A cup of Chiapas culture: in addition to its colorful history and an abundance of natural resources, this region of Mexico also produces a wide variety of eco-friendly coffee.
Americas (English Edition) › Vol. 60 Nbr. 6, November 2008
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A cup of Chiapas culture: in addition to its colorful history and an abundance of natural resources, this region of Mexico also produces a wide variety of eco-friendly coffee.
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MEXICAN WRITER ROSARIO CASTELLANOS describes the tropical forest of her native Chiapas as a mysterious paradise. Indeed, as the beautiful landscape of this Mexican "Coffee Route" state unfolds before us, paradise does seem an apt description. Chiapas is a place of green and sun, of rivers and starry skies; it is full of the mystery of nature, living and exuberant. The Maya once inhabited a large part of the region. They knew about everything from hydraulic systems to the natural wealth of the jungle, and they built some of the area's most beautiful cities: Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, Izapa, Toning, Chinkultic, Lacaja, and Tenan Puente. When the Mayan civilization "collapsed," the sacred centers were abandoned and their splendor remained hidden in the jungle. Years later, the Spanish met fierce resistance from the indo...See the full content of this document
