Cambio de Varas, December 31 - January 8

A traditional indigenous ceremony celebrating the changing of the village authorities. Each year the outgoing leader symbolically passes the power of authority to the incoming leader, usually via a ceremonial object such as a staff that is imbued with the power required to lead. In the Tzeltal Maya culture the Baston, or staff, is passed, and wild tobacco called binkilal is used as part of a ritual to protect the village in the year ahead. In the Cora culture an Entrega de los Bancos, an exchanging of chairs occurs. Often during the ceremony there is a discussion of the accomplishments of the past year and a voice given to what needs to be accomplished in the future. For the Cora, this is a social event that includes eating, drinking, ritualistic games, speech making, music and dancing. These slides document ceremonies, dances, costumes, churches, ephemera, offerings, and other traditions associated with this celebration.

These slides are housed in Library Storage Facility (LSF) Container A.

A descriptive narrative of these slides is found on audiocassette #1 side B, which is housed in LSF Container RR.