN’s opposition to NAFTA, which threatened to flood Mexico with genetically modified corn, endangering indigenous economies and, critically, their ancestral identity as “children of corn”. The destruction of corn is seen as the annihilation of Maya civilization. Therefore, for many indigenous members in Chiapas, joining the EZLN became a sacred duty, a spiritual imperative to defend their identity, land, and way of life against neoliberal forces.
Presenters
Saúl BarcelóAssitant Profesor, School of Religion, Loma Linda University, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Mesoamerican Spirituality, Popol Vuh, Maya civilization, Decolonization, Modernity
