In today’s program, we meet the four musicians of the Tsotsil rock group Vayijel, who sing in their own language and compose songs that represent the traditions and culture of their people. The name of the group founded in 2006 in San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, refers to a spiritual guardian animal that lives in the hills, such as a jaguar or an owl. These guardians have inspired the group’s most popular songs. The musicians say the local shamans can feel a person’s vayijel, and detect danger, illness and the possibility of being healed. They are not bothered by criticisms to the effect that an indigenous group shouldn’t play electric instruments and are happy that more and more young poets and musicians are composing in Tsotsil. They feel that when they play on the stage with international groups, they are doing their part to spread their culture. teleSUR
