Zinacantecos Indians
The Zinacantecos have changed moderately over time but their strong heritage and belief systems have been carried through to present times. The language has stayed intact over several thousand years mainly because of its importance in expressing their cosmology, which in essence is the main principle upon which they live their lives. They have adopted some Spanish words and are all learning Spanish in school but their own language as well as many of their beliefs and rituals are still practiced within their social units. The Zinacanteco universe is based around a quadrilateral cosmos. There is a center of their above world called the "navel" which is a mound of earth in the Zinacantan ceremonial center. The entire world is extended from this navel. The four points that surround this center indicate the Vashak-Men or the "Four-Corner Gods". The significance of these gods and their connection with nature is proven when they see natural disasters as a theory of population control or as punishment for sins. An earthquake is experienced when the gods are tired and they are shifting the excessive burden from shoulder to shoulder, the earthquake is thought to kill enough people to balance out the burden.
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Earth Owner, Senior Mountain, Catholic Mass, Cacique Zinacantan, Ancestral Gods, Cargo System, Four-Corner Gods, , Joseph Mary, Lower World, inner soul, ceremonial center, cargo system, zinacanteco people, earth owner, inside mountains, water supply, inner souls, social system, lower world, bless houses settlements, houses settlements shamans, purchase own land, earth owner earth, called senior mountain,
Approximate Word count = 4137
Approximate Pages = 17 (250 words per page double spaced)
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