This is a story is about a time when sexism was the saving grace of the sacred sheep of the Tzotzil.
A development scheme of the 1970s introduced an “improved” breed of sheep to the Chiapas Mexico region, hoping to improve the economy. Development workers made presentations on this great new breed to the men of this region, because it was assumed that they were the ones who made important decisions for the community. For the Tzotzil people, however, sheep had a special, sacred status. Unlike pigs and cows, it was taboo to kill sheep because their spirits twinned with the spirits of humans and therefore any hurt done to one would be felt by the other. The keepers of this special trust were the women.
In other areas of Mexico, the new breed outpaced and then replaced the local breed. The Tzotzil women remained stubborn about their sacred, long-coated sheep and did not adopt the new breed, despite the fact that it was doing well in other parts of the country.
The Tzotzil women understood that the fine, short-stapled, pure white fleece of the “improved” breed was better adapted to machine processing then to preparation by hand, so it would need to be sent to mills before it could be used. The “improved” brand came in one color, white, and therefore would have to be dyed to achieve any variety in design. The traditional breed offered range of colors with no need to dye the wool, and could be processed in the way it always had been.
Within 20 years in Southern Mexico, the new breed replaced the variety in the gene pool and range of adaptation to different climates. In some parts of the region, however, the new breed failed to thrive because of its lack of adaptability and sheep culture waned as sheep farming became less profitable. The Tzotzil, however, still had their true sheep and were able to rely as they always had on the economic benefits of sheep farming and wool craft.
Sources:
Seedlings, Raul Perezgrovas, January 2003 http://www.grain.org/seedling/?id=221
Navajo-Churro Sheep Association (N-CSA)http://www.navajo-churrosheep.com/Forms/Brochure.pdf