More than a fourth of the population of the southern state of Chiapas identifies as Indigenous. The largest groups include the Tzeltales, Tzotziles, Choles, and Zoques, while the region surrounding the famous town of San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, has a predominantly Tzotzil Maya-speaking population. Located at an elevation above 7,200 feet, the town of San Juan Chamula is a popular tourist destination because of the beauty of its surroundings and its colorful celebrations, especially during carnival season and the feasts of San Juan Bautista (Saint John the Baptist, after whom the town is named) between June 24 and 26, San Sebastián, and Santa Rosa. Local handicrafts include woven textiles and various forms of folk art. Residents of San Juan Chamula have a long history of resistance to outside governmental authority. The area was a site for the Tzeltal Rebellion of 1712 to 1715 and the Guerra de las Castas (War of the Castes) of 1869. In the 1990s, it was a center of Zapatista guerrilla activity.

The church of San Juan Chamula vividly demonstrates the syncretic approach local Indigenous peoples take towards Catholic ritual and Maya religious beliefs. The Tzotziles come as families and in other small groups at all hours, light candles on the floor covered in pine needles, and recite prayers in Tzotzil that move between song and repeated recitational phrases. Catholic saints are venerated alongside Indigenous religious symbols, showing how conversion to Catholicism was far from complete here. Musicians play harps and other forms of music outside the church door on important feast days. Although the area is predominantly Catholic, evangelical Protestant groups have gained converts in recent years, creating conflict with local community leaders who seek to maintain their authority and general adherence to traditional religious beliefs.

In addition to Indigenous vocal and instrumental music, especially on marimbas, many different styles are heard in the area: rock, accordion-based música norteña from northern Mexico, and other popular genres. The town of San Juan Chamula is also noted as a center for the manufacture of musical instruments, especially harps and violins. The rock fusion group Sak Tzevul (meaning “lightening”), founded in the 1990s, comes from Zinacantán, Chiapas, near San Juan Chamula. It performs throughout Mexico and Central America and releases innovative commercial recordings. Leader Damián Martínez (singer, guitarist, composer) and other band members sing in Tzotzil, Spanish, and other languages, and describe their music as música tradicional/progresivo (traditional/progressive music).