ZOQUES PROVINCE
"The Zoques province is the wealthiest of Chiapa territory, it spreads out to Tabasco, where Grijalva
river carries the country's merchandise to San Juan de Ulua or to La Veracruz. The diversity of Indian
works and labors are to admired, being such beauty that they could serve to the best England masters.
People is acute and sharp and of well shaped bodies. Weather is hot next Tabasco but in the interior
there are very cold places. Corn is the main food, but wheat also grows, cattle wear abundant around
Chiapa. Zoque bird and turkey hunting are the best."
Thomas Gage, 1626
Today's travelers, as well as the first XVI century Spanish conquerors, that arrived at Chiapas from the
Gulf coast or from the center of Mexico found a promising territory inhabited by the Zoques ethnical group
related to the ancient Olmecas. The Zoque territory in the northwest of Chiapas offers unequal landscape
in the middle of valleys high mountains, hot and warm suns, high and low jungles, and pine forests; it also
offers an impressive legacy, the evangelization, apparent in the wonderful XVI century churches, marking the
region's geography and history. After arriving at the state through the modern Puente Chiapas the trip starts
in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital and largest Chiapas city with all services and varied attractions, showing the
essence of rituals festivities and the Zoque gastronomy. This is a different Chiapas, surprising, varied,
and offering an unexpected experience to the traveler looking for roots and identities, as strong as the
Volcano Chichon. Zoque world owns a great identity; they were the first Mesoamerican potters and agriculture
and farmers. At present they have contributed to the great Engineering work, in a region of ancient roots
and culture, whose memories have been transmitted through the centuries. Tradition prevails up
to now.
STONE, BRICK AND ADOBE MEMORY
Ancient stone, brick and adobe, temples outstand among old Zoque villages, making one the most unique
artistic groups in all country. Zoques province had as spiritual organization center Santo Domingo Convent
of Tecpatan in XVI century. This Convent is one of the most important Chiapas monuments, it has a
mudejar tower, altar traces along the temple aisle, graffito decoration on the walls of some rooms, nervure
of brick cluster vault.
This are some details of its grandeur. The witnesses left as culture statements, buildings, metal work,
dances and music, inherited from the monks that live there, are very important too. Dominics from Tecpatan
went to Chiapas north mountains difficult roads and to Tabasco Sierra.
They built noted monuments, as the extraordinary Convent of Chapultenango, near Volcano Chichon, that
has a beautiful tower, or the Convent of Copainala, which gathers classical lines of its frontispiece, with
mudejar influence in its tower belfry. Tapalapa and Rayon temples are also beautiful, although more sober,
Chicoasen and Coapilla also remind a constructive and cultural effort. Zoques colonial temples, for all its
artistic, cultural and historic merits, deserve the recognition of UNESCO as humanity legacy.
