The Chinantecos of the Land of the Hummingbird

The Chinantecos call themselves "people of the ancient word" and have a presence in 17 municipalities. 

They currently have few speakers of the language, but they are making great efforts to revitalize it.

Their cuisine is varied and ancestral, including tepejilote, ear mushroom broth, red mole or mole de masa, sour pozol, corn atole, and cassava tortilla, and is usually served at patron saint festivals, weddings, and baptisms.

They also drink "popo," a fresh and refreshing drink made from cocoa and a root called cocolmecatl, which is mainly drunk at parties.

The huipil, which is made on a three-cloth waist loom, is worn during celebrations and is also for daily use.

The side cloths must be the same and the middle cloth bears the shirtfront, which means that "life has no end" and is known as a symbol of the woman's purity.

The central part of the shirtfront symbolizes the rest of eternal life and is wider than the side cloths.

They bring different flowers such as the guava, field guides, and follow the curves of the road to reach the village and the "life insurance" flower. 

Everything is made on a waist loom and takes from six to seven months to make. Once finished, the three cloths are adorned with ribbons on the sleeves, and crowns and lace are placed on the shoulder. 

Serpentine ribbons are placed on the sides to cover the seam of the huipil. 

The huipil is classified into three types or qualities: low, which only has a ribbon; medium, with a ribbon and a serpentine; and high, with a ribbon and a double serpentine. 

The skirt is made of commercial floral fabric and, to complement it, they use red coral earrings and necklaces. 

In Ojitlán they dance to the rhythm of the jarana, the violin, the marimba, or the guitar. The "Son de Ojite" dance stands out, inspired by the huipil of the community.

The choreography was created based on the embroidery of the huipil.