CUSTOMS

The town of Lachirioag as well as many other communities in the Sierra Juarez is characterized as friendly people who are warm to visitors. It is very common to receive a greeting or a gesture of welcoming from an inhabitant of the community. In most cases, when you pass through the streets or walk in front of any house, the citizen would salute you and in ocassions would invite you to come in and take a seat while he offers you a cup of coffe.  These traditions have been inherited from our ancestors and have been kept gradually over time. There is no denying that these customs and values usually go missing through the generations as they emerge, but people in the community are doing everything possible to keep these traditions alive. As an example we could mention the annual celebrations that the people of Lachirioag hold each year, especially at the fair's annual of San Cristobal,(patron of the community), where people join and celebrate their saint, "San Cristobal" as a maximum image and symbol of unity. The community receives hundreds of visitors, citizens of the community who are returning from different parts of Mexico as well as overseas; visitors from other nearby communities and the public that often visit for the first time. The community gathers and prepares to receive and take care of the guests. For foreigners, it is extremely surprising to see how the people of Lachirioag cater free meals to their guests during the period of celebration. Also, the community offers a huge variety of activities such as dances, sports, fireworks social dances and of course the most important thing is to visit to the Temple of San Cristobal.

RELIGION

The community of Lachirioag still retains its customs and traditions which were inherited by their ancestors such as traditional festivals held throughout the year. In the village, the majority of the people are catholic, which often is combined with ancient zapotec rituals such as worshiping the nature. There are also other sects.

ANNUAL AND CELEBRATIONS FOR DISTRICTS

In San Cristobal Lachirioag, the festivities of the following chapels are celebrated: the festival of the Chapel of the “Divino Rostro” which is held in February. the exact date varies, the celebration of “Barrio Esquipúlas” held in the month of January each year; the “Barrio del Rosario” in the month of October annually, the “Barrio de Exaltation” which is in the month of September. 
Lachirioag also celebrates the annual festival in June which is the Barrio de San Antonio de Padua, and in July one of the main festivities in this community is the celebration of San Cristobal and then the most important it is the feast that takes place the third sunday of november. This celebration is called the Eighth (la octava) of,San Cristobal patron saint of the Lachirioag. It is also celebrated in the community , Traditional Mexican holidays, such as All Saints “Dia de los Muertos” which is celebrated in a traditional indigenous way with a mix of catholic, Easter and Christmas.

RITUALES AND BELIEFS

In the community of San Cristobal Lachirioag there are many beliefs and practices of many rituals such as:

SUSTO (to be frightened)
When a person is frightened his/her family would ask him where the frightening happened for them to go at night time according to bring the person’s spirit. For that the family or people would carry liquor, bread, egg and the shirt of the person frightened and do the ritual at the site when they are done they go back to the house of the person and put the shirt back on the person to sleep with her all night so that what the people went to do work and the person heals.

WEDDING

In Lachirioag to perform a wedding usually, or at least it is still happens in very old fashion way. The family of the groom would go and ask for the girl's hand in advance and wait for their response of the parents. Once the wedding is approved by the girls family, gifts are given to the family of the girl as a sign to show that the boy is able to support the girl.
Subsequently, once the date of the wedding is fixed, on the eve of holding the marriage celebration, the boy's family should deliver products to the girls house that will help to cover the costs for the celebration such as: corn, pork, cebollina, chile, brandy, firewood, soft drinks, beer and everything else that is needed to prepare the feast.
On the wedding day the groom hires the local band and this band will have to go early to the bride's home to encourage the party. At a certain time mass is celebrated and after the celebration the party will be at the groom's house where both families will be celebrating. The next day the family of the bride will move all the belongings of the bride to her new house.

DEATH (FUNERAL)

When a person dies in the community, people would go to the deceased house and will ask his/her family or relatives how it happened and give the condolences. At the same time they will bring brandy, maize, sugar cane, beans and other items to prepare food for the people who would arrive at the grieving and funeral. The next day, people, cronies or friends of the deceased would go to pantheon to excavate a grave where they will bury the deceased. The gentlemen who went to excavate the grave would go go back to the house where they will be received with food and be thanked by the family of the deceased. In the late afternoon the families will take the deceased to the church to be given a goodbye. After church they will carry the death to the cemetery with music. Once they come back to the house of the deceased from the funeral, the family chooses a person who is going to be responsible for conducting the rosary for the nine consecutive nights. People would offer for nine consecutive nights’ rosaries and prayers for the deceased.

BIRTH

In the community, when a woman gets pregnant, her family had to go to church to take candles and flowers to pray for the baby to develop well and born without complications. Also offerings are carried to yiawiz hill, which almost always consist of a hen or rooster according to what they want to be the baby either boy or girl, this is the families who have sufficient economic resources, but families with low Resources lead only eggs and brandy, as well as promises made in the temple or in any chapel to bring a gift in honor of the baby. (this rituals are a hint of the ancient indigenous)
When the lady already has about five or six months to ask the midwife to go to massage her and see that the baby is in a good position.
Back on the days when the pregnant woman was about to give birth somebody would go and tell the midwife to receive the new baby, but nowadays all the ladies have their births at the local clinic or the hospital, which is located in neighboring community of Villa Alta.

OFRENDAS (offerings)

Some of these rituals are practiced in some sacred sites which are placed at specific locations in or around the community, an example of this ritual is the offering to the "mystical stones" which according to tradition that has been inherited in this town, not to make this kind of sacrifice the stone can cause diseases and scares in families.
The offering consists in taking candles, bread, cigarettes, cocoa liquor, eggs and sometimes chickens (to be sacrificed). It is also a way to show respect for the stone so that it does not cause any injury or illness in the family or in the community. It is also revered when they build a house, any work, a party and when there is a wedding this with the motive of any activity or ceremonial construction not go wrong.

LEGENDS

In the community of San Cristobal Lachirioag addition to the beliefs mentioned above, there are also myths and legends stories that get passed down from generation to generation, that is through the oral tradition. These stories are very numerous and here is one of them.

EL CAZADOR EXTRAVIADO (The lost hunter)

Two hunters lived in the village. One day this two hunters climbed to the hill of "Yiawiz", once they got halfway there was a junction where they decided to go separate ways. There were some sidewalks and each went by, the man who rose to the top saw a deer and shot it. He did not kill the deer, he injured it. The animal ran away and the man followed it. The other hunter had heard the shot and went to see what had happened when he saw his companion following the deer.
The hunter followed the blood trace until he arrived where there is a hole and the air comes out. There the blood disappeared, and then he walked a bit and found a cave. He went in and once he was inside the cave suddenly close. Inside he saw many deer injured, then a man came out of the shadows, and told the hunter as these animals here now you are going to cure them because you all the hurt them. The hunter stayed, and did not realize how much time he was locked. When the deer were healed , the master of them told the man to go and look for some holy herb for cooking one of the deer as a sign of gratitude. The hunter went for the leaves and when he arrived to a stream there was a lady washing clothes and told her the story of what had happened to him and that he needed those leaves. He did not realize he was talking to a virgin then the lady told him to no return to the cave because the master would not cook the deer, that he would cook him. Then she showed him the path to return to his home.
He wondered how he could pay the favor and the lady said if you want you could bring me a gift here at the top of the hill. The hunter went home and when he arrived at his, he told the story to his wife. The following day they went to the top of the hill with an offering thanking the lady and since that day our countrymen began to carry the same offering to the Virgin Mary and the cross to seek protection for the family and welfare, and what we continue to do so far.

MYTHS

THE IMAGE OF SAN CRISTOBAL

Long ago the villagers had no much to eat and the only place that people would find work was San Jose Manso River. People met and agreed to carry the image of San Cristobal to that place.
They met very early, and left with the image of San Cristobal when they arrived they put the image in a palm house that they found and left it there for four days. Then brought the image and began to go from house to house, every people gave them money to the image. They approached a house that was a little bit away from the others. In this house lived a man who was our people who did not believe in the miracles of God, this man came and told of things to the lord, insulting and speaking ill of the image, the man reported that the image is not worth anything and had no to give money that it costs to obtain work, the image is not of any help, and for that reason he had left our community and live in San Jose Manso River.
The next day when the man arrived in the field where he had to work and found a very large snake, the snake was thrown on top of the man and ate him. The people who were with this man wanted to kill the snake, but suddenly disappeared. Since then people realized that the image is miraculous. People of the town went to bring money and things to the image, then the farmers took the image very happy to Lachirioag. Once in Lachirioag they shared things and money so that all the villagers had to eat and organized a big party in honor of San Cristobal.

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMUNITY

As in all communities, each has its own customs and traditions, according to which they themselves have established internal rules to govern and mutually respected among them. And also those coming to establish there are subject to the internal rules, compliance and enforce them. So also be a creditor of the sanctions not to fulfill the above-mentioned rules.
In the community of Lachirioag there are organized groups who are appointed or elected by the people for a period of one year. To mention some the education committee consisting of a chairman and a secretary treasurer, two vowels, they are responsible for supporting and monitoring requirements immediate of the two institutions preschool and primary there as well as the close relationship with parents, students in general, teachers and municipal authority. The mills committee also exist with the same community characteristics of appointment and the length of the periods of his duties They face to meet the management of the mills which consists of grinding the corn during the hours of 5 to 7 o'clock in the morning and shift a week in the afternoons and a total of 3 mills.
In the community there are two types of stewards, one is appointed by the people to monitor and take care of a chapel that is San Antonio last few years step belong to the people and that there is the kitchen of the community where they are given food all visitors who come to the festival which takes place at the Patron Saint in November and the period of function is a year and is valid as any other service that they could appoint the honorable council.
The other stewards are elected only in some segments of the population that are some multiple, in total there are several.
All of them involved in work collectives and partnerships that will come to appoint assemblies of the pueblo. Like most villages there is a health committee, they are responsible for monitoring the service of potable water throughout the town, as a general cleaning in the sense recommend to the inhabitants on the toilet and main roads.
We should also mention the organization of the Catholic church that as the others, they are appointed by the joint peoples, heads the treasurer of the temple, is a secretary of the commission in charge festivities funds for the festival and ultimately the employer commissioners whose positions stewards of some of the images of the temple in total are 12 commissioners.

POLITICAL ORGANIZATION

The political category of the population is free and sovereign municipalities, where the leader who leads the destiny of peoples is the municipal president precisely with his council that accompany it, the municipal authority is composed of a chairman, trustee, mayor, treasurer, secretary Four aldermen, (one of finances, one of work, a health and other education) all their respective alternates, elected by the people in a general assembly and in a democratic way, because the citizens who meet certain characteristics according to its profile position held years ago, everyone has the obligation to serve in any capacity.
On the other hand, within the community does not exist groups that are identified with political parties recognized by the federal election commission, it can be said by a lack of influence and penetration of these political parties and before the spill resources that cause these advertisements.

RECREATIONAL

Recreational activities in this town are very rare, because as a community that is very far from the city, it becomes difficult to conduct constant recreational events such as cinemas, rides, theaters, etc.
But people feel satisfied to see and observe the socio-cultural processes from educational institutions organized in historic holidays, the other recreation that occurs is the presentation of the dances and music of philharmonic orchestra at parties or celebrations community as well as the sport of basketball, this is a very healthy recreation that is practical and is the favorite sport of many people in the community, as in the region.

MUSIC

In Lachirioag philharmonic bands are encouraged for which there is a band which is the municipal youth, which provides its services both within and outside the community, the music that stands out most in this community are pleased with the “sones y jarabes de la sierra” which are performed and executed by the majority of people in the Lachirioag, in which the relationship with other has been identified.

DANCE

 
In the indigenous dances remain part of the ritual to honor a party to any deity. The “mayordomo” (butler) and the committee festivities are responsible for forming the groups dancers.
The clothes (costumes) are produced by the same people, now aided by the seamstresses in the community. Many of the dances has been retained as part of the original costumes are plumes of feathers, mirrors (formerly polished stone).
The dancers dance to show reverence and respect to the deities, every move, every color, every gift has its religious significance and social dances that run have different themes in music as well as in choreography. Some are modifications of the primitive ritual, some represent; warriors; and many other with conditions or Spanish influences.


All these dances are performed with the local “banda filarmonica” music and are presented in fiestas patronales and neighbourhoods.

Generally our grandparents were very much fans of art mainly on music and dance, in this way it was given much importance to the artistic creativity. Today at present these expressions are in gradual decay because of the following motives (to mention some): because our teachers of music have left us, the high cost of musical instruments as well as the cost of costumes dance also greatly influences the migration to big cities, mass media and a lack of spaces for creativity development (cultural centers) where children can develop their artistic abilities.

DANCE OF THE CONQUEST

This is a dance drama that incorporates aspects of the Spanish conquest.
This consists of two opposing troops, the first contingent representing the Indians dressed in animal skins, in this dance the dress is a blanket adorned with feathers of guajolote and escorted with the Malinche, a woman dressed as a Zapotec woman and its flagship loading a Mexican flag, another contingent representing the conquerors through an army and a girl dressed in clothes of a “Citadina” addition to a war band. Also there are two girls who are responsible for distributing the firecrackers to their contingents in the development of the battle. The two contingents dancing by the rhythm of the music of the band and the war.
The troops entered the stage separately, the first group are the “guajolotes” dancing some songs; right after the Spanish army enters. at the front and loading the flag bearer of Spain, once the two remain contingent on the stage and it is in the first meeting where the conquerors earn the Malinche as an ally. It is here where the battle starts with an indication of the sergeant. In the development of the battle, the captain of the army bombards the Indians with firecrackers. When the army indicates the completion of the battle, the army is pursued by the “guajolotes” until they catch the soldiers and in this way the Indians win the battle. At one end the character of Hernan cuts and the war Banda also these are punished with the defeated.
In the second battle the “guajolotes” are persecuted by the army and once they are caught, they are taken to military barracks where “guajolotes” are punished in a way because they are severely burnt by the army and in this way the army triumphs in the battle.
In one of these scenes Cuauhtémoc’s feet are burned to deliver the treasure, and also the character of Hernan Cortes cries under a tree.
This dance has been represented for more than 40 years.

DANCE IS SAN JOSE (DANCE OF NENE HUENCHE)

This is a ritual dance adopted by the Spaniards, to combat what they saw as idolatry. Initially those who danced this dance were dressed with “costales” called for this dress “huenches encostalados” Before the Spaniards came, this ceremonial dance was already under implementation to give the deserved applause to the mother nature for all the benefits received.
This dance includes a woman named Rosa Maria female character who wears a handkerchief in her hand with what she makes gestures which conceals startling to wildlife detrimental to planting.
In the pre-Hispanic era came this came to signify the fight biological nature to preserve the balance of the environment as well as the the appreciation of the gifts that the earth provides. Upon arrival of the Spanish invaders, especially the priests saw this artistic expression as what they called idolatry; instead of honoring the European god the indigenous would be grateful the indigenous natural forces.
This is why the Friars decided to create a new dance that instead of using it to worship the goddess of the earth, representing the joy, happiness, the mood of the holy family's example to be emulated and to achieve this change.
This transition came to impose a change in terms of the vision and respect to the nature of the pre-Columbian inhabitants. This was one of the ways that reinforced the conquest and attempted to justify their inhuman abuses with the argument of indigenous did not know the true God.
As in this manner, rather than indigenous costumes and characterizations the “costal” and the faces of the viejitos should appear with the imitation of the Spaniards faces and clothes. The masks, costumes and the steps are the contribution of the conquerors imposed to evangelize and try to remove the natives of their former beliefs.
Now instead of Rosa Maria representing the guardian deity of sowing and harvesting, it appears the Virgin Mary, mother of the child that God takes under its protection to all who invoked. This dance represents a baby boy to God. Joseph, the father of the child danced around the Virgin Mary chanting songs, as was mentioned above is the representation of the holy family.
This dance will practice in the villages with slight variations in their dress, execution and in terms of the words that Joseph used to lull the child. We already said we can not locate a place of origin since the Spanish influence was the way that turned the original representation.
Just as other dances this also has more than a hundred years to be executed in this community. It involves the dancers, dad, mom, the nene, the grandfather and the small child chipiloso.
It has twelve sones.

DANCE OF NEGRITOS

The dance of blacks seems to have originated in imitation of the ritual magic of the black slaves that were brought from Africa by the Spanish colonizers to work in arduous work in the fields.
A paternal love story tells us that a small kid suffered a small bite of a snake and before such accident his mother and blacks executed their rituals until they returned the little boy to life. The dance of the blacks meets black, Spanish and Totonacas characteristics because it is seen as enabling a dance of fertility, associated with ATZINI, God of thunder and lightning, which precedes the rain to collect great harvests. Their dresses are very colorful. In the dance of the blacks, 3 variants are known: 2 of them in the mountainous area of totonacapan blacks "yellow" (smukuku black) and black high or "emplumados" (xatalhman), the other is that of the blacks from the coast (lakapunkswa blacks) black or crouch.
The first took its name from the color of their suits, black high owe their name to the size of the feathers that adorn the front of his hat and blacks from the coast are the ones that prevail in the region of Papantla; bowing to the dance compared to what are known as black agachados.
It is difficult to investigate further data on the origin of the dance. This dance is performed in almost every patron saint festivities of the Sierra north. Each community has its own characteristics in terms of alternative music, the kind of performance dancing and dress.
We can highlight two variants of this dance, in terms of decent blacks dancing usually with steps finest, elegance and a little more slowly. Unlike the blacks colmilludos who jump and dance a little more rapid the same sones, change the mask and the steps or choreography in some cases, though the sector cajonos emphasizes much the execution of this dance without forgetting that Lachirioag has its own version.

This dance of blacks colmilludos have been practiced for over hundreds of years in this community, which involved eight dancers, composed of 20 “sones”

DANCE OF THE MALINCHE

La Malinche is part of the group dances of conquest that danced in the villages of the region as the Zapotec Huenche nene or San Jose, colmilludos among blacks and some other dances chuscas also returning elements of the conquest, Regarding the dance of Malinche is the following: regularly as boys and girls danced their clothing is adorned with sequins and velvet hats with ribbons, mirrors, and feathers, women use castanets, children used rattles in his right hand , the number of dancers are a total of 12 more grandfather and the accompanying dancing to the edge of the dance.
The sones dancing are more than 20 such groups exist sones which is danced in the table in marriage, in the development of tissue supported on a pole and after unravel the fabric of the pole, the pole is loaded grandfather dancing with him with a sones or syrups, there is a son who dances Moctezuma main character of being the first to dance training, which is another three women dance the first two in a row and head, the latter is the son of outputting This part is danced in pairs returning to general register to exit and thus complete the presentation.

DANCE OF TIGRES

This dance is created in the forties in San Cristobal Lachirioag
As part of the cult of mother nature in the pre-Hispanic era Zapotecs of the northern sierra worshipped the animals that were part of the fauna, including the jaguar, as one of the most feared and respected animals. It was believed that jaguars had the power to influence people's lives through their spirit. There is a legend that by killing a jaguar. One needed to take the jaguars blood to own some of their qualities. For being custodians of holy sites, part of the cult was to invoke his presence through ceremonies dance imitating their characteristics, but with the arrival of the white man to indigenous lands the ceremony acquires comedy aspects losing its original touch. Its creators were Manuel Ambrosio and Eugenio Felipe (no que no).
Make a note that this dance imitates the felines grace and elegant moves.
It consists of 12 sones.
Participants: 9 elements
Music: Original flute and drum, currently dances with the accompaniment of the band Philharmonic.
Dress: used clothes embroidered cloth or painted with the colors of the jaguar mask and made of wood.

DANCE OF MIXES

Born as a burlesque imitation of the real sones mixes; this dance took elements and original music of this ethnic group mixes to recreate and make some arrangements to give it a touch faster and insert steps to laugh people with exaggerated movements.
On average a man uses a simple outfit, dirty outfit, a large mask, a black hat a scarf and a huarache. In general it becomes an of the original mixe suit.

GASTRONOMY

 
The food in the community is characterized by: the saucer traditional tamales. We are going to mention one in particular which is the “tamales de tres picos” which basically is made as follows. You put a layer of dough on which you spread sauce that was already made then you put a piece of meat (any meat) then u start to wrap the layer into a triangle shape with banana leaves. It should be noted that this dish is typical of this community.
So too is consumed beef stew, “chinteztle” prepared with guajillo chile, garlic and salt. The main ingredient on the diet of people in Lachirioag is the tortillas; which there is a variety that goes from white, yellow and purple maize.

BEVERAGE

In this community it is consumed mainly champurrado developed with cocoa, cinnamon. There is also tepache, pozontle, atole corn oil and other spirits.

CLOTHING

The community is characterized by Lachirioag men and women who use traditional white huipil, which is tailored by the women themselves and for the seamstresses of the community.
Women use the huipil which is made with fabrics it is used with a red belt (soyate). At present time in the community there are just few ladies who are still wearing this Costume due to the acculturation that exists in the community now because young people and adults prefer to use the new fashionable clothes.
The men wear the short of blanket, white hat, guaraches (sandals). In this aspect also is losing this tradition and women like men also presents the situation of acculturation.

SERVICES AND WORKS

Public services with which the community are: electricity, drinking water, post office, health clinic IMSS solidarity, sewage service.

Electricity came to the community in the year 1970 to give supply to the whole town in all homes, in the main streets, in various institutions including the roads.
The drinking water arrived in 1957 and caters to the whole community as a whole, the post office has about 17 years to operate normally, there is no one person who distributes correspondence and their fees are covered by the same community.

The clinic has two nurses and a doctor (a) depending on the time remaining in service to the community, this service is for everyone; however, the health center still is in need of a lot of material for medical care and therefore, it may not meet all the health needs that the citizens require.

In regard to public works the community of San Cristobal Lachirioag has some infrastructure which is mentioned as follows: The town hall a market and a municipal auditorium that is occupied by different socio-cultural activities, the market deals Thursday as the days of tianguis; there is also a municipal cemetery, a “escoleta” (where musicians gather to practice, to teach music. Three mills and an electric motor to the service of housewives, There is establishments that provide the use of internet. There is a public library.

In the town there are four educational institutions established as well: The Center of Preschool education, the Federal Bilingual Elementary School which has a guest house for students in the various communities who come to study in the community, the Technical Secondary School No. 203 and finally is the institution of higher average level, the Comprehensive Community Baccalaureate. 06, All this institutions work to coordinate events in the socio-cultural community.

CONCLUSIONS

Having written this simple work we have concluded that this type of work helps us to know and appreciate what our ancestors left us. It is a way to know what characterizes our community. Lachirioag is a place with many qualities and attributes. It is of a great importance for us to provide a better and broader understanding to our younger generations. It is also important for the elder to reflect on the history of the town of Lachirioag and to invite others to visit and know us.