Yucatan Journeys

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Yucatan Journeys:




The first time we went to Yucatan was the summer of 2004 with Chuck and my daughter Danielle. I was working on my history major at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls and had been accepted into the McNair Scholar program. As a McNair scholar I travelled to the Yucatan to research the importance of corn to the Mayans. This was my first trip to Mexico. I had taken one semester of Spanish and thought I was ready. As soon as I stepped off the plane I knew I was not. The only Spanish I could remember was cerveza, so after we made it to our apartment and had settled in we went for a beer.


Merida, the capital city of Yucatan, is a wonderful city that is ancient and modern at the same time. The people are friendly and happy. The air is warm and the environment is welcoming. Merida was founded by two Montejos, the younger and the nephew, in 1542 on the site of the Mayan city T’ho. The church at the zocalo was constructed over a Mayan structure; this was one method the Spaniards used to superimpose their dominance. This church is now the oldest in North America.


We stayed at Suites del Sol, located behind Montejo Palace. Suites del Sol offers one and two bedroom apartments that can be rented nightly or monthly. They have private parking, laundry service and are located within walking distance to shops, parks and sites, and public transporation stops.


In front of our apartment was Montejo Palace, a hotel with a restaurant. During our time in Merida I spent much time here and I made friends with the workers; Manuel, Miguel, Javier, Carlos and Nidia. Each morning I went there for coffee and toast. Every night I went there for a couple cervezas. Manuel watched over me while Chuck went back home to work. Miguel taught me many things about the history and culture of the Yucatan. Carlos and Nidia helped me to practice speaking in Spanish. They all made me feel at home during my time away from home.


I went to the Yucatan to research the importance of corn to the Mayans. I realized that the people of Yucatan cannot be easily defined as Mayan; they are Mayan, but they are also Spanish and likewise they are Mestizo and most accurately they are Yucatecan. Corn has significant meaning to the people of Yucatan. It is culturally, historically, economically and symbolically important. Corn is the main staple in Yucatan because it is available, affordable and provides important nutritional elements. Some form of corn, whether tortillas, tostadas or another are served with most every meal. Mayan history explains that mankind was created from corn. Symbolic meaning is given to corn by Yucatecos; it follows a pattern of life and death, equivalent to that of humankind. The diverse importance of corn has prompted many traditions in Yucatan. Fine Arts have been incorporated to instill culture and increase awareness regarding agricultural customs. The dedication surrounding corn is depicted in native images, songs, stories and plays. Corn enables Yucatecos to connect with their history and heritage. Farming techniques from pre-Columbian times are practiced by modern milperos (farmers), who annually plant approximately 12 hectares (30 acres) of corn for private use. Corn permits Yucatecos to preserve revered practices and remain self-sufficient. By maintaining a milpa (crop field) Yucatecos are able to achieve economic autonomy. My conclusion was that Yucatecos are able to preserve the past and also plan the future by including corn as a daily yet diverse part of life.


Inside the Casa Gobierno, also located on the zocalo, are a series of paintings done by Fernando Castro Pacheco in the 1970s. The paintings offer a comprehensive and thought provoking representation of the history, culture and people of the Yucatan. One painting, El Hombre Maya Fue Hecho de Maiz, portrays the creation of mankind. Translated; “The Maya Man Was Made of Corn”. The image symbolizes local creation beliefs and provides a visual representation of historical literary accounts, spiritual beliefs and honored customs. All of which correspond to the importance of corn throughout the history of Yucatan.


Throughout the Yucatan are numerous Mayan archaeological sites that allow visitors to step foot into ancient Yucatecan history. All of which are a short distance from Merida. Public transportation provides service to the ruin sites by taxi, bus, combi or celectivo. There are also tour services available through local travel agents for those who prefer more structured excursions. Our preferred method of transportation is to rent a car and drive ourselves. Of course there are those along the Ruta Puuc, Uxmal and Chichen Itza; two of the larger and more visited sites. These I will describe in separate entries. In addition there are many smaller and less visited sites.


Dzibilchaltun is located about twenty minutes north of Merida on the road to Progreso. The name Dzibilchaltun means the place with writing on the stones. Here the Maya had structures for astronomical observation. One structure, the Temple of the Seven Dolls, is situated so that the sun shines through the doorways each morning of the fall and spring equinox. There are also a series of monuments erected at Dzibilchaltún so the Maya could track the passage of time. By observing astronomical events and celestial movements people could mark the passage of time and better ensure successful agriculture and subsistence. At Dzibilchaltun there are also the remains of a church built by Spaniards during the colonial era.


Another Mayan site in the Yucatan is Ek Balam which is located north of the city of Valladolid. The name Ek Balam means black jaguar. This site was occupied as early as 100 CE and was inhabited by the Maya people when Spaniards arrived to Yucatan. Ek Balam features a ball court, steam bath, defensive wall, and a handful of structures surrounding a central plaza. This site is off the beaten path and so offers visitors a more subdued experience.



The town of Izamal also features ancient Mayan structures as well as a large Franciscan monastery. Like the church in Merida the monastery in Izamal was built atop one of the ancient Mayan structures. Izamal is known as the yellow city and the city of three cultures. The town was painted yellow prior to a visit by the Pope in 1993. It is said to be the city of three cultures because it includes elements of the ancient, colonial and modern eras. Izamal and the monastery are also significant because it was from here that the Friar Diego de Landa acted out his Inquisition resulting in the burning of sacred Mayan books and artifacts. After his Inquisition Diego de Landa was put on trial for his actions and wrote his book describing the Yucatan before and after the Spanish Conquest.



Valladolid is another town in Yucatan, located about halfway between Merida and Cancun. The Caste War began in Valladolid as did the Mexican Revolution in Yucatan. Valladolid is home to a cenote (sinkhole) a few blocks from the zocalo surrounded by a park. Visitors can either swim in the cenote or simply enjoy the view from trails that circle it. On the way to the cenote from the zocalo is a shoe store owned by a man who used to be a singer in Merida and now crafts sandals from leather and is more than willing to sing a song or two while you try on his handcrafted shoes. The hotel Maria de la Luz is a nice place to stay in Valladolid with a pool, private parking and a restaurant that serves longanizas, a locally made sausage.





On the other side of Merida, Celestun is a small fishing village located on the western coast of Yucatan. It is home to a large population of flamingos. About ten miles north of the town of Celestun is Eco Paraiso, an environmentally friendly resort surrounded by nothing but nature. We stayed at Eco Paraiso during our last week in the Yucatan after Chuck returned with his daughter, Angela. Eco Paraiso is the sister property to Las Palapas in Playa del Carmen. We spent the day walking and laying on the beach, looking for seashells and swinging in hamacas. After dinner we watched the sunset; the most beautiful I had ever seen. That night we went looking for nesting sea turtles, which we did not find, but the moonlit beach was surreal.




Another way to be immersed in the local history and culture is by visiting a local cemetery. The cemeteries in Yucatan feature above ground tombs. The tombs are painted by families of the deceased. They offer a colorful and meaningful portrayal of the history of the people of Yucatan.


I must give special recognition and sincere thanks to my friend Martín. We found him during our first week in Merida as we determined the best means of transportation. Although my Spanish and his English were lacking in fluency, we were able to communicate. He knew when I was struggling and was always ready and willing to lend a helping hand. By the end of my first trip to Yucatan he was probably as familiar with my research as I was. He went with to ruins sites, endless towns and to the milpas. Without Martín, I most assuredly would have been lost.



Towards the end of my time in Merida, Martín brought me to visit the pueblo of Uci where I had arranged to meet with two residents; Roque Jacinto Moo and Carlos Tec Pinto at the park. I found the park easy enough, but Martín and I were the only two people there. Martín talked with a lady in a nearby store who remembered me from a public meeting in the town of Oxcutzcab the week before. I was dumbfounded and asked how this lady could possibly remember me out of so many people. Martín laughed and replied that I was the only gringa (white girl from the United States). Looking back, I now find it humorous that I thought I would blend in with my red hair, green eyes, freckles and lacking ability to speak the Spanish language with fluency. Not so much did I think I could blend in, but more so I assumed I didn’t stand out.




Roque and Carlos brought me to visit the milpas. The first milpas were planted entirely of corn. Some of the stalks were growing at a fair pace, although most was rather poor. The less than adequate rate of growth was due entirely to weather. Too much or too little rain results in lacking crops. The people of Yucatan use the slash and burn method of agriculture. Milpas are made and maintained exclusively by manual labor, without machinery, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, tractors or other modern implements. If there is an irrigation system in place, it is in water from a well. Sometimes the water is pumped, although often the water is obtained with a bucket on a rope. Seeds are sown by hand and crops are harvested in the same way. The last milpa we visited did not have corn. Instead the milperos were raising other fruits, cattle, and bee colonies for honey. Two men had worked the milpa for eight years, and then lost everything after the last hurricane. The livelihood of many Yucatecos is entirely dependant upon the weather. Despite our lacking fluency in each others language, we had an in depth discussion about the impact of politics and government upon the general public.




My first trip to the Yucatan was rewarding and fulfilling. I have great respect for the farmers I met with; from them I gained a tremendous understanding of their life, history, culture and character. This is equally true of all the people I met in Yucatan.



Since our first trip in 2004 we have returned at least once each year. Chuck and I have brought his parents to visit the Yuctan with us and our good friends Tim and Nikki. During my first trip to Yucatan, my cousins Jammie and Desiree came to spend a week with Danielle and me. Each time we visit we are made to feel at home and we always return home having learned something new and having found something more we want to return to do.

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Photos

El Hombre Maya Fue Hecho de Maiz
The Maya Man Was Made from Corn
painting by Fernando Pacheco

Dzibilchaltun
House of the Seven Dolls

Inside the Monastery, Izamal
Chuck and Leila with Chuck's parents Charlie and Judy

Merida
La iglesia mas antigua en Norteamerica

Danielle
Walking the beach at Eco Paraiso, Celestun