Winik Atel

The Tzeltal, who call themselves Winik Atel, are a Maya people of the Chiapas highlands in southern Mexico. Their speech forms, together with Tzotzil, the Tzeltalan branch of the Mayan language family, and the two languages began to diverge around 1200.

They descend from the builders of the Classic Maya cities, and after the lowland kingdoms collapsed their pre-Hispanic society was divided among as many as forty-five autonomous political units.

Spanish soldiers and missionaries reached Chiapas between 1524 and 1545, and through most of the colonial era Tzeltal villages were forced to supply labour for mines, mills and haciendas. The people lived by maize farming and textile work in self-governing communities, blending Catholic rites with native beliefs and shamanic healing. In 1824 Chiapas separated from Guatemala and joined the new Mexican republic, while highland families kept their language and customary authorities.