Mexico: Otomi Chapels of the Toliman Region, Queretaro (December 2022)

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The Toliman region lies northeast of the town of Bernal, itself 50km east of the old center of Santiago de Queretaro. It is part of the arid Queretano Semidesierto, a semi desert on the Mexican Altiplano north of Mexico City. The Otomi were among the earliest inhabitants of the altiplano. Soon after the Spanish conquest, which they helped against the Aztec, they converted to Christianity. While they are now spread over a discontinuous territory of central Mexico, here in the Toliman region they form the main indigenous group (see note below).

The Toliman region is dotted with a large number (at least several dozens) of private Otomi family chapels (the ˝Otomi capillas familiares˝) built between the 17th and 19th centuries, some of which have been carefully maintained or restored. These chapels are typically housed in modest buildings, sometimes even sharing space inside the family houses. Their main interest does not lie in their architecture, but in their delicately painted interiors. Each chapel is primarily intended to venerate the ancestors. Crosses, which may have been owned by deceased members of the family, symbolize the presence of these ancestors in the chapels. Each chapel is named after its owner, or a prominent ancestor, or the family name. Their interior paintings usually depict religious and historical motifs; however, they can be difficult to interpret by outsiders.

Visiting these family chapels is not easy. They are private, and each visit requires finding both the chapel and its owner to open the door. I was fortunate to visit four chapels with the help of a local guide, named Norma, who had been provided to me by Promo Tur based in Queretaro. Each visit felt like a privilege.

The four chapels are (in chronological order of the visits):

- La Capilla de Don Ascencio, in San Antonio de la Cal,

- La Capilla de San Diego, in San Miguel de Toliman,

- La Capilla de Los Luna, in San Miguel de Toliman,

- La Capilla de Don Bato, in San Miguel de Toliman.

[Note: These chapels are sometimes referred to as the Otomi-Chichimeca chapels. Prior to the Spanish conquest the Chichimeca formed a distinct indigenous group living north of the Otomi territory. After the Spanish conquest and the conversion of the two groups to Christianity, Otomi and Chichimeca increasingly mixed and today may not always be distinguishable.]

Pena de Bernal:

The Pena de Bernal is a 433m-high monolith, one of the tallest in the world, located in the small town of Bernal. Coming from Santiago de Queretaro, it marks the entrance into the Toliman region. For centuries before the Spanish conquest and since then it has been an important place of worship for the Otomi people.

La Capilla de Don Ascencio, in San Antonio de la Cal:

The village of San Antonio de la Cal is located a short distance north of Bernal. La Capilla de Don Ascencio is a small building, with only one of its interior walls, the wall behind the altar, painted. The painting represents floral motifs. Several wooden crosses stand on the altar behind poinsettia pots recently brought by the owner (the woman in the second picture below) to celebrate Christmas.

The owner commenting on the largest cross on the altar (perhaps the cross of a prominent ancestor). Unlike the other crosses on the altar, this wooden cross is painted, with a depiction of hell on its base.

Left: Close-up of the statuettes in the niche above the altar. Right: Small painting described by the owner as an ex-voto.

Calvary outside the chapel. It houses a surprising cross cut in gray stone. This cross is a Toltec cross that most likely dates back to the period when the Toltec culture reached prominence (between 950 and 1150 CE). Hence, it is centuries older than the arrival of Christianity to America. The Toltec territory centered in the present state of Hidalgo, not too far east of San Antonio de la Cal. So, it is possible that Toltec groups came here to extract the lime they needed at home to make stucco and pottery (˝cal˝ means lime), bringing with them this cross. Much later, an early owner of the chapel may have found it nearby and moved it into the calvary.

La Capilla de San Diego, in San Miguel de Toliman:

This chapel is larger than the previous one. Its interior walls are extensively decorated with well-maintained paintings. It consists of two distinct halves: the front half that contains the altar and the rear half into which the entrance door opens.

Owner opening the chapel.

Views of the interior's front half.

Painting on the left wall of the front half. It depicts churches and Spanish conquerors on foot.

Painting on the right wall of the front half. It depicts more churches and Spanish conquerors. But here the conquerors are riding horses.

Vaulted ceiling of the front half, depicting various human figures.

Painting on the back wall of the chapel's rear half. It represents indigenous figures, a few carrying bows and arrows, other performing various activities (including weaving).

Left (relative to the altar) wall of the rear half.

Decoration on the right wall of the rear half above the entrance door. It seems that something is missing between the two lions and below the bird.

Ceiling of the rear half. In its center, a cylindrical opening toward the outside brings some sunlight and ventilation into the chapel.

La Capilla de Los Luna, in San Miguel de Toliman:

Like in the previous chapel, the interior walls of this chapel are beautifully decorated with well-maintained paintings.

Front facade of the chapel.

Interior of the chapel. The paintings on the wall behind the altar represent the Holy Cross (center), the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river (on the right of the cross), and several angels and archangels. Many wooden crosses stand on the altar, along with photos of deceased members of the Luna family.

Close-ups of the left and right sides of the altar. Note the decorations on some of the wooden crosses.

Paintings on the vaulted ceiling above the altar. They depict multiple angels playing a variety of musical instruments among floral motifs, with the sun in the middle. In the second photo below, Saint Cecilia, the patroness of musicians, is shown playing the pipe organ. Together these paintings may symbolize life in paradise.

Painting on the wall to the left of the altar. It seems to represent an ox in a corn field and an angel bringing water (a scarce resource in the Toliman region).

Paintings representing the flight into Egypt, an indigenous woman, and a Spanish woman.

Rear of the chapel, with a representation of the Nativity on the wall above the entrance door. Like in the previous chapel, the vaulted roof has in its center a cylindrical opening toward the outside.

More angels painted on the side walls of the rear half of the chapel.

La Capilla de Don Bato, in San Miguel de Toliman:

This chapel is the largest of the four I visited. Its building is also the most elaborate, but the interior paintings are not as well maintained as in the two previous chapels, except for the wall behind the altar and a portion of the vaulted ceiling above the altar.

Exterior view of the chapel. The entrance door is on the left, under the cross.

Interior of the chapel. A statue of Christ dressed in black stands above the altar, in line with the painting on the wall. There are many crosses of different sizes on the altar.

Painting of the Habsburg double-headed eagle surmounted by a crown, a symbol of imperial Spain, on the vaulted ceiling above the altar. The presence of this symbol is somewhat surprising. But it may refer to archduke Maximilian, who reigned over Mexico between 1864 and 1867, before being executed in Santiago de Queretaro. Indeed, during his reign, Maximilian reached out to indigenous communities and took several measures in their favor. These communities may not remember him as the villain he is usually portrayed.

Other paintings in the chapel were in poor condition at the time of my visit.

Local churches:

During this day of visits, I also stopped by three picturesque village churches:

- Templo de San Antonio de la Cal.

- Templo ˝Senior de Chalma˝ in San Pablo Toliman.

- Templo de San Miguel Toliman.

The tall structure in the atrium in front of this church (leftmost and middle photos below) is called ˝El Chimal˝ (˝k'ami˝, which means ˝green˝, in Otomi language). It has a height of 23 meters, with a cross at the top. Its framework is made of reeds and is covered with rolled leaves of sotol, the local name for a plant also known as ˝desert spoon˝.

Every year, the construction of a new chimal begins in July. This new chimal is erected on the 27th of September, while the sotol leaves are still green. It stays there throughout the year, until the new chimal is erected. The chimal is an offering to San Miguel to thank him for the rain and the harvests. Various celebrations (mostly dances) are performed in honor to San Miguel at the base of the chimal, especially on September 28 and 29. Huge logs serve as support for the chimal (rightmost photo below).

[Information source: https://www.reconociendomexico.com.mx/el-chimal/]

Beautifully colored ceiling in the church, behind the entrance door.

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