Meet the Living Maya of Mexico

Shooting on Location in the Yucatán

Working with World Nomads

Our Mexican film production company set out to explore and document the hidden corners of the Yucatán Peninsula with World Nomads for their “Mexico Discoveries” series. Millions of tourists flood into the upscale beach resorts and 5-star hotels of the Yucatán coast every year. Cancun's population has quadrupled since 1990, and it's resorts have become shorthand for "beach and booze" holidays.

Maya Culture Is Alive

People also flock to the coastal ruins of ancient Maya pyramids, like the ruins of Tulum, perhaps unaware that the Maya culture is still alive in the small towns and villages just a few hours' drive from their beachfront hotels and cocktail bars. So our production team headed inland from the busy hubs of Cancun and Playa del Carmen to get a closer look at the living Maya culture of the Yucatán.

Exploring the Jungle Pyramids of Chunhuhub

‘Pedros’’ Pyramid

Our journey began in the tiny town of Chunhubub. As we sat by the roadside, our team was approached by an old man named Pedro. Shirtless, smiling, and bearing a baseball cap and gold chain, Pedro was eager to tell us about a pyramid in his backyard. The jungles of the Yucatán are home to many undiscovered archaeological gems, ancient relics from an age when the Maya civilization dominated the peninsula. With that in mind, we joined Pedro to visit his pyramid, but not before a pit-stop for him to pick up his machete. "In case of serpents," as he none-too-reassuringly explained.

Pedro’s smiling because he has a pyramid in his backyard, and we don’t.

Our van wound up a narrow dirt road before coming to a halt at a nondescript patch of dense forest. A small sign marked "Entrada" ("Entrance") pointed us up into the jungle. We followed Pedro up the trail. As we walked, he started to point out curiously arranged piles of rocks and declared, "They were here last night." The "they" he was referring to were Aluxes.

Encounters With the Supernatural

Aluxes are a type of sprite in the ancient mythological traditions of the Maya. They are generally conceived of as knee-high and dressed in traditional Maya clothing and are thought of as tricksters. They are also typically associated with natural features like forests and rocky caves, precisely the landscape that we were exploring. Pedro seemed wary of the Aluxes and even described them as dangerous. As we continued walking, we passed more and more specifically carved rocks. Pedro explained that the Aluxes carve the rocks to protect the entrance to the ancient pyramid.

During our time in the Yucatán, it became apparent that everyone we spoke to in these small towns and villages believed in the Aluxes. They were one of many ancient Maya myths and customs that were seemingly as alive and well as ever. As our host Patrick Abboud explained in the video, it's important to explore beyond the beach resorts and hotel complexes. He'd never heard of Aluxes in his life, but a hastily arranged visit to Pedro's pyramid gave him a whole new window onto another culture.

Filming Cenotes and Cemeteries at Kiichpam Kaax

Don Damian’s Lodge

Our next stop was Kiichpam Kaax (or “Selva Bonita”), an ecolodge near Chunhuhub, run by Don Damian and his family. Damian previously worked for many years as a waiter in the heart of the Cancun hotel district. A few years ago, he escaped from that life, purchased a few hectares of land near his birthplace, and started Kiichpam Kaax to shine the spotlight on the Mayn culture and preserve its traditions.

Don Damian is always thinking about the importance of future generations, and how the past, present, and future connect and are intertwined. He sat with Patrick and discussed the importance of family in Maya culture. His goal is to carry on his Maya traditions by teaching his children about their ancestors and traditional practices. His eldest son Adrian now works at the ecolodge, teaching visitors about the living Maya culture.

Don Damian and his family at Kiichpam Kaax, where he is working to preserve the Maya culture and way of life for future generations.

Expressions of Maya Traditions

Like his father, Adrian feels a tremendous sense of responsibility to keep Maya traditions alive. He explained to Patrick that many young people in the area don't have any interest in the Maya culture; they would sooner leave these villages for Cancun's bright lights.

He took us into the jungle near Kiichpam Kaax to visit a hidden cenote. Cenotes are natural sinkholes formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock exposing groundwater underneath. They are also of significant importance to the Maya, both as sources of potable water in a region lacking lakes and rivers and as sacred gateways to the afterlife. Patrick and Adrian sat overlooking the inky blue waters of the cenote, and Adrian explained that the Maya also used cenotes for sacrificial offerings. Adrian believes that this unexplored cenote still holds the ancient remains of his ancestors.

The hidden jungle cenote, where Adrian believes that his ancestor’s remains are hidden, a relic of the Maya tradition of using cenotes for sacrificial offerings.

This deep connection to one's ancestors is a theme throughout the video. We accompanied Don Damian to visit his grandfather's tomb at the local cemetery. Whenever he has a big problem, Damian visits the grave to seek advice from his long-dead relatives. This was a moving and revelatory moment for Patrick, whose brother had passed away some time ago. He had always found cemeteries to be upsetting places, but talking with Don Damian about the Maya concepts of death and reincarnation helped him find peace. The Maya see their ancestors in birds and animals, and feel their words echoing in the wind; those connections strengthen their bonds with their traditions and history.

At one point, Don Damian gently took Patrick's hand and read the lines on his palm. He pronounced that Patrick had a restless soul, always coming and going in search of answers. It's something that Patrick also sees in himself, and it made him feel that Don Damian understood the pain he has been through. He described the experience as "healing."

Documenting the Maya Artisans of X-Pichil

Ancient Designs Provide New Income

The final stop on our journey into the living Maya culture was the community of X-Pichil, where we visited a family of artists. This family is reviving ancestral Maya designs in needlepoint and embroidery, creating a new source of income that allows them to preserve their traditional way of life. As Don Damian points out, as more and more local families see that there are tourists interested in their traditions, they are increasingly motivated to preserve those traditions.

A Resurgence of Cultural Pride

The family views these Maya designs as their family inheritance, and we met the grandmother, her daughter, and granddaughter, all of whom are helping to keep these traditions alive. Even the male members of the family are getting involved. Handicrafts used to be something men were ashamed of, but climate change has made farming difficult, so they are increasingly dedicating themselves to embroidery and needlepoint work.

A Final Lesson

“The Living Maya Culture” is fundamentally a video about family and the importance of remaining connected to our past and our ancestors. Don Damian perfectly explained this intricate connecting between the past, the present, and the future: "Right now I can die peacefully. I know that now I've accomplished what my grandfather told me: that a man who comes into this world and doesn't leave memories behind, didn't have a reason for being born. And I'm leaving memories behind so that tomorrow they remember me. I won't die."

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Find out more about our Mexican film production company, or contact us directly to learn more about how we can create an integrated campaign in Mexico.

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