Visiting the village of San Juan Chamula

On the Fourth of July, I visited the nearby villages of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan.  Indigenous people populate these towns, and I had an opportunity to learn about their culture.  Their religion is animalistic with sacrifices of chicken.  They have their own languages.  Their medical practice is heavily herbal.  In one of their homes, I had fresh corn tortilla with pumpkin powder.  It was excellent.  The leader of the tour was raised by an indigenous family but grew up to become very western.  He regretted that decision and complained bitterly about the number of missionaries who come to the villages trying to convert people, especially mormons.  I didn't blame him.  How would like mormons like it if I showed up trying to convert them to Hinduism (the basis of a future movie).

Later, I went to my free salsa lesson at my hostel.  Juan Carlos the teach is actually the cousin of Carlos Miranda whose studio I learned salsa from in Antigua, Guatemala.   Small world.  My dance partner was either Sevrene, a french woman who giggled constantly or Christina, who barked at me in Italian over how I would dance even though she knew I didn't speak the language.

He complained biterly about the mormons...