Tradition thrives in the Maya Ka’an, where
ceremonies — rooted in the reciprocal
relationship the Maya have with the land
— are an important part of daily life. No
sites are more sacred than cenotes, dotted
across the peninsula. As the only source of
fresh water in the region, these limestone
sinkholes were vitally important to the
ancient Maya, whose cities flourished
across the Yucatán between the fourth and
10th centuries. Cenotes are still considered
sacred portals to the mythical underwold
of Xibalba, and pilgrimages are regularly
undertaken to them, including the one in
the village of Dzulá, near the city of Felipe
Carrillo Puerto.
Passed down through the generations,
another ancient tradition involves
extracting the sap of the chicozapote tree
to produce a natural chewing gum called
chicle. At 82 years old, Ceveriano Xooi Pat
has been climbing trees to harvest the
sap since the age of 1 1. A tree can only be
tapped every seven years so it can recover,
ensuring a sustainable crop.