Zoque carnival of Coita

Carnival of Coita is a delight of colors, that astonishes with the variety of costumes and creativity of designers. Personally, we consider the parade of Coita to be one of the most interesting we had seen and the most varied in Chiapas.

“Carnival is a tradition with approximately 500 years: it has its origins in pre-Hispanic times with the Zoque inhabitants, when they made offerings to the Sun Father,” Tajaj Jama ”in the Zoque language, hoping to receive good harvests and asking for the world not to end.

With the arrival of Spaniards in the region, the Dominican friars were in charge of evangelizing of the zoques population, replacing the “pagan” festivities as the friars called them, for Christian rituals and holidays. On the other hand, the Zoque carnval of Coita marks the begining of preparation for Lent.

There are several characters that dance,  such as: the tiger, the monkey, the horse, the Mohammed, the David, of Spanish, Arabic and Zoque origin. The “chores” have an important role, because of their colorful appearance, they are telling jokes and stories of the people. They are guardians and they protect characters from the crowds by making a “fence”.

The instruments used durign the festival are the drum and reed flute, which symbolize the beating of life and the whistle of the wind. ”

Sunday’s parade lasts 4 hours and you wouldn’t get bored for a minute! It is a very real experience because there are almost no tourists, although every year a few more, always received by the coitecos with friendliness and joy.

“” – translation of the text cited after Regeneration