Fantastic Voyage: Recreating the Sacred Mayan Journey

Old women from a encampment compensate tribute to Ixchel / Photo: Karen Leperi

Paddling across a Riviera Maya brings some-more than a sense of feat over a sea its a feat over fear.

The smell of copal scent hangs heavily in a hot, humid air of a Riviera Maya, as paddlers hope for themselves for a rite pilgrimage to visit a sanctuary of a enchantress Ixchel upon Cozumel.

Ixchel, enchantress of a Moon, was revered by a very old Mayans; after all, she was a enchantress in charge of tides as well as flood two key components which severely influenced hold up upon a deep waters of a Caribbean.

However, a dedicated tour remained a relic of a past a forgotten mental recall as a use virtually disappeared over 500 years ago when a Spanish Crown taboo a inland race from channel a water. As a result, a enchantress Ixchel was eventually forgotten, outcast to distant dreams, as well as relegated to oblivion by a ravages of time.

Rebirth of a Annual Pilgrimage

Despite being wheelchair bound, paddler Aida Gomez made the
channel both ways / Photo: Karin Leperi

Beginning in 2007, a dedicated tour was recreated by a consortium of sponsors interested in reviving a Mayan culture, whilst strengthening a informative identity of locals.

By consulting written glyphs, historians were able to reconstruct some of a ritual as well as rite surrounding Ixchel, thus bringing a Mayan civilization of a 11th to 16th centuries behind alive.

In a process, a Sacred Mayan Journey has helped instill a informative foundation for many of those in a Yucatan region, with authentic detailing of dance, dress, food, currency, as well as beliefs which tangible a very old Maya.

Nowadays, a tour is reenacted with ! hundreds of volunteers from 7 villages who work as a cast of players as well as await crew. Together, they work with 300 paddlers in 30 canoes who ply a waters from Xcaret to Cozumel as well as afterwards behind to Playa del Carmen upon a mainland, looking preference as well as special blessings from Ixchel by displays of earthy endurance, petitions, as well as offerings of fruit.

The excursion is no small feat, as it is finished in handmade, traditionally-crafted Mayan canoes. Great earthy effort is compulsory from a rowers, as a tour is about 31 miles roundtrip as well as involves 6 to 7 hours of giveaway paddling. For this reason, all paddling participants contingency agree beforehand to at least 4 months of preparatory workouts in rowing, swimming, flotation as well as continuation training.

Great earthy effort is compulsory from a rowers, as a tour is about 31 miles roundtrip as well as involves 6 to 7 hours of giveaway paddling.

Contemporary reenactment permits both males as well as females to row, distinct a original excursions, with a single of a participants in a 2010 rite confined to a wheelchair.

I am so vehement as well as unapproachable to be a partial of a Sacred Mayan Journey, said Ada Gomez, who is wheelchair bound. Born in Guadalajara but vital in Cozumel, she usually walks with a assistance of a walker. But which didnt stop her from paddling both crossings.

This was my initial time, Gomez explains. And it was great to have my friends, my mom as well as family to assistance await me all a way. She also had a await of her crew. Once her dug-out reached shore, fellow oarsmen carried her piggyback so which she could be a partial of a ceremony.

Xcaret Start of a Journey

Photo: Karin Leperi

The initial rite for a tour starts in Xcaret, well known in a Mayan world as Pol.

The Sacred Mayan Ceremony is special! since i t reenacts a pilgrimage which took place in a very old Mayan times as well as reaches a lot of people. It helps emanate a sense of belonging to a area, according to Iliana Rodrguez, Assistant Director for Public Relations as well as Communications for Xcaret.

It is here where a 7 communities arrive in their canoes during a evening. They come to Pol from Acaln, Conil, Ochtankah, Zam, Xcamb, Xamanh, as well as Ichpatun for rituals, dances, as well as purification ceremonies to honor Ixchel.

With a initial rays of sunlight a following morning, a shamans bid a rowers farewell upon their tour to enchantress Ixchel.

The 300 paddlers have been chosen ones, portion as messengers who petition a enchantress for great favors as well as blessings. Their successful channel of a channel was as well as is necessary to ensuring flood as well as contentment for a people of a Yucatan Peninsula.

Ixchel Speaks: Delivering a Message at Playa del Carmen

With attendant rite festivities, a rowers have been welcomed to Cozumel after their eager journey, with family as well as friends bearing plates of uninformed ripened offspring as well as drink. After a symbolic meeting with a oracle, rowers have been given a summary from Ixchel to take behind to a mainland.

They rest for a night, as well as afterwards once again undertake a dedicated tour across a channel. This time, however, a paddlers carry a summary of contentment from Ixchel.

Its not about violence a sea; its about violence a own negative thoughts, a own fears. Jhoni Puc

After channel a sea from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen, a canoeists have been greeted by a encampment shamans as well as a summary of a seer is delivered with gratitude as well as celebrations.

But as in many things in life, a tour ends up not being about where you go. The summary becomes some-more about what you sense about a process, as well as in so doing, what you sense about ourselves. As Jhoni Puc, an oarsman for a past 4 year! s says: Its not about violence a sea; its about violence a own negative thoughts, a own fears. We dont kick a sea, you kick ourselves.

Have you been upon a tour where you cowed your fears? Share your knowledge below.