I have always been drawn to and advocated traveling in a way that allows you to better immerse with different cultures around you, as best you can, no matter how much of a novice you are. This has led us to sometimes choose tours or destinations that are a little off the beaten track. Some of my favorite travel experiences have looked from the outside quite unglamourous but from the inside a real sense of personal connection was achieved.
To feel close to people who were strangers a day before, requires a willingness to connect, an open mind to be curious, and very often, a good, bilingual guide who genuinely knows and is friends with the community you are visiting. Having a guide helps you more easily connect with the local community you are visiting by removing the standard barriers that most people live by; mostly the language barrier and the trust barrier (the distrust of outsiders).
Post-Pandemic Travel and Rural Tourism
Ever since the covid-19 pandemic hit the world, we have noticed a shift in the travel industry. People are more apprehensive about traveling through major tourist circuits due to overcrowding. People want to experience smaller, more private trips in more remote places in nature. That brings us to the term Rural Tourism, which essentially means community-based tourism that brings the tourist into a more local and cultural experience. In our experience it also puts more of the tourist dollars back into the pockets of the very local community you are visiting, which is a very good thing.
Last fall in the height of the covid-19 pandemic we were looking for a rural tourism guide who could take us into the heart of the Maya, to observe and get to know Maya people in their everyday, ordinary lives. We wanted to go to small villages. Not only was this something that we were drawn to discovering as travelers, but we were also on the quest to do preliminary interviews and casting work for a documentary we are still in the midst of making: Faces of the Modern Maya.
Marlon Mercanti Villanueva of El Viaje de Kanan
With a few quick searches in Facebook groups based in Tulum, we found a few recommendations for rural tourism guides who offered tours that support the local Mayan economy and could show the authentic way of life in a Mayan village. We were looking for someone who had a genuine relationship with the local Mayan communities that they worked with. So we contacted Marlon Mercanti Villanueva of El Viaje de Kanan who immediately wrote us back. We set up a facetime call for later that week.
Marlon is the kind of guy who anyone could strike up a conversation with and become great friends with. He makes you feel happy and puts you at ease. He is very calm, friendly and curious about culture and language. He loves adventure. He is half Mexican and Italian and seems to be a polyglot. He spoke Spanish and English perfectly.
We told him about our mission to meet several Mayan people as we were casting for our upcoming documentary. We told him how we were in the midst of creating the story and writing the treatment, which we will use to hopefully gain more funding and support for the production. It was important that we meet people who were interesting, diverse and who would actually want to be in front of the camera. It didn’t take him long to start reaching out to people in the communities that he works with, and get back to us with a general feel for who we would be meeting and what our 3 day itinerary would entail.
Day 1
Coba, Quintana Roo Area
Our first day started with meeting Marlon and his co-guide, Cecelia Cahum, a fellow tour guide, biologist, and photographer of Mayan heritage in the Coba, Quintana Roo area. They both were immediately welcoming and kind, putting us right at ease to jump into the adventure ahead. We followed their car from the roundabout of Coba, Quintana Roo, to the home of Cecilia’s family in Laguna Chabela.
The Cahum Family in Laguna Chabela
Walking into their property was like a dream. They open it to certain tourists to show them what a traditional Yucatecan Mayan home looks like. There were several different buildings with different functions, built in the traditionally Mayan way. Oval shaped with long wooden poles for the walls, and a grassy vaulted ceiling to keep the rain out, we saw the cooking building, a larger building with tables and chairs among others. The property was immaculately beautiful with the afternoon sun peeking through the canopy of trees. A giant, sacred ceiba tree grew out of the middle of the property high to the sky and extended in all directions.
After enjoying a delicious lunch of handmade tortillas, beans, vegetables and chili salsa, we sat down to interview Cecilia’s brother Efrain. He told us about his life growing up there and then moving to Playa del Carmen to work and make money in a modern world. Cecilia and Efrain’s family was beyond kind and the energy we felt at their home was infectiously positive and welcoming. It was obvious how much care they put into their home life, family and the customized experiences they created for tourists like us.
After the interview we explored the property a bit more, including their garden and sprawling edible native plants. Then the sun was setting, so we headed to the nearby town of Nuevo Durango where we were bunking for the night in the cabana rentals of Enrique Wilcab.
Enrique Wilcab of Nuevo Durango
Enrique welcomed us into his home across the street as if we were old friends. We all sat on his front porch enjoying dinner and laughing a lot about slang different sayings people say in both Spanish and in English. Enrique is one of those people who always puts a smile on your face. We learned he is jokingly referred to as the “Mayor of Nuevo Durango,” but as we got to know him, it really was a spot on name.
He does so much for the community besides just running his business with the cabana rentals. He also teaches music lessons, is in the process of starting a school in the town, runs tour trips with Marlon’s company, serves food to tourists with his wonderful wife (who is the cook), and takes care of a huge organic garden around the corner. He has several children who were all so kind and welcoming too. He is certainly a multi-talented guy with the most charming and fun personality.
Day 2
Enrique’s Garden: A place worth fighting for
The next day we woke up early to prepare all our film equipment and meet at Enrique’s house for breakfast. After breakfast we zipped a little outside the town to meet Enrique at his large garden. We followed him around as he showed us all of the native plants he was growing, and what each of the plants was used for in traditional medicine.
We also learned more about the history of his ties to the land. It was land passed down by his ancestors, who had fought very hard for the rights to have it for future generations. He referred to them as “ejidos.”
He spoke with great passion and respect for his ancestors, saying he had it so much easier than they had. He was really passionate about doing things to make the community better and take care of his village, because of all of the sacrifices his ancestors had made to make sure the next generations would have land, autonomy and be able to prosper. His humility and kindness was truly touching.
Ocho’s Temazcal and Wisdom in Tres Reyes
After getting an amazing one hour interview with Enrique in his garden, and a drone shot, we were off to meet “Ocho” Octavio Yah in the nearby town of Tres Reyes. We were running a bit late because by the time we got there Ocho was deep in preparation for the upcoming temazcal. A temazcal is a prehispanic Mayan sweat house, which he leads ceremonies for. His property was beautiful, deep in the jungle and his house was anything but ordinary. A large round white house in the shape of a turtle, with many windows and a loft inside, it felt more like a planetarium or observatory than a typical building. It was so unique. He told us that he leads spiritual awakening workshops there along with a place people can rent out for the weekends on their vacation.
Ocho kindly welcomed us into his space, making us feel at home as we watched how he lovingly prepared the outside temazcal with song, interesting natural objects and instruments from an altar. His Mayan friend quietly and contentedly tended to the fire that would heat all the stones we would use inside the temazcal.
Once we had all been blessed with copal incense feathers and said our prayers to the four cardinal directions, we crawled through the front entrance of the tiny, round stone structure. For the next couple of hours we sat around the inner pit filled with more and more red hot stones and doused with herb infused water, as our time together progressed. Ocho led us in many chants and songs, all in Spanish but as beautiful as you could imagine. It was an incredible experience, and we felt cleansed and in touch with our spirits after exiting the smoke and steam.
After eating some healthy food and bonding with the group some more, we sat down with Ocho to interview him about his life, his ties to the Mayan way of life and the wisdom he had gained. Being half Mayan and Mexican, he had grown up in Mexico City. But he decided to move back to the Mayan village of Tres Reyes in order to get closer to his Maya roots. It was there that he was mentored and learned all about Maya cosmology, religion, spirituality, and nature. Or all of the “important things in life,” as he said. He had then gone on to start his own business after buying his property as a retreat house, a temazcal ceremonial site and meeting place for many different travelers who wanted to learn and experience what he had.
Mr. Crisanto, a Maya Shaman and Medicinal Healer in Tres Reyes
Later that night, after the sun had gone down and the stars came out, we went to the house of Mr. Crisanto Cahum, the uncle of Cecilia – a Maya shaman and traditional medicinal healer.
Mr. Crisanto was one of the kindest, most gentle, and genuine people we have ever met. Immediately we were extremely calmed by his presence as we sat around his tiny table and listened to his story of his life and how he became a shaman. In front of him on his tiny table sat a giant incense holder of copal, corn in its husk, many different medicinal plants and other natural objects that he uses in ceremony. The smoke from the copal filled the space as our tiny ring light created an ethereal glow around him.
He told us about his connection to the land. When he was a young boy his father taught him all the different plants, including their names, what they were and what they could cure. Because they lived so far away from any hospital it was very important for him to continue this knowledge and to begin working as a healer for the people in his community. From broken bones and snake bites, to life threatening sickness, he had learned the many cures from his father.
He told us more about his beliefs including how his Maya people come from the corn, which comes from the land. Just being around him was mesmerizing, and even though we were completely exhausted by the intensely long day, we could have stayed there and listened to him for hours. We departed with him blessing us with a Maya prayer and copal cleansing and his sweet gift of two ears of corn and two wooden necklaces. It was an experience we will never forget and we can’t wait to talk to him again.
If you are ever looking for a shaman, Mr. Crisanto runs ceremonies along with officiating weddings in the Yucatan Peninsula area. We highly recommend him.
Day 3
Cecilia Cahum, a beacon of light
We woke up bright and early to interview Cecilia over breakfast at Enrique’s front porch. Cecilia’s story is really powerful. She grew up traditionally and was expected to stay home to take care of the children in the family but instead she walked dozens of kilometers to attend and finish high school, sometimes staying at other families’ houses near the school for a few days a week. She then got a full scholarship to attend university in Chetumal to study biology.
She now runs an eco-conscious tour company called Real Mayan Tour, and takes people on tours around the jungle to see many animals in their habitat, including her favorite, the spider monkeys. She lovingly advocates for the conservation of the jungles. She told us that there is still oppression of her people and she thinks there are changes that need to be made in her community in order to improve the lives of everyone. She believed it would happen through the young people becoming educated and finding the right solutions to bring back to their communities. She is committed to preserving the land and the animals on it through her knowledge and advocacy, as well as her position in her tour company, her photography, and her book (which we bought and love).
Her last name means Jaguar and she told us about the long lineage of warriors that her family comes from. She said Maya people have always been warriors and now they are fighting for their rights to live on and preserve their land, their way of life and their language for future generations to come. Cecilia was with us on the entire 3 day trip (along with Marlon who she works with). We were deeply touched by her powerful story and all of the obstacles she has overcome as well as the great impact she is making for the lives of her family and community.
We couldn’t recommend her enough if you are looking for an eco-conscious tour guide in the Playa del Carmen area.
TIHOSUCO
Later that afternoon, we drove two hours and made it to the town of Tihosuco where we learned the Mayan Caste War actually began in 1847. There is a great museum about the Caste War there, which unfortunately was closed at the time we were there, due to covid protocols. (Here is the link to the museum.)
Mrs. Mariana The Midwife
We followed Marlon and Cecilia to the house of Mrs. Mariana, a midwife (doula) who had been helping deliver babies in the town for her entire career. Her and several other women invited us into their home to enjoy a simple meal that they prepared for us over an open stove. Then we jumped into the interview where she spoke in Maya, Cecilia translated it to Spanish and Marlon translated that to English. We learned that she had received an award for her work as a doula. She told us about her lifetime devotion as a midwife and the fact that she had delivered 800 babies in Tihosuco! She also works with the U Belilek Co-op in town.
Mr. Teofilo, Tihosuco and the real story behind the Maya Caste War
By the time we got to U Belilek Co-op in the center of town, Mr. Teofilo started his arrival ceremony. He blessed us and some other young people who were part of the co-op. After that we got started interviewing him about his life.
Mr. Teofilo is a very interesting person, who has lived an incredible life. He is not only a shaman but he tends to his corn fields every day with the utmost devotion (he seemed to be in his 70’s). He has lived a long life and knows a great deal of the history of Tihosuco and his Mayan people. Through his story we discovered that Mr. Teofilo had met a very old man when he was young, who had been in Tihosuco at the beginning of the Caste War in 1847. We heard the entire story of specifically why the Mayans had revolted against the very oppressive Spanish church and government.
The real story behind the Maya Caste War
By the coercion of friar priests, a Maya man had sent his 13 year old daughter, along with all of the other families in Tihosuco, to study school in Germany. However, by his suspicion one night he climbed a tree and peered through the windows of the fortress-like cathedral. What he discovered shocked him and everyone else. He saw his daughter was pregnant along with many other daughters of his fellow Maya. This caused a great deal of anger and a revolt began to brew for not only the Maya people of Tihosuco but they also gathered a couple thousand Mayans from nearby villages to support them in their revolt against this dire situation.
During the next public mass held at the Tihosuco Temple del Santo Niño Jesús (the only time Maya people were allowed to enter the church), the secret group of Maya revolutionaries entered the church like any other Sunday. But on this day they killed some of the people there.
Because of this and after the massacre, all of the Spanish people in the town hid in the cathedral as it was like a giant fortress. A few days later, the revolting Mayas were able to obtain cannons which they used to shoot into the back of the church, blowing off almost the entire backside. After this the very long and bloody Caste War had begun.
Elders Who Continue a Legacy
It was beyond incredible and we felt extremely grateful that we got to meet Mr. Teofilo and hear this unbelievable story straight from the source. What an amazing opportunity of learning the history of the Maya people by speaking with the elders who are keeping the stories alive as a legacy for future generations to come.
We will be sure to follow up with this incredible story in our documentary which is still in development and production – Faces of the Modern Maya.
Day 4
The Tihorappers
After a delicious breakfast at Ubebelik Coop, we met with the Tihorappers in front of the infamous and iconic Tihosuco Temple del Santo Niño Jesús. Just like the story Mr. Teofilo told us, the entire backside was gone. With a quick walk inside it was actually very beautiful because you could see the sky like the painted cloud murals of a renaissance church, it looked heavenly. But it was crazy to think that a place filled with so much turmoil, violence and history was still operating like any other church.
Outside in front of the missing backside, we interviewed and joked around with the lovely crew of the Tihorappers. We met not only the rappers (Henry Tun and Misael Uicab), but also their friend and collaborator, Alan Poot who is a filmmaker and his talented girlfriend who creates all of the art and designs for their t-shirts and logos. They all shared an insane amount of creative talent, friendliness and a strong dedication to creating positive impact for their Maya communities at large.
We got to know that they are all in university right now studying specifically their Maya culture and language, and how they can preserve that for future generations. They are using their talent and love for the medium of rap to spread pride, awareness and preservation of their Maya heritage. They rap mainly in Maya and explore the topics of their culture as well as dismantling the discrimination against Maya people, which still exists in Mexico today. They were extremely smart, funny and all around fun to be around. It was such an honor to get to meet them.
We ended the interview with an impromptu music video shoot where we did several takes from different angles and camera movements, including a drone shot! Keep your eyes out for that video airing soon! And be sure to check out their amazing rap music here and support them by purchasing their t-shirts and other merchandise (link).
Conclusion
This was such an incredible trip that we will never forget. We can’t wait to go back and continue filming and learning about our Maya friends, their lives, passions and culture. We couldn’t recommend our amazing guides Marlon Mercanti Villanueva or Cecilia Cahum enough, as well as all of the other people we met on this trip. For more info to meet, support and reserve a trip or experience with everyone, check out their profiles and contact info below!
- Marlon Mercanti Villanueva of El Viaje de Kanan
- Cecilia Cahum of Real Mayan Tour
- Enrique Wilcab of Nuevo Durango (Cabanas, Tours)
- the Tihorappers Facebook page
- “Ocho” Octavio Yah of Tree of Life Temazcal
- Mr. Teofilo and Mrs. Mariana of U Belilek Co-op
- Faces of the Modern Maya documentary web page
