Offerings fourth edition (Octubre-Noviembre 2018)

A LTA R S O F M E X I C O | T H E M E S O A M E R I C A N D O G | M E X I C A N T E X T I L E S

OFFERINGS

HOLA TULUM MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL STAFF Hola Tulum Magazine Fourth Issue Front Cover Tribute to death: The cover is a tribute to the spiritual plane; I am inspired by the ability of our ancestors to dress death with bright colors and celebrate the unknown through art; hundreds of small details that make us part of a town that lives the tradition.

Editorial Board Darwin Carabeo, Juan Canul, Miguel Covarrubias, Enrique Terrones, Jerónimo Aviles Manager Darwin Carabeo Edition Nicolás Gerardi Design Jimmy Salazar José Antonio Mendoza Multimedia Jimmy Salazar Administration Karina Zavala Sales Lucia Dao Amayrani Carabeo Photography Celeste Lagos, Serge Barbeau, Sina Falker Nowhere Dan, Aurora Sánchez, Fabricio Atilano Ochoa, Roberto García, Aramara Gonzáles.

Translation: Teena Clipson Proofreading: Alejandra Valdivia Lugo

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Each new edition is a unique opportunity to expand our understanding of Quintana Roo and the Mexican Caribbean.

We want to thank all the people who made this fourth edition possible. We believe that perseverance is the key to making Tulum an extraordinary destination and we celebrate all those who make our magazine possible.

HOLA TULUM MAGAZINE COLLABORATORS Archaeologist Adriana Velázquez Morlet Archaeologist Arnoldo González Cruz Archaeologist Enrique Terrones PhD. Ernesto Vargas Pacheco Biologist Omar Ortiz Moreno Biologist Emiliano Zarazua Biologist Juan Canul Biologist Roberto Rojo Biologist Juan Canul Mario Cruz Designer Carmen Rion Teena Clipston Biologist Adrián Mendoza Photographer Serge Barbeau Alejandro Silveira PhD. Andrea Cucina Suzan Crane Andrea Hernández Esser PhD. Mathieu Picas PhD. Carlos Lazcano Arce Researcher Lily Rivera Researcher Alberto Posada Flores

HOLA TULUM Magazine; Cultural magazine for a global society. Registration before the National Institute of Copyrights in process. Legitimacy Certificate of Content in process. Title Legitimacy License granted by the Certification of Publications and Illustrated Journals Commission of the SEGOB in process. Bi-monthly publication distributed in the Mayan Riviera with a print run of five thousand copies.

The ideas and other statements expressed in the articles, reports and interviews are the responsibility of the person signing them, as well as the veracity and legitimacy of figures and other data included in the content thereof. The offers, promotions and incentives offered in the advertisements come from those offering them, the publishing company expressly waives any breach of such offers. Avenida Tulum Oriente, between Av. Satélite Sur and Géminis Sur, Colonia Centro, C.P. 77760, Tulum, Q. Roo, Mexico.

Phone: (984) 802 6152 Email: info@holatulum.com.mx | holatulumpublicidad@ gmail.com Web: www.holatulummagazine.com Facebook: @HolaTulumPublicidad, Twitter: @holatulumpub Instagram: hola.tulum

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Editorial

Editor’s Note By: Nicolás Gerardi

This text is an offering to the writer of Apollo, from whom I learned about elegies and iambic, and also about the flower and the song.

Fósforo, as known in the world of cinema, is the favorite sybarite of booksellers from Ancient Greece. The professor of Roberto Bolaño who dined with Moctezuma and Alexander the Great. Aeda of transparency and uay of Latin American literature.

Thanks to Alfonso Reyes, Mexico and Greece are brothers, Mexico and poetry, Mexico and the universe become brothers.

The fourth edition of Hola Tulum is an offering. In the following pages, we will celebrate life and death, biodiversity, we will cross the skies with the birds of the region, we will discover secrets about mezcal and we will remember Posada, father of the Catrina. For this reason, we will start the fourth edition with a tribute to Alfonso Reyes by revisiting one of his sonnets.

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Visitación —Soy la Muerte—me dijo. No sabía que tan estrechamente me cercara, al punto de volcarme por la cara su turbadora vaharada fría.

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Ya no intento eludir su compañía: mis pasos sigue, transparente y clara y desde entonces no me desampara ni me deja de noche ni de día.

—¡Y pensar —confesé—, que de mil modos quise disimularte con apodos, entre miedos y errores confundida!

«Más tienes de caricia que de pena».

Eras alivio y te llamé cadena.

Eras la muerte y te llamé la vida.

Alfonso Reyes Ochoa. (1959). Constancia Poética. México, D.F.: Fondo de Cultura Económica.

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CONTENT ARCHAEOLOGY

6 Entering the path of death. The meaning of Pre-Hispanic offerings in the Maya tombs by: Adriana Velázquez Morlet

10 The new face of Pakal by: Arnoldo González Cruz 12 The Mesoamerican Dog by: Enrique Terrones 16 Tombs in Tulum by: Ernesto Vargas Pacheco

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ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve by: Omar Ortíz Endemic birds of the Penninsula by: Emiliano Zarazua Good will & good works by: Suzane Crane Are we causing damage? by: Juan Canul The root of the earth extends

TOURISM

34 Xibalbá Fest By: Mario Cruz

ART AND CULTURE

36 Mexican textiles: Ritualism & Artisanal Production by: Carmen Rion

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42 José Guadalupe Posada: Catrina by: Teena Clipson 44 Naj Kiin Indigenous languages: a bulwark of ethnic wealth 48 and abundance by: Adrián Mendoza 50 Between Offerings and movies by: Alejandro Silveira Archaeological sites during the Caste War 56 by: Mathieu Picas and Serge Barbeau Yucatan and Campeche: unique traditions of life and death by: Andrea Cucina 60

POSTER Altars. by: Lily Rivera

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GASTRONOMY Mezcal, a prehispanic drink? by: Carlos Lazcano Arce and Alberto Posada Flores

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Archaeology

ENTERING THE PATH OF DEATH. The meaning the offerings in Maya tombs

Vessel of Death, or Vessel of Berlin, K6547.

Kerr’s Maya Vase Database

Adriana Velázquez Morlet Archaeologist Delegate of the INAH site Quintana Roo

W

hen we visit an exhibition of archaeological objects related to the Pre-Hispanic Maya culture, we often find pottery vessels, ornaments of varied stones or shells, inscriptions in stone and even skeletal remains, but we rarely reflect that many of those beautiful objects come from the tombs in which the ancient Maya placed the mortal remains of their rulers and important people, accompanying them with everything necessary for their transition and journey to the Underworld.

The reason is simple, Maya tombs are settings sealed by their builders, in which the objects placed at the time of the burial could be preserved in very good condition until their discovery.

Unfortunately, many of these tombs have not been found by specialists, but by looters in search of “treasures” to be sold on the black market. When this happens, valuable information related to the tombs is lost irremediably, erasing forever archaeological materials that would have allowed us to know, with certainty, the date of the funeral, the organic materials that accompanied the deceased (food, plants or textiles, for example), or the reasons why the tomb had a certain arrangement.

Despite this, the advance of archaeological studies, iconography and epigraphy, have allowed us to understand and reconstruct many of the ideas and concepts of the Maya about death and its rituals.

Throughout the Maya region, a large number of tombs and graves have been documented; some inside pyramidal foun-

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Entering the path of death.

Archaeology

Tomb of Río Azul, Guatemala.

National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Guatemala dations, either in cameras or in simpler spaces, or under the floors of houses, or inside caves and cenotes. Researcher Markus Eberl calculates that some ten thousand Mayan tombs have been documented, but surely this figure will continue to grow with the progress of research.

According to Maya tradition, the moment of death, or the moment in which “white breath” extinguished, signified the beginning of a long journey towards the world of the dead, that is why numerous objects were placed accompanying the remains of the deceased. Traditionally, archaeologists define an “offering” as the group of goods found in a grave, together with the skeletal remains of a person. However, not only should this set of objects be understood as part of an act of veneration, but also as part of the “luggage” of the individual to undertake his long and dangerous path to the Underworld. Thus many of the ceramic pieces found in Maya tombs clearly had a utilitarian function, that is, they were glasses for drinking chocolate or atole, or dishes to serve tamales. The wear that can be seen in some of these vessels indicates that they were in use, most likely by the deceased, although there are also others that would have been especially made to be deposited with the deceased.

Tomb of the Temple of the Owl, Dzibanché.

Drawing Raúl Velázquez

Many of the polychrome vases deposited in Maya tombs show the same sequence of glyphs, which back in the seventies led Michael Coe; to discover that the Maya used this type of inscription, which he called “Primary Standard Sequence” (PSS), to customize daily tableware. For example, the beautiful piece known as “Plato Blom”, currently on display at the Maya Museum in Cancun, is a large dish found during the construction of the first airport in the city of Chetumal, at the end of the 1940s. The piece is divided into two parts, the first showing a scene based on the Popol Vuh, in which the heroic twins Xbalanqué and Hunahpú kill the monstrous bird Itz’am Yeh, while its lower portion shows a

Entering the path of death.

Ancla tipo almirantazgo [Fotografía].

Hola Tulum Magazine Avilés, Jerónimo.

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Archaeology

Blom Plate, Mayan Museum of Cancún. INAH

dedication that reads: “He dedicates himself... the 8th muanil the writer (of) Ch’ak Ch’ok Kelem [Great Young Prince]...“ (reading by William Mex Albornoz). In more recent years, similar texts have been found to customize ear gauges and jade earrings, bleeding punches and other important objects in both the daily and ceremonial life of Maya rulers, both in life and in death. The set of objects that were placed as part of the offering of a Maya tomb included portable objects of personal use such as jade ornaments and other highly appreciated materials by the Maya. In particular, jade had a very special meaning, being a symbol of wealth and power and a material reserved for members of the nobility, but it was also perceived as in close connection with primordial corn and royal power, according to author Taube.

Carved in the form of beads and ear gauges, jade objects were conceived as the materialization of wind and vital breath, and therefore were a fundamental component of goods found in Maya graves, says Taube, to summon supernatural beings and ancestors.

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Following the line of argument of this author, the ear gauges that are observed in many tombs symbolized conduits for the soul of the deceased (his b’ook), and therefore also a jade bead was placed in his mouth, which would serve to capture and store the soul of the dead ruler.

Taube says that the Maya expression och b’ih (“to enter the way”), which refers to death in Maya texts, has to do with the resurrection of the soul through the symbolism of beads and jade ear gauges.

In Maya tombs, it is also common to find ceramic figurines or paintings on the walls of the chamber. They not only had an ornamental function, since the personification of gods and men went beyond the limits of the human or animal body, and since through these representations, not only the image of the represented being was replicated, but its substance and a permanence that could go beyond the physical body was also assured, as pointed out by Stephen Houston and David Stuart. In the case of noble characters, their representations could have the power not only to transcend

Entering the path of death.

Archaeology

Pakal’s Tomb, INAH

death, but to locate themselves temporarily or permanently in other places. James Fitzsimmons points out that the elaborate funerary monuments and burial rituals served both those who were still alive and the deceased. On the one hand, they reinforced the social life of the community, presenting the deceased as a great character, perhaps more than he had been in life, so that his name and that of his family retained their political power. When dying, the Maya kings met with the gods and their ancestors, but even the dead maintained an intense and close relationship with the world of the living, legitimizing their offspring and strengthening their power.

Fitzsimmons says that the corpse of a Maya ruler ceased to be a person and became a ritual object, he left his royal title and sometimes became a relic, which ultimately had a political function, by reaffirming the divine heritage of his offspring. But while the physical body of the deceased was shrouded with nine knots and placed in his grave to be reborn as a corn plant, his soul had yet to go a long way, to finally become a new Sun in the sky; for this, all the objects

placed as a funeral offering were necessary. Due to their spectacle and wealth, the tombs of Maya rulers and nobles are the most recognized and publicized; however, relevant information has also been recovered about the burial of people of lower status, who were also buried with simple offerings, which could include stone or shell beads, small animals that possibly evoked the wahyis or wahyal, which was the spirit that accompanied a person throughout his life, and sometimes, a vessel that covered the face of the deceased; it is possible that food or plants were also deposited as part of the offering.

The preparation of a ruler’s corpse to embark on its way to the Underworld involved numerous rituals and activities that aimed, on the one hand, at readying the physical body to be reborn as a tree, and on the other, at transforming into a new Sun. The offerings placed in the tombs or in the burials fulfilled this double purpose, because they guaranteed that the ruler had everything necessary to face this journey successfully and to continue strengthening the power of his descendants from the world of the dead.

Entering the path of death.

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Archaeology

Archaeologist Arnoldo González Cruz Archaeological Project Manager Palenque, INAH

THE NEW FACE OF PAKAL

P

alenque has been considered one of the most important cities in the north-western Maya lowlands. From a small village of farmers, it would become one of the most prominent cities in the region, whose importance would be reflected in its flourishing art, architecture, and religion.

In the architecture of Palenque, different types of buildings can be seen, among which El Palacio stands out.

El Palacio is a group of buildings built around a central courtyard. It is considered the most complex and extensive site in the city.

Archaeological excavations have revealed a complex sequence of foundations that are part of the Palace, and also traces of the court’s own activities.

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The Palace is undoubtedly the area that housed the ruling class and its entourage during a good part of the Late Classic period. Here, the ruler made important decisions on administration, war, the appointment of heirs, the organization of religious worship, and the rites of enthronement.

Since mid-2018, two of these old buildings, Casa E and Casa C of El Palacio, are undergoing integral conservation work in order to protect decorative and architectural elements.

Casa E, built in 654 AD, was decorated, both inside and outside with mural paintings, reliefs in stucco and stone –the setting for the enthronements of the Palenque rulers. At present, this building is in a state of poor repair, due to the presence of moisture in the roof, walls

The New Face of Pakal

Pakal Mask [Photography], Faces of the divinity: the green stone Maya mosaics, INAH and floors. To prevent rainwater from penetrating the interior of the site, archaeological excavations were carried out in the courtyard. The plan was to look for construction debris and try to locate some architectural element that was used by the Maya to drain the water from the building.

During these explorations, about 60 centimeters deep, a modeled stucco head was found and under it four semi-complete vessels. On a next level, ceramic pots, figurines, carved bones, pearls, jadeite fragments, flint, shell nacre, alabaster, pyrite fragments, as well as numerous turtle bones, fish, crabs, small birds and snails continued to appear. Between the pieces a figurine that resembles a river shrimp and a graffito glass with motifs of fish, lilies and an anthropomorphic face stood out.

Due to the location and characteristics of the archaeological materials present, we can infer that they may correspond to a ritual offering for the consecration of Casa E of the El Palacio complex. Regarding the modeled stucco head, certain data suggest that this object could represent Kínich Janaab’ Pakal, Palenque’s most emblematic ruler, although up to now this hypothesis has yet to be confirmed.

The archaeological works carried out in the courtyard allowed us, on the one hand, to solve the problem of rainwater that penetrated the interior of the building, and on the other, to know the real function of the patio, an integral part of El Palacio design, the data denotes the existence of a water tank that would have worked inside El Palacio during the Late Classic period.

El Palacio [Photography], Peter Andersen.

Archaeology

Pelรณn [Photography], Celeste Lagos.

Archaeology

Enrique Terrones Archaeologist, INAH

Xoloitzcuintle The Mesoamerican Dog

Recent studies on the origin of the common dog (canis familiaris) show us that its direct ancestor was the wolf (canis lupus) 30 000 years ago. The process of domestication took place thanks to nomadic groups of hunter-gatherers in 10 000 B.C. in North America.

The presence of the common dog in Mesoamerica was probably established around 8,000 B.C. The oldest remains were found in Cueva del Tecolote in Hidalgo, five skeletons of dogs associated with two human burials around 5 500 years B.C. The results of the archaeological investigations and osteological analyses show us that within Mexico there existed three prehispanic canid races: the Itzcuintli or Chichi, the Xoloitzcuintle or Xolo and the Tlalchichi.

There were three races of dogs used in the rituals of the Mesoamerican people. The Aztecs used a dog, with yellowish and reddish hair, to accompany their dead into the afterlife. After sacrificing it, by shooting an arrow into the neck of the animal, the dog’s job was to transport, safely, the dead person through the “nine currents” to the Underworld. The day also required a similar companion, which explains the figure of the god Xólotl with the head of a dog. Xólotl was in charge of guiding the Sun towards its ascent; Xólotl means “twin” in Náhuatl (Uto-Aztecan language). The role of the dog as a spiritual companion of the living and dead, probably originated in the Zapoteca (pre-Columbian civilization) and Maya cultures, as they considered the dog to be the god of lightning.

The trade of dogs that occurred in Mesoamerica, (specifically in the markets of Tlaltelolco and Acolman) attracted the attention of the Spaniards who had recently arrived. In his Cartas de Relación (letters), Hernán Cortés indicates that fattened and castrated puppies were sold in Tlaltelolco –raised especially for eating and for sacrifices. Bernardino de Sahagún, a priest who arrived in Mexico in 1529, mentioned that people who were born under the sign of Nahui Itzcuintli (day of the dog) would be lucky and would become rich, therefore many of them were encouraged to engage in the trade of dogs.

In the Maya zone, there are different names for this animal. The generic word for dog was pec; hairless dog was bil or also ah bil, the term ix bil means female hairless dog, and to mention a puppy they said ah bincol. The dog has a complex importance among the Maya, it is associated with fire and lightning, and in the transporting of the spirits of the dead to the afterlife. Healers and sorcerers, uay, have the power to transform at will into an animal and usually in domestic animals such as uay pec (transformation into a dog) or uay mis (transformation into a cat).

The blood of animals could replace human blood in Pre-Hispanic rituals and sacrifices. In a ceremony for the year K’an, a dog was sacrificed by extracting its heart, also, in the month of Muan, dedicated to the cacaoteros (cacao tree), they would kill a spotted dog of cacao color, and in the month of Pax, they also remove a dog’s heart.

Historical sources describe the ritual practices. Pedro Sánchez Aguilar recounts “what I saw in my childhood was drowned puppies in a hole, they were small with no hair, called tzomes, and were sent as gift and food.”

This same author points out that, in the Island of Cozumel, the Indians “would dance a hypotonic dance to the dogs they would sacrifice”.

In Quintana Roo, the archaeological study has focused on an important collection of 93 dogs discovered in San Gervasio, Cozumel. The dogs’ remains are thought to be from the late Post Classic period (1200 - 1500 AD).

The comparative osteological study confirmed that the prototypes were of the common dog or Itzcuintli.

It is essential to mention the revealing discovery of another canine collection in the pre-Hispanic settlement of Chac Mool, between the Bays of Ascension and El Espiritu Santo, on the Coast of the Mexican Caribbean.

In this area, 19 dogs were sacrificed and buried, four of them had three projectile points of obsidian and one in flint, which attests to sacrifice by arrow. The osteological study showed that the majority of the individuals presented a trait morphology similar to the common dogs, and also the presence of the Xoloitzcuintli and another type (perhaps a race yet to be discovered), was verified.

The Mesoamerican Dog

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Archaeology

Ernesto Vargas Pacheco PhD in Archaeology, UNAM

FUNERAL PRACTICES IN TULUM

I

n Tulum, four tombs, fourteen burials and two graves were explored, and all of the human remains were found in constructions of the Postclassic period, in structures denominated as “palaces,� which, without a doubt, are the most important of the site. This could indicate that these burials belonged to the same lineage group, and that the burial system is basically ossuaries and not tombs for individuals.

The presence of offerings was very poor, it is about skulls, jaws and in some cases it was null. Among the objects found were: fragments of pottery, shell beads with some perforation, fragments of copper, snails, fragmented beads of jade in the mouth, sgraffito bones. Several of the burials had the remains of animal bones, such as turtles, fish, and concentrations of net weights, etc. All of this seems to be just another material that was placed inside the tombs as a filling and not as an offering.

Some tombs in other societies were reused for several generations, seemingly as a custom; in the case of Tulum, the construction technique is interesting because the tombs are very well worked from the architectural point of view,

and it is thought that they were used as family receptacles over several generations. This is the only way we could explain the presence of different skeletal remains in its interior, as well as the large number of skeletal remains that seem to have been placed inside them on different occasions.

The tombs are not all similar, there are cruciforms, rectangular and quadrangular, with or without stairs, with vaults and slabs that cover them, and even within the cruciforms there are different types.

Structure 34 Structure 34 is located north of the main street, near the wall. The façade faces west and consists of stairs with rafters, three doors divided by columns, a lintel over the door and two cornices. The roof was flat and was supported by wooden beams. It consists of two rooms with stools, having a central altar in the second. To the east of the tomb there is a stool and the floor was covered by a layer of earth, stones, fragments of pottery and human bones.

The exploration was performed by artificial levels, in total there were twelve. It is assumed that the tomb was opened several times and human remains placed at different times.

In general, the bone remains have no anatomical position.

In the last three levels, there were three mutilated individuals, however, most were large bones, hands, feet, vertebrae and many mutilated teeth.

The explorations of levels one, two and three exposed steps that went down into the tomb, artefacts found were ceramics, fragments of obsidian and large bones. Exploration of level four was done in sections, north, south, east and west.

On the tenth level they found, in addition to a large number of large bones and fragments, a torso and two feet in ana-

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Funeral Practices in Tulum

Archaeology

tomical position; by the disposition of the sternum it is deduced that they deposited them ventrally. At level 11, the fourth and last step appeared; here we also see a dorsum, in anatomical position, which we believe was mutilated.

Bone material was abundant as were ceramic and animal bones. Level 12 covers the entire plant; for its exploration it was divided into four wings: north, south, east and west. In the West, an individual was found cut at the waist, with the last four lumbar vertebrae, the sacrum, the coccyx, the two iliacs, two femurs, two tibias, two sternones, the tarsal bones, metatarsals and the phalanges of the two feet, all arranged anatomically; this individual’s position was dorsal flexed. Apparently, they were separated from the rest of bones found by stones that were in the center. Here also were found thirteen skulls that characteristically, lacked the jaw and the first vertebrae.

The associated material was ceramic and a braided copper ring. In the north wing, the bone material was small and fragmented. The south wing was narrower and darker, and large bones without anatomical position were found, also five human lower jaws and feline bones were found. In the east wing, the skeletal remains had a particular positioning: the center fragments of the skulls were destroyed, at the ends there were two sacra with the thin part oriented towards a skull and forming a triangle with two other two large bones that went from the sacra to the skull. On the rest of the stool, there were large bones, ribs, a clavicle, an iliac, all forming an offering to the skull.

Funeral Practices in Tulum

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Ecology and Sustainability

Omar Ortiz Moreno Biologist, director of CONANP

Biodiversity in

Sian Ka’an S

ian Ka’an, located in the state of Quintana Roo, is made up of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, the Sian Ka’an Reefs Biosphere Reserve, and the Uaymil Flora and Fauna Protection Area. As a whole, it covers an area of 652 000 hectares and is a federally protected natural area. The responsibility of conservation efforts belong to the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas. The organization works with the settlers, civil society organizations and, state and municipal governments to protect this World Heritage site.

The reserve, as mentioned above, is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage of Humanity sites. It was added to this list due to the fact that it complies with two of the criteria of the Convention on Heritage. Criterion VII: It contains superlative natural phenomena, areas of exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance. Criterion X: Contains the most important and significant natural habitats in situ, for the conservation of biological diversity, including species at risk or of international importance from the point of view of science or conservation.

The Reserve has nine tropical ecosystems, which are considered to be the most important wetlands in the region. The area was designated as a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention (Ramsar Site 1329). As well as being a marine and coastal region, it is a hydrological priority for the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity and is part of the Interna-

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tional Network of Man and the Biosphere Program (MaB Program, for its acronym in English).

Located on the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve (Maya for “place where the sky is born”) encompasses important ecosystems and 17 different types of vegetation. These ecosystems cover a wide area and include tropical forests, flooded forests, savannas, mangroves, coastal dunes, cenotes, and even coral reefs. The reserve has more than 1,200 species of vascular plants, and is home to 103 species of mammals and 336 species of birds. The marine fauna whose habitat is in the cays and coral reefs, includes fish, manatees, dolphins and various species of turtles, including hawksbill, white lute, green and loggerhead.

Due to this biological importance, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has carried out various interventions on this site. The first of these was a project for the Conservation of Biodiversity in Selected Natural Protected Areas of Mexico (FANP), whose conservation strategy included surveillance, biological monitoring, attention to environmental contingencies, regulation of land use, and sustainable use of natural resources, among others. The social strategy was focused on the improvement and diversification of productive activities oriented towards environmental sustainability, social participation and organization, as well as environmental dissemination and education.

Biodiversity in Sian Ka'an

Chocolatera [Photography], Roberto GarcĂ­a Jurado Orozco

Ecology and Sustainability

[Photography], Roberto García Jurado Orozco

Also under the financing scheme of the FANP, through the modality of Strategic Innovative Projects, projects have been implemented to prevent forest fires through the execution of the Community Program for the Prevention of Forest Fires, in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and its area of influence; as well as in constructing methodological tools for the prevention of forest fires through the project Prevention of forest fires through Geographic Information Systems in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and its zone of influence.

The communities living inside the reserve and in the area of influence of the reserve have been strengthened in alternative productive activities, such as ecotourism through the project “Building sustainable recreational experiences in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and adjoining areas.”

The organization has developed a successful strategy for the control of exotic species through the Program for the control and eradication of the lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, which has promoted fishing cooperatives that remove the lionfish through the project “Program to promote the commercialization of the lionfish in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.” In addition, the management actions of the Reserve are being strengthened with the execution of the project “Sport fishing

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[Photography], CONANP

for capture and release in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve,” a productive diversification strategy for conservation, generating information and an entire management strategy to promote fishing tourism activity in the communities in the south of the reserve.

The GEF, through the Small Grants Program and in strategic partnership with other organizations, has participated in the execution of at least twenty projects in different focal areas with wide-ranging activities: from sustainable fisheries, traditional knowledge, environmental education, training, emergency response, and the promotion of community enterprises.

Likewise, in Sian Ka’an, activities were carried out in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, particularly in the route between Calakmul and Sian Ka’an in the northern zone of the reserve. The focal areas of this corridor represent an area with the highest density of jaguar populations (panthera onca) in northern Mesoamerica.

The reserve also has 120 km of reef, which is why it was included in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Conservation Project, which covers Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico.

Due to its privileged location in the Mexican Caribbean, it is one of the most important tourist destinations in the region. It has

Biodiversity in Sian Ka'an

Ecology and Sustainability

Aereal Photography of Sian Ka’an [Photography], Amigos de Sian Ka’an

Cocodrílo [Fotografía], Roberto García Jurado Orozco [Photography], CONANP

promoted the realization of low impact tourism activities with a high content of environmental education, such as the observation of flora and fauna, which leave important economic benefits to the surrounding communities.

In order to combat the great threat posed by the introduction of invasive alien species, a Program for the Prevention, Monitoring and Control of Invasive Species has been established in the site, in which tourists and visitors are involved, as they are a key

[Photography], CONANP

element for the control and eradication of invasive species.

One example of these actions is the promotion of the consumption of lionfish (Pterois volitans) as a measure of control of its population, as well as the request that tourists report the fishes’ presence during their visits to the reefs. In this way, responsible tourism is promoted and the care and protection of this World Heritage is strengthened.

Biodiversity in Sian Ka'an

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Ecology and Sustainability

Emiliano Zarazua Coordinator of the urban bird program in Tulum CONABIO

Endemic birds in Quintana Roo Do you know how many bird species there are in the world?

How many can we find in Mexico? Or in the Yucatan Peninsula? Are they resident or migratory birds? And how many are endemic?

Maybe you have the answers to these questions, and if not, by the end of reading this article you will know. This data is very valuable and helps ensure the conservation of birds and the ecosystems where they live. There is also an even more important question: why are birds so important?

Perhaps it would be enough to mention that birds are the only group of dinosaurs that survived the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period. In pre-Hispanic times, birds were sacred, from Mesoamerican cultures that represented deities, like Quetzalcoatl “The Feathered Serpent”, to a Greek mythological being, the Phoenix. Over centuries, birds have been exploited by humans in various ways; either as a food source, to send long-distance messages, as fishing aids or as a religious and mythological symbol in different cultures around the world. Birds played an important role for Darwin in the development of his theory, “The Origin of Species,” as he gathered much of his understanding of evolution through observing groups of finches in

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the Galapagos Islands.

Birds have obtained great relevance in conservation studies of all terrestrial and marine ecosystems. They are a fundamental part in the food chain (or circle of life?). Birds help in environmental monitoring, they are ecological indicators that help us understand the state of conservation, or of a disturbance in certain areas. They also regulate populations of other species that could be considered pests, and, last but not least, birds help us with the ecosystems, as dispersers of seeds and pollinators of plants, thus guaranteeing the reproduction of thousands of other species.

Around 10 500 species of birds have been found in the world, of which approximately 1 100 can be found in Mexico. The country holds the 11th place on the list of countries in the world with the greatest diversity of birdlife.

The Yucatan Peninsula is home to half of all birds found in Mexico: around 565 species of birds live either temporarily or permanently in this region. This is due to its location in the subtropical zone. The peninsula is composed of the states of Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo. The peninsula has a great variety of ecosystems. Thousands of resident and migratory birds travel, from north and south of the continent, in search of food and shelter.

Endemic birds in Quintana Roo

Ecology and Sustainability

Ocellated Turkey [Photography] Carlos Javier Navarro

According to bird expert and pioneer of birding, Barbara MacKinnon, in the bio-geographic region of the Yucatan Peninsula (which includes parts of northern Belize and the Peten of Guatemala, and small patches of Chiapas and Tabasco), you can find up to 17 endemic species of birds. This means that they live exclusively in this territory, and that there is no other part of the world where you can see them.

These include; the Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata), which may have been one of the earliest species domesticated by the first settlers of America, now threatened by uncontrolled hunting; the Yucatan Chara (Cyanocorax yu-

catanicus) with its bright colors and scandalous singing, always catching the attention of those who manage to spot it.

However, although they can fly, these birds are not free from dangers that put their survival at risk. Human activities, such as the excessive construction of tourism projects, are destroying the homes of the birds. Wetlands are becoming polluted, and nesting sites are shrinking. Not to mention, all the effects caused by climate change, and the measures we must take to adapt to these changes.

Endemic Birds in Quintana Roo

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Ecology and Sustainability

Despite this, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel; during the last decade, bird watching has been increasing as a recreational activity, adding to our knowledge of bird populations and periods of migration.

This popular activity has helped to promote environmental education for the inhabitants of cities and indigenous communities, sowing awareness among the citizens, and improving tourism in the region.

Bird watching is a very fun activity. You have to wake up before dawn, have breakfast, put on the right clothes, prepare binoculars, camera, notebook, pencil, and field guides. You can walk, either a path in the jungle, or to the nearest park in your town; using all your senses, you can identify the birds in your vicinity.

It is recommended to go in small groups of no more than six people. Do not make much noise to avoid frightening the birds. Dress in dark colors, and preferably be accompanied by an expert to help identify the many species. Once the activity is finished, the list is reviewed, and the information is uploaded to an online platform developed by The Cornell Lab, an ornithology file in the United States that is responsible for sharing this information internationally and that will be useful for the study of populations of resident and migratory birds in the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Urban Bird Program, promoted by the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity, began in March of this year in Tulum with the support of civil organizations, such as Los Amigos de la Esquina A. C., Flora, Fauna y Cultura de México A.C., Fundación Orígenes and with the help of passionate guides who share their knowledge with the entire community. Several outings, with children between 5 and 14 years old, have been made in different areas of the municipality, with the intention of promoting interest and citizen participation in the observation of birds as a recreational option. The birdwatchers also learn about other species in the area, including the plants, insects, fungi, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. In this way, we reconnect with our surroundings and, only then, we can begin to love and respect it. Would you be interested in participating on a birdwatching tour?

Join the Facebook group “PAU Tulum” and stay tuned for upcoming outings.

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Endemic Birds 1. Pavo ocelado / Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) 2. Tapacaminos yucateco / Yucatan Poorwill (Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus) 3. Tapacamino huil / Yucatan Nightjar (Caprimulgus badius) 4. Esmeralda de Isla Cozumel / Cozumel Emerald (Chlorostilbon forficatus) 5. Carpintero yucateco / Red-Vented Woodpecker (Melanerpes pygmaeus) 6. Loro yucateco / Yellow-Lored Parrot (Amazona xantholora) 7. Papamoscas yucateco / Yucatan Flycatcher (Myiarchus yucatanensis) 8. Vireo de Isla Cozumel / Cozumel Vireo (Vireo bairdi) 9. Chara yucateca / Yucatan Jay (Cyanocorax yucatanicus) 10. Matraca yucateca / Yucatan Wren (Campylorhynchus yucatanicus) 11. Maullador negro / Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabirostris) 12. Cuitlacoche de Cozumel / Cozumel Thrasher (Toxostoma guttatum) 13. Tangara yucateca / Rose-Throated Tanager (Piranga roseogularis) 14. Bolsero yucateco / Orange Oriole (Icterus auratus)

QUASI ENDEMIC 15. Codorniz yucateca / Black-Throated Bobwhite (Colinus nigrogularis) 16. Colibrí cola hendida / Mexican Sheartail (Doricha eliza) 17. Vireo yucateco / Yucatan Vireo (Vireo magister)

Endemic Birds in Quintana Roo

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Ecology and Sustainability

Suzan Crane Journalist, jeweler and founder of the community group Ladies Who Lunch/Chicas Who Chat Tulum.

Good WILL & Good Works I am delighted to introduce the first monthly column spotlighting non-profit and charitable initiatives in our area. From recycling and other environmental concerns to projects addressing animal welfare, women and children, our disabled and indigenous neighbors, and more… I look forward to celebrating the benevolence of organizations and individuals who put their hearts, souls, money, time, vision and resources into bettering our community and planet. Kicking us off is Los Amigos De La Esquina (LADLE), a certified NGO that enhances the lives of local children through recreation, education, and inspiration.

Several blocks off Tulum pueblo’s main drag in a typical local barrio stands a small beige house, indistinguishable from other houses on the street but for the bustle of activity each afternoon. Tables strewn with paper and crayons, musical instruments, books, toys and games litter the yard which is teeming with kids and volunteers. Several parents hide in the shadows or distribute snacks to the 25-plus children who regularly gather here.

But the joyful echo of singing and laughter represents much more than just a free recreational haven. The fun belies the serious purpose of Los Amigos De La Esquina (LADLE), an accredited non-profit organization intended to enrich the lives of youngsters –aged 6 to 12– through art, education, and integration. Or as the mission statement decrees: “To empower and improve the quality of life for all Tulum children – regardless of social backgrounds, culture, race, religion or gender.”

LADLE was founded by Mexico City natives Francisco Rocha, a successful corporate executive, and his partner Jaime Kohen, a well-known performer, who in 2017 selflessly transformed their Tulum “vacation home” into a community center. When in town, the couple occupies an ever diminishing corner of their house as the program’s growth threatens to displace them completely. “We’re okay with that for now,” smiles Frank as he surveys the gleeful activity around him. “But we need a proper facility to accommodate children from all Tulum’s neighborhoods.”

Curated by a team of therapists, teachers and social welfare professionals, LADLE’s curriculum is designed to promote physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual development with the understanding that each child’s story is different.

“Some kids come from abusive or single parent homes, some don’t attend school while others are charged with rai-

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sing siblings,” Frank explains. “So it is essential to foster a sense of inclusion.” And further, to build character and values, provide equal opportunities and a broader world view for children whose circumstances might otherwise have limited such essential growth.

Since its inception, numerous musicians, artists, dancers, and wellness practitioners – from here and abroad – have participated in the program. More than 20 murals created by the kids under the aegis of professional painters grace walls throughout Tulum. Dubbed “Ruta Esperanza” (Hope Route), the art and messaging signifies a “pathway to their future.” “It’s a movement really,” says Frank. “Such visual reminders help children envision the possibilities in life.”

Activities now include field trips to cenotes and historical ruins, evening films, seminars on wildlife and domestic animal welfare, the environment, science – anything and everything that will enlighten and improve the lives of Tulum’s future generations.

LADLE also recently installed Quintana Roo’s first “Community Refrigerator” (“Waab Haabs” –“Shared Bread” in Maya) where people contribute what they can and take that which they need.

Currently the organization is waging a crowd-funding campaign to finance the building of dedicated eco-conscious community center to expand its reach and benefit more local children.

For more information or to contribute to this vital project: www.ladlemx.org Instagram & Facebook: @ladle.mx

Good will & good works

Ecology and Sustainability

Good will & good works

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Tourism

The root of the earth extends Yvy rapo ojepyso (Guaraní)

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Namasté Casa de Té

Tourism

Sometimes you have to repeat an action in order to understand its meaning. There are times when habits help knowledge flourish. And sometimes, it only takes tea and conversation to clarify the senses and heal the soul.

Namasté is a tea house and organic apothecary that emerged in Tulum from the intention of three healing women, who love tea, conversation, and the healing powers of nature.

The founders of Namasté were awakened to a deep herbal wisdom through the custom of drinking tea. A wisdom joined with the will to preserve and transmit knowledge of yesteryear, and with the vocation to heal physical, mental and spiritual with the plants that nature delivers.

In November 2016, Namasté opened its doors boasting the title of being the

first tea house in Tulum. Little by little, its calm atmosphere, and the pleasant manifestations of its administrators, positioned it as an essential place for locals and tourists.

In this unique place you will find recipes of essential oils, semi-precious stones, Huichol art, literature about the Maya culture, and their vision of spirituality, in short, a compendium of everything that leads to deep healing of emotions, balance between body, mind and spirit. Namaste goes far beyond being a tea house, it is a place to experience the powerful energy of harmony. A true oasis.

Namaste is a unique combination of herbal wisdom and Caribbean freshness. Its founders are from Paraguay and Manaus (Brazil), heirs to a botanical culture that mixes Guarani and Amazonian knowledge. The tea house was created with an intention to chan-

Namasté Casa de Té

nel what the plants want to give us.

Tinctures, creams, teas, hydrolates, soaps and jams are some of his creations. In the laboratory there are no measures, the main purpose is to let go of emotions, the goal, to return to the seed.

Connect with nature, enjoy word games like Na(da)-Más-Té, share an anecdote, and find comfort with a tereré (cold mate with citrus fruits), drink a witches’ tea (secret recipe), discover smells, essences and sensations; participate in cocoa ceremonies, reiki workshops, meditation.

The use of plants are all part of the Namasté experience. Located in the heart of the hotel zone, km 7.5, hotel Ahau Tulum.

Sometimes we just need to be heard, laugh and trust the essential nature of things. And sometimes we just need more tea.

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Turismo Tourism

Xibalbá Fest

Mario Cruz Public Relations, Tourist Council of Tulum

C

elebrate life and death –be part of the traditional festivals of our ancestral cultures and participate in the Xibalbá Festival of Tulum. Private companies, local merchants, hoteliers and taxi drivers join together to celebrate in October 30 and 31, November 1 and 2, the Day of the Dead in our municipality.

Some of the activities that can be enjoyed this October and November are: Six stages with local talent, a gastronomic show, a fashion show, contests for altars and catrinas (typical Mexican skull / skeleton), the traditional Hannal Pixan, a fair with Maya master craftsmen and guests from Jalisco, Yucatan, Querétaro and Michoacán, a folkloric ballet, forums and talks about sargassum, a special sustainable textile design, and workshops of flamenco and South African drums.

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During this sixth edition, the Tourist Promotion Council of Tulum coordinates activities in Akumal, Bahia Principe and Tulum with the purpose of supporting the Maya communities through the integration of the arts and the promotion of local commerce.

The intention of the Xibalbá Fest is to serve as a source, to encourage citizen participation and the use of public spaces in Tulum for recreational, and cultural purposes. It is about strengthening the essence of our magical town through the diffusion of traditions that make the Riviera Maya a unique destination.

Xibalbá Fest

[Photography], Diego Muñoz

Art & Culture

Lily Espinoza Traditional cook, Founder of Rivera Kitchen Tulum.

ALTARS

F

rom afar, the first thing we notice is the smell of copal, soft and deep. The old ones say that this humito connects us with the sky, taking our requests to God. Already close to the offering, we see the amber gleam of the candles, their flames like slender dancers, sometimes dancing with the wind, others staying still and long, like Lent. When we come upon an orange path, made with cempasúchil petals, the traditional flower of these dates, we know we have arrived. Before our eyes, hundreds of years of fervent Mexican tradition unfold, in which every year, with love and hope, we celebrate, with joy, the return to this world, for one day at least, of our loved ones who have passed away.

The Altar de Muertos is a Mexican tradition of enormous relevance, celebrated throughout the country. This celebration is the result of the Mesoamerican religious beliefs mixed with European beliefs, brought by the Spaniards to Mexico. Because of the different idiosyncrasies and traditions of the many cultures that inhabit Mexico, the altars may vary by region. In regards to height, altars of two levels represent the sky and the earth, those of three levels include purgatory, and those of seven levels represent the seven tests that the soul must go through in order to reach eternal rest, or the seven levels of the Underworld. However, beyond the levels, which will depend on the worldview of the different cultures, there are some elements that we will always find in every traditional altar: water will always be present, since it represents purity and helps to quench the thirst of the deceased who has come a long way; also vital are candles, which represent the light, faith and hope that will guide them between this and the other world – if they are children, colors will be used, for adults we use white or black; incense is important, sin-

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ce smoke can travel to the beyond and invite the souls to come down to the world of the living, where they can taste the food that was made in their honor. Salt is the element that purifies, the essence of life, and helps the body not to be corrupted in its journey between the two worlds.

The cross of ashes serves to purify the souls of pending guilt. With respect to traditional food on this day, for certain there will be tamales and pan de muerto. Tamales are the most traditional and ancient way of consuming corn in our culture, even tortillas came later. Each region, Mucbipollo, Zacahuil, Nacatamal, Canarios, and Uchepos has its own style and its favorites, which they always consider to be the best in the world. For the Maya, the tamales were both a ceremonial meal and a common food intake: “The identification of the so-called T30 sign - whose phonetic value is Waaj - with the tamal, has made it possible to establish that this was the main dish of corn among the Maya people from the Classic period.”

The history of Pan de Muerto dates back to the colonial era, when, according to one of several versions, the Spanish friars began to represent the bleeding heart that was offered to the Gods, with a bread painted red, symbolizing the blood, and thus avoiding the human sacrifices, common at the time. At present, this bread represents a dead person, the little ball at the center is a skull and the bones go to the sides, pointing also to the directions of the Universe. Small or large, full of elements or just the necessary, I invite you to dedicate an altar to your dead this November 2 to celebrate their passage through this Earth.

Altares

DISPONIBLE

Art & Culture

Carmen Rion Designer and master in textiles.

MEXICAN TEXTILES How and why did Carmen Rion’s interest in artisan fabrics arise?

My interest arose a few years ago. At that time, the textile industry (in Mexico) copied from fabric designs abroad. That’s if there was even an industry... not like now, but there was no original design made in Mexico.

My under-graduate thesis was called “Design process for Mexican textile printing.” I was astonished, even now, that the industry had been so un-creative, especially since textile plays such an important role in Mexican tradition. That’s where my thesis project came from and, of course, my dream was to work in the waist loom (a traditional, prehispanic, method of weaving).

What is sustainable design for Carmen Rion and how do you combine luxury with sustainability?

Sustainability is logical, common sense. That is, to neither harm the planet nor exploit people. For me it is obvious.

I never thought about it as a “luxury”. This term appeared

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at the same time as my work.

Describing it as “a luxury” has to do with making original things, things that are handmade. Three years ago, I got a prize in Madrid for “Sustainable Luxury.” I was surprised by the concept, knowing that the people who work in handicrafts, and women who weave with the loom, are generally the poorest of this country, and still; they maintain “that luxury” of our identity and traditions.

When did your work with artisan groups start? How was it then, and how is it today, after 20 years of the Carmen Rion brand?

It was about 15 years ago in Chiapas. I was invited by an NGO to a meeting: “Forum for sustainable development”. The group was of approximately 200 women, artisans from the highlands. Xóchitl Gálvez had supported them to form productive groups, and to have pedal looms. It was organized very well, they learned how to produce “in a series.” Unfortunately this was not their thing, their art was in the waist loom.

Mexican Textiles

Nowadays, everyone wants to “work with artisans”, but most of them want to “assemble”, not do something integral. There is no textile design in universities, although they are graduates in textile design. They really do not know much about textile design.

“The outfit has been a vehicle for communication with other realities, other planes and dimensions, capable of transforming and transporting whoever wears it.”

Could this be said about the Mexican textile tradition? How is the ritualistic aspect of dressing in Mexico presented?

Yes, it could. The use of traditional clothing is sacred during holidays. In many communities, these days are of “first use” and that’s when new designs or variants of the traditional costume come out. In the case of men who are the “stewards” of

Art & Culture

Mexican Textiles

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Art & Culture

the community, they are always dressed in their traditional costume, and must work for free for at least a year. These are the elder statesmen of their communities, they wear their traditional dress with style and command respect by doing so. Women wear their (traditional) outfits daily, most men have abandoned it. It is a pity.

Clothing during the Day of the Dead. What colors, fabrics and pieces are ideal to celebrate life and death during October and November?

Well, the obvious thing for me is always black, for mourning, but that is very personal. I do not like telling people what to wear –each person celebrates their dead differently. In our new collection, the sea is an influence, because at this moment, it is the biggest natural alarm (for what is happening in the world). We need to take care of our planet, and its fish. Also these dead will have good luck, because we use Chinese fish (in our new collection).

Artisanal production is threatened. What are the main causes of the disappearance of artisanal practices, what can we do on a small and large scale?

First of all, do not “bargain”. I think that there is a big boom, and this is not over, it has returned thanks to the designers, not to the governments or thanks to the industry. The designers have supported, valued and paid for the craft work.

Firstly it was my teachers, like Marcela Gutiérrez in the UIA, and Gonzalo Tassier. Then all of the teachers where I studied my Master’s Degree in Basel, Switzerland: Marlisse Nusbaumer, Erika Possinger, Armin Hofmann, Kurt Hauert, Wolfgang Wiengart, Klaus Litman... and on my return, Ricardo Legorreta, Angel Perez Gomez (Artell), Acatex and Towels El Pilar, Jose Yapur Hadad. I also learned a lot from my clients in the textiles industry. Now, and for the last 15 years, my teachers are the artisans, they are not only teachers of weaving and embroidery but teachers of life.

If you could bring someone from the past to the 21st century who would you bring?

I would bring Madeleine Vionet, Chanel, (but who knows if they would be unbearable) or Annie Albers. I would bring those who were in the Bauhaus, and obviously, the great indigenous textile creators, weavers, who knew the meaning of each symbol in the fabric and embroidery of their huipiles. I would also like to talk to designers, such as Issey Miyake, and many other contemporary designers, some of whom are not dead.

If you could change something about our time, what would you change?

In addition to this, the craftsmen themselves, mostly indigenous, have taken care of their “work” for years. They need more support, so that they can live well working in their trade. What to do next? Integrate the artisan trade into education, in the programs from elementary, secondary and high school. Create technical schools of art and crafts, like in European universities. Something with more respect, with good artists and teachers, with more desire... with more budget.

Design (production), every day, gets closer to the trades. So I do not think that it is in danger, it is already there, now, it just needs to be reinforced.

I would remove the possibility of being stuck on the cell phone, on Facebook, on Twitter, and all of the social networks all day long. Technology is very interesting; sure, take some pictures, but not all of the time.

Three tips for someone who is starting their own design brand?

I would make computers that last for a lifetime, as did refrigerators, consoles, blenders, cameras, dining rooms, cars. I would keep the ability, or time, to be bored. Having nothing to do gave me the opportunity to teach myself how to mend socks, to embroider and knit. I do watch TV, just not all the time.

First of all, do your project, do not copy or “be inspired,” the phrase that disguises many things.

Work with quality and purpose, the brand comes afterwards. It’s like making a cake, first the dough, then you ice the cake and then put it in the box. You do not ice a cake before making the filling.

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What are the fundamental influences for the processes and creative practices of Carmen Rion?

Hola Tulum Magazine

I would teach children to write with pencil and fountain pens, goodbye to the Bic pens. And teach them to draw, “to do,” to play. I would teach them simple trades like when I was a girl, binding, basic carpentry, electricity, drawing, clay moulding, knitting, embroidering, singing, cooking and dancing.

Mexican Textiles

“What to do next?

Integrate the artisan trade into education, in the programs from elementary, secondary and high school�.

DIVING, TOURS & BEACH CLOTHES // Legendary Sites // Personalized Service // Epic Staff

(+52) 1 984-806-1942

www.aguaclaradivingtulum.com // aguaclaratulum@gmail.com

Art & Culture

JOSÉ GUADALUPE POSADA

Teena Clipson Journalist

There is no escaping the skeletal grasp of death; our earthly perspectives have no power here; wealth or position have no impact. The reaper comes for us all and, in the end, we are all “calaveras” (skulls). José Guadalupe Posada spent his life musing with death through his art, inventing ways for death to dance among the living. He portrayed calaveras enjoying everyday life: playing guitars, riding bikes, celebrating as revolutionaries, and even as peasants. He gave dea-

the indigenous who denied their cultural heritage.

Posada died a lonely man in 1913. No one would come to claim his remains.

ability to have each of us look in the mirror and see our own “calavera” waiting. And just as he illustrated these ideals, he proved them: death greeted him in exactly the same way he expected it to –in poverty and well-forgotten, buried in an unmarked grave, only to be revered in death.

The mural placed La Calavera Catrina front and center, along with the upper class, including Dictator Porfirio Díaz, with images depicting the exploitation of the indigenous on either side. From that moment, she became a national icon, taking a fundamental position in the ceremonies of “Día de los Muertos”, Day of the Dead, altering the very culture of the Mexican people, and standing as a stark reminder of our eventual equality as we meet death.

th the ability to speak against depraved practices. He gave death the ability to make all men equal. He gave death the chance to remind us all of the inevitable. He gave death the

José Guadalupe Posada (illustrator, lithographer, and engraver) came into this world in 1852, and became a political cartoonist before the age of 20.

La Calavera Catrina would later be resurrected by famed artist Diego Rivera, who was married to Mexico’s beloved artist Frida Kahlo. In 1946-47, Rivera painted a spectacular mural in Mexico City, called “Sueño de una Tarde Dominical en la Alameda Central” (Dream of a Sunday afternoon along Central Alameda).

His first job was with the El Jicote newspaper, in Aguascalientes. His career of engaging politicians would prove to have an impact; after 11 issues, the newspaper was forced to close. This was largely due to local politician, Jesús Gómez Portugal, wanting to silence Posada’s voice.

However, Posada’s drive to speak through his images did not waver. He moved to León and opened a printing and commercial illustration business that focused on advertising, book illustration, and posters. His business thrived until 1888 when a flood destroyed the city. He then moved to Mexico City to work in a publishing firm. Soon after, the Mexican Revolution began, and Posada brought his focus and dedication back to politics, where he satirized the bourgeois lifestyle and criticized the politics of the day, throughout the Porfirio Díaz dictatorship.

In that same year, in 1910, Posada’s idyllic image of death was born: La Calavera Catrina “The Skull of the Female Dandy”. Originally called, La Calavera Garbancera, she was a symbol of Mexican high-society, during a time when becoming “European” was stylized. She wears an extravagant feathered hat, and dresses with impressive elegance, satirically showcasing her skeletal frame. A sardonic homage to La Garbancera [Newspaper], El Jicote newspaper, 1913.

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José Guadalupe Posada

Art & Culture

Naj Kiin

T

o inhabit the Maya world today is to cross the portal of Naj Kiin [Casa del Sol –or “House of the Sun”] and discover the solid lines of Pre-Hispanic architecture.

Naj Kiin is a new housing complex located in Aldea Zamá, where modern design and construction systems of the Mesoamerican peoples are merged. The Yucatecan rock, the precious woods of the tzamal and the katalox, combined with an elegant space management, state-of-the-art technology for energy saving, and sophisticated furniture, make the Casa del Sol the ideal place to enjoy the bohemian luxury of Tulum.

M21 is the architectural studio behind Naj Kiin. Since 2013, the architectures of M21 have developed spaces in Veracruz, Puebla, Mexico City, and Tulum focusing on freedom

and comfort. Their main strength is the bonds of familiarity they generate with clients and workers. For example, the workers who built Naj Kiin, traveled from Puebla and have more than ten years with the company, they guarantee first class finishes and speak about values such as solidarity and the transparency that characterize M21.

Naj Kiin has 16 apartments between 108 and 303 m2, each one has personalized details and its own warehouse. The complex has five pools, one for general use and four private pools that belong to each of the penthouses. The façade and finishes were made by local master craftsmen to achieve the sophistication that the jungle demands. Naj Kiin is definitely a unique opportunity in the Riviera Maya to make a home in la Casa del Sol.

Naj Kiin

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Art & Culture

Adrián Mendoza Ramos Biologist, Founder of Razonatura

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES W

e live in a globalized world. Every language is influenced by the continuous flow of the present and by globalization, but also in a significant way by its past. It is not the same English, for example, spoken in England as in Scotland. The Scottish have adopted a significant number of words of Celtic origin, which connects them with their past. In the Spanish language the same thing happens, for example, in the Spanish that is spoken in Mexico, there is an important number of linguistic loans that connect us to our past. Beginning with the name of our country, Mexico, which refers to the Mexicas (also known as Aztecs) that in the Náhuatl language means “in the navel of the Moon”. Another example is the State of Tlaxcala, which has a Nahuatl name meaning “place of tortillas.” World-famous words, such as guacamole or chocolate, also come from Náhuatl, or the word chicle (chewing gum) that comes from the Maya linguistic group.

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Náhuatl is the most widely spoken indigenous language in Mexico, with more than a million and a half Nahuas speakers distributed in the center of the country. It is followed by the Maya-Yucatecan language, which is spoken by almost one million people who live in one of the three states that make up the Yucatan Peninsula in south-eastern Mexico (Yucatán, Campeche and Quintana Roo). According to data from the Indigenous De-

velopment Commission (CDI in Spanish), more than 12 million Mexicans are indigenous, which represents the largest indigenous population of any country in the Americas. However, if we take into account that an estimated 120 million people live in Mexico, then only 10% of the Mexican population is considered indigenous. In proportion, Bolivia is the country (in the Americas) with the highest percentage of indigenous people as approximately half of the population speaks one of the Bolivian indigenous languages, of which Aymara and Quechua stand out.

Mexican linguistics

Lacandon Kid [Photography], Sina Falker.

Art & Culture

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n addition to Spanish, 143 variants of 68 indigenous languages that come from 11 linguistic groups are spoken in Mexico today. Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI in Spanish) indicate that there are more than seven million people who speak any of these languages unrelated to the Spanish language. In pre-Hispanic Mexico, four linguistic groups predominated; to the north of the country the ocana-coahuilteca, in the center of Mexico, the yuto-nahua, in the southeast of Mexico, Maya, that extends to the north of Costa Rica, and the oto-mangue in the region of Oaxaca.

fy those that are threatened to disappear into four groups: 1) 52 vulnerable languages –spoken by most children but only in the family.

2) 38 endangered languages –the languages that are not taught to children as their mother tongue.

3) 32 seriously at risk languages –the ones that only the elders speak, the parents understand them but do not practice them.

4) 21 critical languages –the ones that only the elderly speak but do not use frequently.

Why should we call them languages and not dialects?

According to the Spanish Language Academy (RAE in Spanish), a dialect is a variant of some mutually understood tongue, in this sense, indigenous languages, just as Spanish, could have dialects derived from the original language. For this reason, when we say native tongue, it makes more sense to refer to them as languages and not as dialects because of their complexity and cultural richness.

Undoubtedly, this data present an alarming picture of Mexican linguistic diversity. 63% of indigenous languages in Mexico are in danger and this situation extends to a greater or lesser extent to the rest of the world.

Due to the globalization and devaluation of ancestral cultures, the native languages of each region are disappearing. We must propose strategies to preserve them.

The evident linguistic richness in Mexico, the degree of abundance in the use of each indigenous language or its variants has led UNESCO to classi-

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Indigenous Languages

Art & Culture

[Photography] Aurora Shรกnchez @foto_saja

Indigenous Languages

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Art & Culture

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Between offerings and movies

Art & Culture

Alejandro Silveira Director of Arbol Rojo

Between

OFFERINGS

And movies

D

uring October, the horror genre in feature films is at its greatest. Our neighboring country exploits its Halloween festivities to generate much of that film content. Mexico’s traditional Day of the Dead festivities run for much of October, culminating the Día de los Inocentes on the 1st of November and Día de los Muertos on the 2nd of November (days to commemorate children and adults respectively). The tradition brings us delicacies, such as pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and delicious, sugar skulls as well as papel picado (pecked paper) and flowers of

cempasúchil. But also, like our neighbors, some exemplary films are generated here in Mexico. In this article, we will recommend a few of these films so that you may locate and enjoy them. The films are related to the Day of the Dead, a tradition that directly connects family members, alive and dead, and where rites, dances and offerings play an important role.

To this list we should add two currently highly successful films, “The Book of Life” (2014) and “Coco” (2018).

1. Macario (1960)

2. Mictlán (1969)

3. La mansión de la locura (1973)

4. Bajo el Volcán (1984)

In 1960, Roberto Gavaldón gave us Macario, nominated for an Oscar that same year for best non-English speaking film. The film is an accurate look at what the Day of the Dead means to the Mexican people. Magical realism appears when a mortal enters into business with the devil: the results go from the comic to the emotional.

Mictlán, made in 1969, is the story of a young aristocrat whose family does not respect indigenous cultures. He consumes peyote and makes a spiritual trip that connects him with the land of the dead where he learns of its significance.

Based on the short story, “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether” by Edgar Allan Poe. The film, The Mansion of Madness, tells about a nineteenth century French journalist discovers that an asylum has been taken over by one of his demented patients, allowing his companions to make their fantasies come true. Many symbols and traditions of the Day of the Dead visually appear in the plot of this film, coupled with European influences.

The American film industry in 1984 gave us the film Under the Volcano, an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie tells the story of a British consul in the (fictional) town of Quauhnahuac, Mexico, during the Day of the Dead. This film presents how other cultures view and understand the Day of the Dead.

Between offerings and movies

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Abundio Yamá 96 years old, Quintana Roo God will fight for the Maya We, the Maya, used to live in harmony with nature, but everything changed when the wacho’ob (Mexican Soldiers) came to kill us because we didn’t want to obey the Mexican authorities.

Art & Culture

LAST WITNESSES OF THE CASTE WAR

Note: The portraits that illustrate this article are from the direct descendants of the combatants who fought in the Caste War against Spaniards and Mexicans

By: Mathieu Picas | Photography: Serge Barbeau

Mathieu Picas PhD in Cultural Management and Heritage by the University of Barcelona

The Caste War

Serge Barbeau Photographer

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Art & Culture

Archaeological sites are an essential part of the cultural landscape of the Yucatan Peninsula; the sites are evidence of a pre-Hispanic history in the region. In Quintana Roo, the first archaeological surveys began at the beginning of the 20th century, however, the Caste War proved a reality rarely mentioned at present: many of the pre-Hispanic cities were already known by the Maya as documented by explorers John L. Stephens and Frederick Catherwood in the 1840s.

The historian, Nelson Reed, mentions that the Cruzo’ob Maya people chose the lands adjacent to the mounds and ruins to cultivate because they had been chosen by their ancestors. Beyond their local agricultural knowledge, the reuse of the pre-Hispanic remains also had a religious and even military dimension during the Caste War. The Caste War was the last effort of the Maya people to counteract colonial logic.

Between 1847 and 1901, a guerilla war spread to the south and east of Yucatan (today the state of Quintana Roo) leaving a trail of blood in its wake. The Maya people, after acquiring military experience in the clashes between Yucatan and the central government of Mexico, decided to put an end to the abuse which they had been subjected to by the Creoles and Spaniards, and armed themselves. After the execution of Manuel Antonio Ay in Valladolid, his companions Jacinto Pat and Cecilio Chi began the uprising, thus originating the unique tradition of the Talking Cross.

The leaders

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The Caste War

Vicente Ek Catzin Music in times of war I’m the main musician in Maya ceremonies. Even in times of war we had music (...) Unfortunately, I’ve lost my memory and I can’t remember many of the melodies that we played in times of war.

Gregoria Peña Canul 95 years old, Yaxley I’m an embroiderer of traditional dresses of the Maya area. I cross-stitch women’s and men’s clothes (...) Unfortunately, I lost my eyesight and wasn’t able to teach other women to do this kind of embroidery, so now nobody knows how to do it.

Art & Culture

In 1863, a ceremonial center dedicated to the Talking Cross appeared in the town of Tulum, led by the priestess Maria Uicab. It became one of the key points of the political and religious organization of the Cruzo’ob during the Caste War. Archaeologist Thomas Gann documented the shelter at the Tulum site, which was built by the Maya during the 19th century, and the religious value they had attributed to the structure of El Castillo. The Cruzo’ob continued to use the pre-Hispanic city located in the Archaeological Zone of Tulum until 1937, when the municipality declared it to be officially owned by the Mexican nation, at which point they were denied access to the structure.

Pre-Hispanic cities were used as battlefields during the Caste War. A clear example is San Jacinto, a few kilometers from Xkon-ha, where the Maya defeated the Mexicans. In Tabi and Nohpop, the archaeological hills served as a fort for the Cruzo’ob during the clashes.

We have evidence of the warlike use of the Maya ruins, thanks to the photographs taken by Mexican federal troops after the capture of both sites in 1901 (Fig. 1).

On some occasions it was the Mexicans themselves who reused the rocks from the pre-Hispanic sites, such as in the Yo’okop fort.

In addition to the religious and military use of some pre-Hispanic structures, other archaeological sites served as a refuge for Maya fleeing Mexican federal troops, as was the case in Balché, where Cecilio Chi had his ranch (Fig. 2), or in Tekax, where people hid inside the archaeological mounds. In the current municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas, a site became the refuge of a group of Maya who decided not to get involved in the Caste War. Kantunilkín, a city that today preserves its pre-Hispanic name, was built on top of an ancient pre-Hispanic city and still today we can observe some pre-Hispanic structures in the town. The same phenomenon occurred in the north of modern-day Belize, a region to which another Maya group migrated and where the city of Corozal was founded, above the remains of the pre-Hispanic city of Santa Rita.

In Muyil, archaeological evidence of the use of the site during the Caste War was found. During the nineteen-thirties, several communities were created by the Cruzo’ob Maya, many of them close to archaeological sites. Although in some cases these deposits could serve as construction material for new towns, some archaeological mounds still have a high sacred value in the ritual life of communities of the Maya communities of Quintana Roo.

The Caste War

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Pomuch (Hecelchakán - Campeche)

I’m not there [Photography], Nowhere Dan.

Art & Culture

Andrea Cucina PhD in Archaeology by UADY.

Unique traditions of Life and Death When traveling the Mérida-Campeche highway, known since the 16th century as El Camino Real, the traveler passes by a number of villages and small towns. One of these towns is Pomuch, in the municipality of Hecelchakán (Campeche), well known for its famous breads. Pomuch is also famous for a very old mortuary practice that dates back to pre-Hispanic times.

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n its small, but charming cemetery, visitors do not encounter a classical pantheon filled with horizontal tombstones. No! Upon entering the cemetery, the visitor is immersed into a small city, whose narrow perpendicular alleys are restricted by an endless series of niches, many of which today are stacked one on top of the other for lack of space.

These niches, or “houses”, in Pomuch’s pantheon, have no doors. There is no light inside these structures, or air to circulate among the dead. When looking inside these cubicles, the image presented is unparalleled, sad and tender at the same time, a reminder of the balance between life and death.

Small wooden boxes (sometimes made of metal or cardboard), lined with white fabrics and embroidered with floral and animal motifs, protect the skeletal remains of their inhabitants. The skull, carefully placed on top of all the other bones, seems to welcome the visitor. This custom can also be seen in other cemeteries along the Camino Real: in Hecelchakán itself, in Tenabo, Calkiní (and a few others). It is in Pomuch, though, that it reaches its maximum meaning and ostentation.

Shortly after dying, the body is buried in a pit, where it remains for approximately 36 months. That is enough time for the soft tissue to decompose and drain into the ground.

After three years, the body is exhumed. When exhumed, relatives or a specific gravedigger recover the skeleton (or mummy). They clean each bone with brushes and the bones are placed in a box especially prepared for the occasion. There is not a pre-established sequence for organizing the bones in the box: the important thing is to leave no bones behind, and to place the skull, with or without a jawbone, on top of the collection. If hair remains, it is carefully placed on top of the skull.

Generally it is family members who visit a deceased’s niche, although sometimes friends are also allowed; it is believed that this maintains the bonds between loved ones.

The cemetery of Pomuch, throughout the year, is a silent and solemn place. However, this silence is interrupted every year at the end of October. A few days before Día de los Muertos, the necropolis comes alive. The relatives of the deceased go to the niches with rags, brushes, and with new white and embroidered fabric.

The boxes with the bones are taken out of the “little houses”, and all the bones are brushed, so that “...they are very white and clean,” thus when the soul returns it will find its body clean and in good condition. The cotton fabric is changed and sometimes the interior of the niche is repainted.

Unique traditions of Life and Death

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Art & Culture

O

n October 31, deceased children are remembered. They are offered sweets and fruits, small breads and colored candles – traditionally everything that would make them happy in life. The first of November is All Saints’ Day, and the celebrations are dedicated to deceased adults. They are also given food and drinks; the adults, unlike the children, are offered alcohol.

On the first day of November, the celebrations are more lavish and are carried out mainly at home where altars will have been prepared.

It is believed that on this date the souls arrive to visit, and according to Mesoamerican tradition, they will stay with their loved ones until the end of November. On November 2 (Day of the Faithful Dead), flowers, food and drinks are taken to the cemetery. By the end of November, the city of the dead returns to its former peace and tranquillity.

In Mesoamerica, the adoration of the dead and the honor of ancestors has its roots in pre-Hispanic cultures. There is a lack of archaeological evidence that conclusively proves a link between the Pomuch ritual of today, and the rituals of the dead in the pre-Columbian cultures. However, despite this absence of evidence, it is valid to suspect that such distinct practices have been carried out since antiquity.

A tradition, so singular and specific in Pomuch, allows us to speculate on a “local” cultural evolution in mortuary practices. Death in Campeche in its earthly representation – the skeleton and in particular the skull (or as it is known in Mexico, “la calavera”) – do not generate fear, it is not “taboo”. The clean, carefully attended and accommodated skeleton in its “little house” is the medium between this world and the spiritual world. It represents a bond, and a continuity between life and death.

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Unique traditions of Life and Death

Art & Culture

I’m not there [Photography], Nowhere Dan.

Gastronomy

Carlos Lazcano Arce Anthropological Research Institute of UNAM

Alberto Posada Flores Ambassador of Pox Siglo Cero

Mezcal, a prehispanic drink?

Drinks are channels, a connection with the unknown and a fundamental part of every offering, especially alcoholic drinks derived from the agave plant. There are two types of drinks derived from agave, classified into two groups: Those produced from the extraction of sugars, after scraping the stem (mead and pulque), and those that come from the cooking of the heads, stems and leaves to obtain distilled beverages, generically called mezcal.

like the drink.

The term mezcal has three meanings: 1) a type of agave endemic to Mexico, 2) a food made from the stem and leaves of this agave, and 3) a distilled alcoholic beverage, made from the heart of the maguey (agave). A debate arises around the latter –did Pre-Hispanic technology cultures distill? There are many speculations around this, but thanks to research conducted at UNAM, we can respond to this controversial debate.

The archaeological information establishes that kilns were also found in other sites, such as those reported by Di Peso in the Paquime site, which were not used to produce ceramics but used to produce mezcal. Other ovens found in La Quemada, Zacatecas or Guachimontones, Jalisco, are also believed to have had the function of cooking the maguey.

Is mezcal a prehispanic drink? The answer to this question has been answered by research carried out by Dr. Mari Carmen Serra Puche and Dr. J. Carlos Lazcano Arce from the Anthropological Research Institue of UNAM. The project, called “La Ruta del Mezcal“ sought to corroborate the hypothesis that at the site of Xochitecatl-Cacaxtla, near Mexico City, during the Formative period 550 BC - 200 AD., the drink that we now know as mezcal was produced. This theory was verified from finding ovens and pots with clear evidence that there were residues and runoff of maguey.

The evidence enabled us to test the theory through four types of research: a) Archaeological b) Ethnohistorical c) Ethnoarchaeological d) Chemical analysis studies

Evidence found in ovens and pots of Xochitecatl-Cacaxtla: The first data of the chemical study showed that, in the ovens at Xochitecatl-Cacaxtla, the pineapples or “maguey heads” were cooked. This was the first food product found: in some current indigenous communities it is known as mezcal - just

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Archaeological data demonstrates that remains of maguey were mixed in with the earth coming from the interior of the pots. These remains indicate that they used the pots to ferment the agave. This fermentation demonstrates the process of transformation of the maguey sugars to obtain alcohol, that is, mezcal.

To complement the chemical and archaeological tests, ethnoarchaeological evidence was consulted. Today the production of mezcal in indigenous communities is “petitoria (a pray)”, to obtain and achieve good harvests, it is a key element in the patronal rituals and is fundamental in the change of indigenous authority, as an offering to the land, etc.

Accompanying the chemical, archaeological and ethnoarchaeological data, the most significant finding of the ethnohistorical review shows that in the sixteenth century, a chronicler named Fernando de Oviedo (1560) states: “The Indians produce a translucent drink with high alcohol content and a few drops produce stinging and great dizziness,“ clear evidence that he does not refer to the drink of pulque.

The production of mezcal, in its final phase of the distillation process, relies on the separation of two elements; one more volatile than the other, that will later be condensed. This is where controversy arises in regards to determining whether or not there was mezcal in Pre-Hispanic times. Some believe that there was no technology to distil, and others believe the contrary. However, the answer is blunt and final: Yes. there was. This statement is justified, not by finding mezcal, but by finding another element that is necessary for distillation: liquid mercury, a product obtained from the cinnabar mines and reported in Maya sites such as Lamanai, Teotihuacan

Mezcal a prehispanic drink?

Gastronomy

[Photography] Aurora Shรกnchez @foto_saja

Mezcal a prehispanic drink?

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and, in San José Ixtapa, in Querétaro.

The presence of liquid mercury in Pre-Hispanic times, plus chemical, ethnoarchaeological, and ethnohistorical evidence, allow us to point out with great credibility that during the Formative period (beginning 550 BC), in the city of Xochitecatl-Cacaxtla, a high alcohol content beverage was produced, this, we now call mezcal.

As a result of the findings of Dr. Carlos Lazcano, and of the latest discoveries of Avto GoguitchaichvilI and Juan Morales in the field of pre-Hispanic distillation, the Mayan Riviera is reclaiming Mesoamerican ethylic experiences. Mixologists and bartenders have fixed their attention on the fermented and distillates typical of Mexico to propose a postcolonial cocktail bar. In Mexico, there are approximately 13 distillates, some of which have “designation of origin”, such as tequila, mezcal, bacanora, sotol, and others such as raicilla or pox, which are fighting for cultural recognition.

Currently in Tulum we can travel Mexico through its distillates. Places like Prana Boutique Hotel, Encanto Cantina, Arca Tulum, Gitano, Azulik or Todos Santos, just to name a few, offer experiences that combine pre-Cortesian rituals with a classic mixology to vindicate the untold history of Latin America. Some of the ancestral drinks used in Tulum’s cocktail bars are:

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Pulque: This is the fermented heart of the pulpy agave, mucilage of the Agave salmiana or Agave atrovirens. A treasure hard to find in the Mexican Caribbean.

Poxotl: It is a drink based on corn and cocoa. It is best served very cold. It does not contain alcohol. You can find many street vendors in Tulum that travel the town and the hotel area with their tricycles, selling pozol with corn and cocoa.

Balché: It is made with bark of the balché tree. It is found in different Maya communities, and its consumption is limited to ceremonial use, therefore we will not find it in bars or canteens.

Tepache: A ferment made from the rind and heart of the pineapple. After six days in the open, it achieves its ideal state. It can be prepared with a little ice and sugar.

Pox: Pox is made up of four corns: the white, the yellow, the red and the black, which together represent the four human races. It is considered medicine and still survives thanks to the Tzotziles in Chiapas.

Tuxca: It is the grandfather of all mezcal. It comes from the Nahuatl voice tascahuecomatl (barn impound). It comes from the towns of Zapotitlán de Vadillo, Tolimán, and Tuxcacuesco. To produce tuxca, they use the natural deposits of volcanic rock, where it is left to ferment, covered with ani-

Mezcal a prehispanic drink?

[Photography] Aurora Sánchez @foto_saja

mal skins –it gives it a very particular flavor.

Mezcal: Mezcal is the generic name for beverages distilled from the cooking of agave. Depending on the type of maguey it has different names. Tequila, for example, is a type of mezcal. It is produced by cooking, crushing, fermenting and distilling the agave. It is found throughout Mexico, every “bar” that is proud to be one must have among its options a good mezcal.

Sotol: It is not mezcal, nor tequila, nor pox, nor tuxca. It comes from the states of Durango, Chihuahua, and Coahuila.

This drink obtained its denomination of origin in 2002, there are four varieties: white, young, reposado and añejo.

Raicilla: Raicilla is a distilled from Jalisco, the forgotten cousin of tequila. It is made from agave lechuguilla, its flavor is different from mezcal –fresh and herbal. Its name is due to the wit of a tavern owner who baptized it this way to evade the colonial authority that prohibited the production of local alcoholic beverages.

quor in the world, made in Puebla. Since 1927, it has been used as a home remedy, “menjurje” (concoction) for belly pain and a digestive with a strong chili flavor.

Damiana: A liquor prepared with the aromatic damiana flower, typical of southern Baja California. Its origins go back to the Pre-Hispanic period, the guaycurá (waicura) people used it for ceremonial, aphrodisiac and medicinal purposes. It is a digestive and relaxant.

Xtabentún: A drink of anise and melipona honey, typical of the Maya communities of Quintana Roo and Yucatan. This sweet and aniseed flavor was used as a prehispanic preparation to sweeten food, made popular after the conquest. It was combined with an anis base to obtain an alcoholic beverage. It is very common in Mexican cocktails, with many variations, such as huana, a liqueur made from Maya guanabana, and kalani, a dwarf coconut liqueur from the Mayan Riviera.

Bacanora: Originally from the state of Sonora. Due to its high alcohol content, it was banned for 77 years from 1915 to 1992. It is distilled from the yaquiana or pacific agaves venerated by the Yaquis in northern Mexico.

Menjurje de Ancho Reyes: The only dried Poblano chili li-

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