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Chol Ritual Language
with Terrence Lee Folmar, Heidi Altman, Ausencio Cruz Guzmán, and Bernardo Pérez Martínez
©1996 J. Kathryn Josserand and Nicholas A. Hopkins
SANTA CRUZ
The Feast of the Holy Cross
Narrated by Bernardo Pérez Martínez, of Tila, Chiapas; 5 June 1995; Cinta Tila 95-2. Transcribed by Ausencio Cruz Guzmán y Lee Folmar, 21-22 June 1995. Revised by Cruz, Folmar, Nicholas Hopkins and Kathryn Josserand, 27 June 1995. Edited by Cruz Guzmán and Josserand, 28 June 1995. English translation by K. Josserand, January 1996.
| Ili ty’añ mu bu ka laj käl wale’, li jiñ bajche’ li k’iñ krus, mu bu i melob wä’ tyi lak lumal Tila. Che’ bajche wajali, chäch kostumbre chañ lak tyaty, lak ña’ob, lak yum, laj ko’ob, mi’ melob. Mi’ melbeñob li k’iñ li krus, cha’añ li krusi, mi yäl lak tyaty, lak ña’ob, jiñäch ba’ tyi jo’be lak ch’uj tyaty tyi wajali. |
This story that I’m going to tell today is about how we celebrate the day of the Holy Cross here in our land of Tila. We do it just as in the olden days, according to the customs of our fathers and mothers, our grandfathers and grandmothers. They celebrated the festival of the cross, because the cross, our ancestors say, is where our Holy Father came down long ago. |
| Jiñ cha’añ, kostumbre jäch lak tyaty, lak ña’ob, mi’ melbeñob i k’iñ li krusi. Mi’ melbeñob i k’iñ li krus lak tyaty lak ña’ob, tyi yux p’ejlel tzik li mayo. Mi’ tyempañob i bä jiñi lak lumalob. |
That’s why it was the custom for our parents to celebrate the festival of the cross. Our ancestors celebrated the day of the cross on the third day in May. They gathered together in our land. |
| Chejach mach wä’ tyi lumi, ya’ ba tyi päsä i bä lak ch’uj tyaty wajali. Mi’ laj käl jiñch li chañ bä krus. Mi’ lu’ majlelob pejtyelel jiñi lak pi’älob; mi’ melob li k’iñ ya’ya’i. Chäch i kostumbrejob i cha’añ lak yum, lak ko’ob, wajali. |
Not just here below (in the town); there (at the mountain cave shrine), where our Holy Father showed himself long ago. We call that the high cross. All our people come together; they celebrate the festival right there. That was the custom of our grandfathers and grandmothers long ago. |
| I che’ jiñi, li xch’ujwañajob bä, mi’ kuchob majlel li saj chuty Señor am bä wu’ ti klesia. Pejtyelel kixtyañu mi’ majlel i yotzañob i promesa. Mi’ majlel i tzuk’ob i ñichim. Mi’ ch’ämob majlel li kojete; mi’ ch’ämob majlel i pom. Mi’ ch’ämob majlel i lembal je’el. |
And so, those who are the cargo-holders carry forth the small Christ from the church. All Christians go to make their vows. They go and light candles. They take fireworks; they take incense. They also take along some liquor. |
| Jiñi yujilob bä i japob lembal, mi’ ch’ämob majlel, cha’añ mi’ tyijikña pañämil, cha’añ weñ k’otyajax. Che’ bajche li xch’ujwañajob, mi’ tyempañob i bä, mi’ ch’ämob majlel i we’el, che’ bajche jujun tyikil xch’ujwañajob, che’ bajche makyumlal, pejtyelelob xch’ujwañajob añob bä tyi toñel ya’ tyi klesia. |
Those who are accustomed to drinking liquor, they take it, so that the world will be happy, so that they will be well content. And those who are the cargo-holders, they get together and they take food; each cargo-holder, from the Great Lord’s cargo to every cargo-holder who is in service there in the church. |
| I che’ bajche jiñi lak pi’älob je’el, mu bu i majlel i tzuk’ob i ñichimi, mi’ ch’ämob majlel i we’elob je’el. Mi’ ch’ämob majlel chuki yes mi’ k’uxob, chuki yes mi’ japob, ya’ tyi krusi. Che’ jiñi, weñ tyijikñajob mi’ k’ayiñob i kitara. Añob i violin. Mi’ jatz’ob kaxlan soñ. |
And also the people, those who go to light candles, they take along food, too. They carry whatever they want to eat, whatever they want to drink, there to the cross. And so, very happily they play the guitar. There are violins. They play Western music. |
| Cha’añ che’ jiñi, tyijikñayob ya’ tyi ba mi’ tzuk’ob i ñichim. Mi’ cha’leñob li k’iñijel li k’iñ krusi. Kolem k’iñ i cha’añ lak lumal, cha’añ chä’äch päsälob i cha’añ lak tyaty, lak ña’ob, wajali. |
And because of that, they are happy there where they light the candles. They celebrate the day of the Holy Cross. It is a great festival for our land, because thus our ancestors taught us, long ago. |
| Che’ jiñi, tax ki ujtyi li k’iñijel ya’ tyi chañ bä krusi, ila ba’ tyi päsä i bä, ba tzajñi tyi putz’el lak ch’uj tyaty wajali. Jiñi wä’ tyi li barrio, cha’añ bä San Sebastián, ili jun tyemelob k’o’ mi’ majlelob ya’ tyi chañ bä krus, yik’oty bajche li Centro, cha’añ San Nikolás. Mi’ tyempañob i bä, mi’ melob jujum p’ejl k’iñ je’el, cha’añ chäch i kostumbre i chañob bajche li barrio, wä’ ba añoñ lojoñ. |
So, they finish the festival there where the high cross is, there where he showed himself, where Our Holy Father went to escape long ago. Those here in the barrio, that of San Sebastián, those who are truly all together go there to the high cross, with those of the Center, of San Nicolás. They gather together, they make individual celebrations also, because thus is the custom of each barrio, here where we are. |
| Jinäch bä barrio San Sebastián, mi’ melob li k’iñijel wä’ tyi barrio San Sebastián, yik’oty jiñi Centro San Nikolás. I kostumbre jäch i cha’añob che’ tyi chäm p’ejlel tzik li mayo. Mi’ lu’ tyempañob i bä lak pi’älob, chan jach ñaxañ mi’ majlelob ya’ tyi chañ bä krusi. |
Those of the barrio of San Sebastián celebrate the festival there in the barrio of San Sebastián, with those of the Center, San Nicolás. That’s the custom of each of them, when it’s the fourth of May. All the countrymen gather together, so that first they can go there to the high cross. |
| Che’ jiñi, tyi jum p’ejl bä k’iñ, mi’ tyempañob i bä; mi’ chajpañob i bä, chañ bajche ora mi’ lok’elob majlel, chañ bajche ora mi’ päyob jubel tyilel li Señor de Tila, li saj chuty Señori. Much’ i jubel tyilel je’el wä’ tyi Centro San Nikolás, wä’ tyi krus. Mi’ päyob; mi’ kuchob tyilel li Señori. Mi’ tyempañob i bä. |
And so, on that very day, they gather together; they arrange among themselves as to just what time they will go out, just what time they will process the Lord of Tila, the smaller Christ. They also process here in the Center San Nicolás, here at the Cross. They process; they carry the Lord. They gather together. |
| Añob i lajtye’, añobäch i kitara je’el, li barrio ba’ mi’ melob i k’iñijeli. Mi’ pulob ñichim, mi’ pulob pom. Añäch jiñi i trensipalob je’el. Añäch li xtzuk’ñichimob je’el; li xpekayosob je’eli, yik’ot wo bu tyi sub ñichim, yik’ot wo bu i subeñ pejtyelel li ñichim, yopom, tyi lak ch’uj tyaty. |
There are drums; there are guitars, too, from the barrio that is celebrating the festival. They burn candles; they burn incense. And there also are the elders. There also are those who burn the candles, the ones who speak to God, along with those who offer candles, along with those who offer all the candles and flowers to our Holy Father. |
| Che’ jiñi, che’ mux i kuchob te jiñi Señori. Yax mi’ k’otyel i yäk’ob ya’ tyi ermita cha’añ San Nikolás, añob i kojete, cha’añ tyijikñayob yubiñ je’el. Yäch mi’ melob li k’iñijel ya’ tyi ermita. Mik mel lojoñ li k’iñijel wä’ tyi ermita cha’añ yäch chukuloñ lojoñ je’eli. |
And so, thus they carry the Lord. Then they arrive there at the hermitage of San Nicolás; there are fireworks, so that they will feel happy also. They really celebrate the festival there at the hermitage. We celebrate the festival here at the hermitage because we’re really from there, too. |
| Wäch añoñ wä’ tyi barrio San Sebastián, yik’oty jiñi Centro San Nikolás. Chäch kostumbre i cha’añob li barrio. Chäch kostumbre i cha’añob bajche lak yum, laj ko’ob, ta bä ñumiyob wajali, wä tyi barrio. Mach kuxulobtyak, tax sajtyiyobtyak. |
Here we are, here in the Barrio of San Sebastián, along with the Center, San Nicolás. That’s the tradition of each barrio. That was the tradition of our ancestors, those who passed long ago, here in the barrio. They are no longer alive; they have already died. |
| Che’ tyi ñojo k’iñi, che’ tyi chäm p’ejlel tzik li mayo, mi’ jubel lak tyalay, i yäk’ misa ya’ tyi ermita. Mi’ tyempañob i bä pejtye lak pi’älob. ¿Chukoch che’ mi’ yujtyel li misa? ¿Chukoch mi’ yäk misa lak tyalay? Cham pejtye lak pi’älob mi’ k’ajtyiñob i wa’tyäl, i kuxtyäl, cha’añ ma’añ i k’amäjel, cha’añ mi’ weñ kolelob i päk’äbob, che’ bajche i yixim, che’ bajche i bu’ul. Jun teme mi’ k’ajtyiñob. |
When it’s the big day, when it’s the fourth of May, the priest comes, and says mass there at the hermitage. All the people gather together. Why then do they have a mass? Why does the priest say mass? So that all the people can ask for their pledges, so that there will be no sickness, so that their harvests will grow well, like their corn, like their beans. All together they ask. |
| Che’ jiñi, che’ tax ujtyi li misa ba’ kuchul jiñi li k’iñ krusi, cha’añ li chäm p’ejlel tzik li mayo, añäch juñ tyikil wa’al bä lak pi’äl, ba’añ li k’iñi. Mi’ päyelob majlel pejtyel lak pi’älob, cha’añ mi’ tz’ita’ japob kajpe, mi’ k’uxob bu’ul, jiñix chu’bä mi’ chajpañob li barrio, cha’añ bä we’el, uch’el. |
And so, when the mass is finished there where the festival of the Cross is carried out, when it is the fourth of May, the people really do stand together, there where the festival is. All the people join the procession, so that they can drink a little coffee, they can eat some beans, whatever the barrio has arranged, for food and drink. |
| Che’ jiñi, kabäl mi’ k’otyel p’ejtyel lak pi’älob, mach bä ya’ chukulob je’eli. Mi’ k’otyel i yotzañob i promesa je’el ya’ya’i. Mi’ k’otyel i tzuk’ob i ñichim. |
And so, many people come, not only those who live here. They come to make their vows there also. They come to burn their candles. |
| Mach jiñob jach li barrio, mi’ k’otyelob yantyak bä lak pi’älob, yantyak bä jiñi kixtyañajob tyilemob tyi yambä barrio, tyilemob tyi yambä lum. Mi’ k’otyel i tzuk’ob i ñichim; mi’ k’otyel i yotzañob i wa’tyäl, i kuxtyäl. |
Not only those of the barrio, people from all over come, there are Christians who come from other barrios, who come from other lands. They come to burn their candles; they come to make their pledges. |
| Tax ki ujtyi, tax ki ñumi li ñojol k’iñ, che’ tyi chäm p’ejl tzik li mayo, yäx mi’ wäyelob i käntyañob li lak Señor. Yäx mi’ wäyelob ya’ tyi ermita; yäx mi’ k’ajob yoj. Mi’ käntyañob li Señori. |
When it’s over, when the big day has passed, on the fourth of May, the ones who watch over Our Lord sleep. There they sleep, there at the hermitage; there they find their rest. They care for Our Lord. |
| Cha’añ jiñix tyi yäjk’älel, tyi ho’ p’ejlel tzik li mayo, mux i cha’ tyempañob i bä. Mi’ cha’ ujtyel ch’uyijel, mi’ cha’ cha’leñob resal, bajche ili añob bä i ye’tyel, bajche li katekistajob, che’ bajche lak tyaty, lak ña’ob, mi’ k’ajtyiñob i lok’el. Jiñix li k’ajtyiyaj lok’el bä i k’aba’. |
And when it’s barely light, on the fifth of May, they gather together again. They again hear mass; they pray again, those whose work it is, like the Catechist, like our ancestors, they ask for their blessing. It’s called the blessing of departure. |
| Mux i cha’ subob i bä, mux i melob li despedida bä mi laj käl tyi español, cha’añ tyi lak ty’añ "mi’ k’ajtyiñob i lok’el." Mi’ lu’ chajpañob je’el, baki mi’ keje i kujche li k’iñi chañ bä yambä jabil, chañ mi’ cha’ lu’ tyempañob i bä lak pi’älob, chañ mi’ lu’ ubiñob baki mi’ keje li k’iñi. Mi’ k’ajtyiñob majchki yom k’iñijel, mi ma’añ majch yom k’iñijel. |
They again pledge themselves, they make the "despedida" as it is called in Spanish, which in our language is "mi’ k’ajtyiñob i lok’el." They make arrangements together, too, as to where they will hold the festival the next year; thus the people again gather together, so that they will all hear where the festival will be. They ask who wants the festival, if someone doesn’t want the festival. |
| Tyi p’ejtyelel jabil, much’ i sub i bä jun tyikil lak pi’äl, mu bu i mulañ k’iñijel, mu bu i mulañ k’iñ tyi yotyoty, mu bu i mulañ cha’añ mi’ tyempañob i bä lak pi’älob tyi yotyoty. Chä’äch mi’ yujtyel jujum p’ejl jabil. |
Every year, someone speaks out, that he wants the festival, that he wants the feast at his house, that he wants the people to gather together at his house. That’s how it ends every year. |
| Che’ tax i k’ajtyiyob li otyotyi, che’ tax i tyajayob li otyotyi. Jiñi mux i cha’ tyempañob i bä, che’ läk’älix tal li yambä k’iñ. Che’ tyikilix tax ñumi majlel, bajche lujum p’ejl uj, che’ bajche tyi mes de marzo, abril, mux i cha’ tyempañob i bä lak pi’älob, cha’añix mi’ chajpañob bajche mi’ kejelob i yäsañob i tyak’iñ, cha’añ chuki yes mi’ ki mäñob. |
Thus the house is requested; thus the house is found. They will gather again when the next festival is near. When it is just about to come by, after about 10 months, during the month of March or April, the people again gather together, so that they can arrange how they will give their money or whatever it is they will buy. |
| Chukoch che’ mi’ yäsañyob i tyak’iñ? Cha’añ mi’ mäñe’ tz’itya’ we’el, uch’el, che’ bajche mi añ k’iñil mi’ mäñob i chityam. Pejtyel ora much’ i mäñob i chityam, che’ much’ i yajlel i limosña, che’ much’ i yik’ot limosña lak pi’älob. |
Why do they give money? So that they can buy a little food or drink, so that when the festival comes they can buy a pig. They nearly always buy a pig, when they give their offering, when the people also give their offering. |
| Ya’ mi’ k’äjñel li tyak’iñ ya’ya’i. Yik’ot je’el, mi’ mäñe’ jiñi majtyañältyak, chañ trensipalob, mu bu i keje i subob jiñ ñichim, yopom, ya’ tyi krus. Mi’ mäñelob i majtyañ je’el, bajche jiñi li xsubñichimob, li trensipalob mi’ laj käl, li mas añobix bä i jabilel. Jiñi, mux i weñ cha’leñob i respetar i bajñel, cha’añ añobix i jabilel. |
They use the money right there. Together, they buy their gifts, because they are the elders, those who offer the candles, the flowers, there at the cross. They also buy their gifts, those who are the intercessors, the elders, we call them, the ones with the most years. They are well respected, because of their age. |
| I chukoch che’ mi’ chajpañob i bä? Cha’añ weñ yom mejlel li k’iñ, cha’añ k’otyajax, cha’añ bi ma mi’ sajtyel jiñ kostumbre. Cha’añ mach mi laj kilañ laj wokol, cha’añ k’amäjel, pejtyelel. Chañ jiñi li yos, mi yäk’eñoñla jiñi lak wa’tyäl, laj kuxtäl. Chañ li yos mi yäk’eñoñla lak bendisyon, mi laj k’ajtyiñ jiñi laj kixim, lak bu’ul, chañ mas k’ok’oñla tyi jajabil. |
And why do they prepare themselves? Because they really want to celebrate the festival, so that it will be happy, so that, they say, the tradition will not end. So that we will not have problems, like illnesses, whatever. So that God will give us our pledges. So that God will give us our blessing, we pray for our corn, our beans, so that it will be healthier every year. |
| Jiñ cha’añ, mi’ mejlel li k’iñi, yik’oty je’el chañ mi’ k’ajtyiñob ja’al. Mi laj k’el che’ tyi yujulel li mayo. Jiñi añ k’iñil ma’añ ja’al. Añ k’iñil, jiñi mi’ lu’ chämel lak päk’äb; ma mi’ kolel, cha’añ mi’ wa’tyäl k’iñ. |
That’s why we celebrate the festival, and why we also ask for rain. We see when it’s the end of May. There are years when there is no rain. There are years when all our crops die; there is no harvest, because the sun is standing. |
| Jiñ cha’añ, mi’ melob li promesa pejtyel lak pi’älob, cha’añ mi’ tyilel li ja’al, cha’añ weñ mi’ kolelob i päk’äbob, mu bu i päk’ob, jujum p’ejl jabil. Jin cha’añ, che’ mi yujtyel, che’ mi’ tyempañob i bä wä’ tyi barrio San Nikolás, ba’añ li ermita. |
That’s why all our people make their vows, so that the rain will come, so that their crops will grow well, whatever they have planted, each year. That’s why we do it thus, why we gather together here in the barrio of San Nicolás, where the hermitage is. |
| Chä’äch melbilob i cha’añ ñaxañob, lak yum, laj ko’ob, wajali. |
Thus it was done by those who came before, our grandfathers and our grandmothers, long, long ago. |
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