A Magical Night in Merida

After nearly five weeks tromping around in the rainforests of Mexico and Belize, we have finally come to a real city. Merida is the capital of the state of Yucatan, and with over 1 million population, is a bustling old colonial town on the northwest edge of the Yucatan peninsula.

After checking into our hotel this afternoon, I cleaned up and then rested long enough to let the heat of the day pass. By about 7:00pm I was in need of some dinner and so headed out into the street with my map and an appetite.

The streets of Merida are narrow and paved with cobblestones. Most of the buildings are two and three story with oversize colonial style windows and doors. Ornate scroll metalwork often flanks doorways and the houses sparkle blue, green, yellow and pink. It's a lovely city.

I turned right off Calle 57 onto Calle 60. Lots of people were walking about and music floated by on the light breeze. I came to a small plaza adjacent to a small cathedral where workmen were setting up a stage. It looked like a street concert was in the making. Across the narrow cobbled street from the stage was a lovely old colonial buildings with several small balconies hanging over the sidewalk. It was a restaurant. A man was setting up tables and immediately he started talking to me in both Spanish and English. Although the restaurant was not yet open, he showed me into a courtyard with a blue tiled mosaic fountain and explained that the building dated back to the 18th century. He said that at 8:30pm the street in front of the restaurant would be closed off to vehicle traffic and people would begin dancing in the street.

I told him I would return when the restaurant opened and headed off down the street to see what else I could find. Within a couple blocks another plaza opened up with lots of vendors and little Maya girls hawking hand made jewelry. Music played from each of the cardinal directions and buskers worked the crowd in clown costumes. I walked around, pausing to listen and watch the sights and sounds. A Maya woman was selling herbal remedies and I talked with her at length about the ingredients in each of her concoctions. She had something for arthritis, hemorrhoids, flaky skin and asthma. I almost bought the asthma brew but decided against it at the last minute. Some of her remedies contained tobacco and she proudly displayed a tobacco plant along with her bottles of potion. I didn't want to go down that road.

After leaving the plaza I headed back down Calle 60 until I found a cement bench parallel with the sidewalk. It was people watching time. I must have sat there for about 30 minutes watching the beautiful youth, the gentile middle class and the gringo tourists pass by.

Many people greeted me on the street and several Maya girls asked if I wanted to buy a bolsa. No gracias. Pretty soon it was time to go to dinner. When I made it back to the restaurant the four piece band had started playing on the stage across the street. I planted myself at a table on one of the overhanging balconies and ordered eggplant parmesan. When in Merida, order something you haven't eaten in a long time. The food arrived and it was excellent. The music played and pedestrians swirled around the tables and chairs, tracing colorful patterns with their bodies. Children toddled with ice cream cones in their hands and lovers held each other in the calle. Some fireworks erupted in the night sky behind the cathedral. Could the evening be any more perfect than this? Yes. Porque mi espouso esta en Estados Unidos y el was not sitting on that lovely balcony with me.

It was a magical night in Merida but I am missing David.

The Vendors of Chichen Itza

Today we spent a full day site visit at Chichen Itza. Located adjacent to the pueblo of Piste, Chichen Itza sees over 3 million tourists each year. The people who service the tourists are primarily the Maya who live in Piste.

Each morning the vendors load all of their goods onto a bike (if they have one), or a truck (if they can afford to pay for one), or their back (if that's the only option) in order to make the trek to Chichen. Once they arrive it takes about an hour for them to unpack all of their sale goods. They often work in family teams so it's not unusual to see young boys and girls helping their parents or older siblings unwrap the day's wares.

Setting up in the morning

During the peak of the day (note the young man in the green shirt in both photos)

A family group setting up (note the boy in the yellow shirt; he is about 10 years old)

Once set up, they wait for the tourists. Sometimes they work the crowd, calling out to passersby: "Barrato" which means cheap or "only one dollar" which usually ends up being more like ten dollars. Toward the end of the day, I heard one young man say in English "Cheaper than at Target." When I laughed and turned around to see his face, he said "Cheaper than Wal-Mart." He was laughing too. Clearly that's a young man who has been to the States at least once. Politicians often call him "illegal." I would call him "in search of an opportunity." Either way, he's working hard to make a living.

Waiting and watching

Although many of the items the Pistenos are selling are made somewhere else (which means the Maya are once again being commodified in a giant capitalistic game they can never win), some of the families actually produce their own goods for sale.

Take the case of Hiram. He makes wood carvings and tie-dye   t-shirts in the evenings after coming to Chichen and working his booth during the day. He also speaks, to varying degrees, eight languages which he has taught himself out of neccessity. When I spoke with him, he was friendly and open. He talked about how his t-shirts were still wet from last night's dying. He also shared the carving and staining techniques used on his wood carvings. The sculpture he is holding took him two days to carve and paint. I bought it off of him for $16 US. Hiram had a prosthetic leg, which can't make his life easier. I hope he made a killing off the tourists today.

Some of the men spend their time at the booth carving. Others nap or rest in the shade.

A woman napping

Hiram

Juan

Reality

One of our seminar leaders brought his son with him on the site visit today. The boy's name is Rafael. The juxtaposition of Rafael playing with his cell phone (age 7) seated next to the two little Maya girls (who look about age 7) resting in the shade during a hard day selling handkerchiefs was too poignant to resist. The location of one's birth determines so much about their lives. This is the story of the contemporary Maya. If these little girls desire to change the pre-determined course that's been set for their lives, they have a lonely and uphill battle against global forces. It's more likely that their lives will be similar to that of the woman's who is napping in the photo above.

Around 5:00pm, most of the crowds were gone and wardens for the park came running through on motorcycles, blowing a whistle and waving people to leave. It was time to pack up and head home. Another day at Chichen was over for the Maya of Piste.

Big man closing up shop

Tulum: Disneyland Style

This morning our site visit was to Tulum, which is one of the last Maya sites to be inhabited. Evidence suggests that Tulum was abandoned in the late 16th century, after the Spanish had invaded the region. Indeed, one Spanish chronicler claimed, when he saw it in 1518, that it was as big as the city of Seville.
 
What makes Tulum of interest, besides its late inhabitation, is the location. Perched on top of a hill overlooking the Caribbean Sea, it is a rare and well preserved coastal city.

Sadly, Tulum and the modern Maya of this region have been introduced to global forces that have placed extraordinary pressures on them and their sacred sites. Since the 1970s, the Mexican government has been working hard to develop the eastern Yucatan into one of the top tourist destinations in the country. Tulum, because it is a short bus ride from Cancun, has become one of the most frequented sacred sites in all of Mexico. Of course the financial benefits for this development have not flowed directly to the Maya. Rather, the Maya are exploited and marginalized even as their heritage is commodified and commercialized.

Thus our academic site visit to Tulum was overwhelmed by crass free market capitalism. First the tourists are herded through a corridor of cheap trinkets and psuedo-Maya made-in-China tapestries before reaching the site. Lots of the images are not even related to the Maya. At one point, a hawker tried to sell me a table cloth by proudly pointing out that the design on it was an Aztec calendar. Aztec, as in central Mexico.

It's very sad really. But that's not all. The grounds of Tulum are manicured like a golf course in California and workers were weed whacking as though their lives depended on it. In short it was a far cry from the sacred site that the Maya intended when they built and inhabited it.

Importantly, research at Tulum is beginning to crystallize around the awareness that the leadership structure here was significantly different than leadership structure in the rest of the Mundo Maya. At all the other Maya sites, whether in Guatemala at Tikal or at Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico or Carocal in Belize the leadership structure was focused on one ahau (ruler) who claimed power in the fashion of the divine right kings of Europe. Think Louis XIV of  France in the 17th century and the absolute power he held by claiming himself Apollo the Sun God. That's the same kind of political rulership the ahaus of the Maya world established. It was an inherited position, and contesting it required warfare and bloodshed. Interestingly, not only does the ahau glyph represent a king, but it also represents a date in one of the Maya calendar systems. Thus kingship is equated with time and is justified through religious power in the ancient Maya mind.  

An ahau glyph variation

Therefore as research at Tulum has progressed, scholars have been surprised to realize that power was not quite as centralized in this kingdom as it was in most of the rest of the Maya world. Rather, power at Tulum seems to have been shared among brothers (possibly) or some kind of council. Some academics have suggested it was a multepal form of government whereby power was held by an oligarchy. Although this theory to explain political power at Tulum is not entirely established, it is the most current explanation for the political structure.

If Tulum was ruled by a multepal, then the architecture would be correspondingly different, too, in order to accomodate more than one ruler simultaneously. There is evidence for this in the archaeological work that has been done at the site but much more needs to be done.

What's unlikely is that the masses of tourists who trundle through Tulum for a brief afternoon respite from the beaches of Cancun realize the unique political constructions which were embodied in the architecture and art at the site.

Cenote at Coba

After seminar this morning, a small group of us went to a cenote across the lake from our hotel. The cenote (pronounced see no tay) is an underground cave with water in it, which the Yucatec Maya called dzonot or ts'onot meaning "well". In ancient times, and even today, the Maya used cenotes for water storage but also for sacred purposes. Sometimes sacred rituals would be performed in or around the cenote, during which the Maya would make offerings of exotic items such as precious jades, obsidian flints and, occasionally, human sacrifices.

It's likely that the rituals associated with cenotes evolved because of Maya beliefs about the Underworld. Essentially the Maya believe that caves serve as entrances to this other realm, which symbolizes the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Thus the cenote opening is a natural icon in Maya sculpture, architecture and painting.

But there is a practical side as well, for cenotes are important to the Maya for water storage because there aren't any rivers and very few lakes in this region. Most of the soil is porous limestone, so water collection is a precious activity for survival. As a result, many of the Maya temple sites in the Yucatan are located adjacent to these cenotes. Coba, where we are, is no exception.

The cenote we went to was massive and deep, requiring us to take wooden steps from the surface into the cave. Our journey into the Underworld began at this modest thatched roof well-like structure. The man who took our 45 pesos per person ($4.50 US) said that there were 88 steps down to the platform at the bottom. 

 There was also this sign, cautioning us to download the steps. Since I did not have my computer with me at the time, I found these instructions somewhat challenging to heed.

 Once we downloaded the steps, we arrived at a large wooden platform fashioned like a boat dock jutting out over the water. There was one small hole at the top of the cave ceiling, and lots of stalactites hanging down in various lengths. Someone was burning copal, which is ancient incense for Maya rituals.

After cautiously apprising the situation, I decided I didn't want to miss this opportunity so I got in. The water was very clear and very deep. It was also somewhat cool, but refreshing to the skin. I floated on my back for a long time, just staring at the contours of the limestone ceiling above. There were shapes and designs in the rock, and water seeped through and showered down occasionally on the upturned face. The limestone rock acts as a natural filter for the water which is why it is so clean.

After floating and swimming for about an hour, we all got out of the water. Walking back up the 88 wooden steps, I realized how peaceful and relaxed I felt. It was a spiritual experience going into the Underworld, and once again I am amazed at the beauty and wisdom of the Maya.

My photos inside don't really do justice to the place but here they are.

The platform and entrance to the 88 steps

A blurry shot of the cenote wall

A stalactite on the ceiling

The Dwarf of Uxmal: A Maya Myth

After seminar this morning, I took a walk into Campeche for a last day of checking out the city before we leave in the morning. Along the way, I discovered a cool little shop with books and other assorted goodies. I picked up two books, including one containing several Maya legends. Because our site visit tomorrow will include Uxmal, here is a rendition of the story of the Dwarf of Uxmal:

The elders of the village of Nohpat tell of an old lady -- a sorceress and an herbalist -- who knew the mysteries of the skies and the cures to every illness. Although she was very old, she desired to have a son so one day she went to a secret place to pick up a special egg, which she nurtured until it hatched a baby boy. When the child spoke, the old lady was surprised for he had the body of a child but the wisdom of an old man.

Over the years, the boy grew in wisdom but not in size. He was a dwarf but his wisdom was immense. Among other things, he was very observant and he noticed that the old lady never moved very far from the three hearthstones in the thatch-roofed house that they shared. One day when the old woman was not looking, the dwarf reached into the ashes of the fire to find out what the grandmother guarded. There he found a tunk'ul, a wooden drum with a special design on it. He began banging the drum, pounding so loudly that the sound was heard far away by many people.

a tunk'ul
 at the Fort of San Miguel Museum in Campeche

Immediately the sorceress returned. She was very angry, and she explained to the dwarf that what he had done would change destiny for everyone. Now terrible events would occur and he would be caught in the middle of them.

Even as the grandmother was telling the dwarf about the consequences of his actions, the sound of the drum was reaching the king's grand stone palace. You see, the king was gripped with great fear at the pounding of the drum as a prophecy in the land stated that this sound would precede the end of his rule. The king and his advisors decided to find the person who was responsible for playing the tunk'ul, and to see if he was really the one who would succeed the king on the throne. Thus, the king's guards came to the village of Nohpat, found the dwarf and took him to the palace.

When the dwarf came before the king, he was asked to prove his wisdom since only a wise person can become king. The king asked many questions. The dwarf answered them all. But the king was not satisfied and so he decided upon a final test: this would consist in breaking a cocoyol nut with a hammer on the head of the dwarf. The dwarf agreed with one condition: the king would have to undergo the same test.

The king's executioner placed the cocoyol nut on the dwarf's head and struck with all his might. But the dwarf lifted his head with a smile. He had passed the test.

Next came the king's turn. The executioner placed the nut on his royal head and struck with all his might. But this killed the king. Unbeknownst to the king, the dwarf survived because the sorceress had hidden a cap of enchanted copper in his hair.

Thus the dwarf was declared king of Uxmal. On the day of his inauguration, the grandmother told him that she would not live much longer but that now he was king, she could die in peace. She also told him to "Act with justice, and always face the truth. Do not forget it is more important to be good than to be just. Listen to the voice of the gods and follow their counsel, but listen also to the voice of men. Never despise the lowly, and distrust the powerful." These were the grandmother's last words to the dwarf.

For many years the dwarf heeded the old woman's advice and peace and harmony reigned at Uxmal. But over time, the dwarf began to abuse his power. He became a tyrant and cruel to the people.

The gods saw this and became angry. The dwarf had offended them so they punished the city by sacking and burning it. Time passed and the memory of the city was erased by the ashes and the wind.

This is the story of the dwarf who reigned in Uxmal.

Itzamna

Itzamna is one of the gods in the Maya pantheon. Tomorrow we are going to a temple where this god will be depicted in a giant mask that surrounds the entrance to the building, which is called the House of the Serpent Mouth.

Along with its depiction in sculpture, Itzamna is also a song by Ruben Alvarez. Here are the lyrics in Espanol:

ITZAMNÁ

Descendió sobre un fuego letal
al caer, nuestro pueblo lo halló
corazón de poder inmortal
Señor de los Cielos y el Sol

Hijo del Gran Creador
Nuestro Dios, nuestro guía
hacia el cielo templos se alzan en su honor
Todo nos lo enseñó
el respeto a la vida
armonía sobre las pasiones

Caminó como un mero mortal
susurró y se hizo su voluntad
combatió contra la enfermedad
Señor de los Cielos y el Sol

No quisimos crecer
una noche su partida nos dejó
huérfanos de su sabiduría
Señor de los Cielos y el Sol

Itzamná regresará
nuestro futuro está escrito en piedra
siente el pulso celestial
un nuevo día aguarda tras el despertar

 

Itzamna also appears to be a medical center in New York, which seeks "to provide world-class, culturally sensitive healthcare services to New York City’s growing Latino community."

 

Clearly the use of the name is popular and has significant meaning, including as healer and as a figure known to some in popular music.



Maya World Here I Come!

Several months ago I applied for a fellowship to study the Maya of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. The objectives of the project include visiting Maya temples and archaeological sites, as well as attending seminars hosted by scholars in the field. Happily, I was accepted and have been making plans for departure, which will be next week.

Unhappily, since I received the acceptance letter, drug cartels from Mexico spilled into the Peten region of Guatemala and beheaded 27 people. As a result of this violence, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory to avoid Guatemala. And, thankfully, the people who are organizing the fellowship decided to change some of the itinerary so we will avoid Peten.

Nevertheless, if you are thinking that I am being somewhat vague in my descriptions of people, places and dates you are correct. For security reasons, I have decided to minimize the specifics in my blog entries. Only after I have left certain regions will I be more detailed. I hope you understand! I really want to return to California with my head firmly attached to my shoulders.

Despite these security challenges, we will be studying topics as wide ranging as tourism and its impact on modern Maya today, the Zapatistas and their impact on the Chiapas region of southern Mexico, ancient Maya architecture, the Mayan calendar, and the liminal space between the indigenous of Belize and people of African ancestry who arrived on the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula, originally, as slaves.

All in all, it should be an awesome project and I look forward to sharing it with you. I hope you enjoy the ride!