Posted on January 1, 2009 · Posted in travel

CARACOL DE OVENTIK, Mexico – After announcing our arrival at the Office of Good Government, our video crew was allowed to enter the Caracol de Oventik (in Chiapas, Mexico) to participate in the 15th anniversary of the Zapatista uprising and 25th anniversary of the creation of the EZLN (National Zapatista Liberation Army).

img_6124We joined thousands of masked campesinos of the Tzotzil and Tzeltal Maya indigenous communities and also hundreds of international Zapatista sympathizers that were present to celebrate the autonomous movement’s accomplishments.

Once the sun set the comandantes spoke, and at midnight the norteño bands began to play in what was a cornucopia of congo lines, coffee drinking, masked faces, and arroz con leche. Those that survived the 6 hours of dancing were greeted by the sun and another day of autonomy where the mountains kiss the sky.

This clip was shot at sunrise (6am):

About the Author

Salvador Pantoja is a video producer, director, camera operator, and editor working in New York City.