Colorados vs zoques | Saúl Kak

“The legend tells that a Zoque man, who was a healer and trader, went to sell napkins used in special ceremonies or rituals. The Colorados surrounded and attacked him, showcasing their powers. They fought the man by transforming into fierce animals. One of them turned into a crocodile and blocked the river’s course. The man was on the upper side of the river, and the water began to flood the area. The tecpateco (the Zoque man) climbed to the highest part, where the water had not reached yet. He crouched down, took a needle from his bag, and buried it in the grass. On top of the needle, he placed a leaf similar to those blessed during Holy Week. He blew on it, and it transformed into a palm tree; the tecpateco climbed on it to defend himself.

The tecpateco took a reed from his bag and started playing the sound of thunder. His music echoed through all the mountains and the Tecpátan communities; it was a call to alert his people. In the village, the ringing of bells was heard, and other Zoques went to the rescue. They arrived at the battle, ready to confront the Colorados. The man empowered the people with his reed music; the more he played, the more the crocodile froze, and that’s how they defeated the Colorados. The crocodile represents the surrounding mountains, where they faced each other, in the course of the Grijalva River.” – Saúl Kak

Saúl Kak, a Zoque artist, was born in Esquipulas Guayabal, Rayón, Chiapas, Mexico in 1985. He is an artist with a multimedia practice, including performance works (as a collaborator with the EDELO collective), in cinema (co-author of “La Selva Negra”), and a passionate painter, trained at the UNICACH art school in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. Learn more.