Transformation and innovation of knowledge in the construction and sustainable function of housing at the headwaters of San Juan Chamula.

Alejandra Trujillo Miguel Sánchez Álvarez (2022)

SUMMARY

 

San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, is one of the most representative cultures of the native peoples of Mexico. The municipal seat is made up of three main neighborhoods: San Juan, San Sebastián and San Pedro. In ancient times, the architectural design of the houses was made of materials such as straw, adobe, bajareque and others of organic origin, which were part of the natural environment of the inhabitants. Thus, houses were built based on the use of natural elements available to the inhabitants as a result of the use of primary sector activity.

 

From the Chamula worldview housing has played functions for rest and shelter, therefore it was considered as a sacred place. When building one, ceremonies and offerings were carried out to appease any disgust of the guardians of Mother Earth, as they considered that nature had life, and to avoid any misfortune among the members of the family. For this, it was necessary to offer music, songs, and special dishes to feed the house and the Earth, so there would be harmony and well-being. Today, that worldview has been disrupted by the presence of multiple religions and other factors.

 

Chamula housing has gone through different stages of transition, from 1990 onwards, it was made of materials such as bricks, blocks and cement. With international migration and the arrival of young Chamula in the United States, changes in the building styles and function of housing are observed, as well as a loss of Chamula-type architectural knowledge, so that traditional architectural knowledge remains only with the elderly. Nowadays, Chamula masons and house builders opt for a foreign architectural design like California, thus changing their cultural identity, their way of life and their relationship with nature.

 

Keywords: traditional architecture, migration, architectural change.

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traditional architecture migration architectural change arquitectura tradicional cambio arquitectónico chamula migración vivienda CIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS SOCIALES