In the very distant past, our great grandmothers and grandfathers founded the Mayan town of Bacalar because of the presence of a lake. Most towns in the Yucatan Peninsula grew around a water source. Bacalar means “surrounded by reeds,” a combination of the Mayan word Bak', which means “surround,” and jalal, which means “cane” or “reed.”
The lake in Bacalar is known for its seven colors, although it is more accurate to say that there are seven shades of blue. There are also three cenotes. The town sits in the coastal state of Quintana Roo, and the people who live there plant corn, squash, beans, papaya, pineapple, banana, mango and other fruits and vegetables. There is also beekeeping and community tourism.
In years past, people from Bacalar lived around the lake, but things have changed. Today there are large hotels, restaurants and tourist-oriented businesses all along the lakeshore.
Over the last decade, the lake has become a water park for tourists and a source of revenue for businessmen. Bacalar will be home to a station of the ill-named “Mayan Train,” which will impact the lake’s health and that of the Mayan people. It is one among other government-sponsored mega-projects that will damage our social, economic, organizational, political and cultural wellbeing.
Just over 15 years ago, Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) declared Bacalar a “Pueblo Mágico.” When Miguel Torruco, the agency’s head, announced this, he said that good things would soon come to Bacalar. His statements reveal his interest in mass tourism. When he says that positive things are on the way, we ask: positive for whom?
As Mayan people, we have watched with concern as megaprojects have arrived to our territory. In response, we have organized at the Peninsular level through the Assembly of Defenders of Mayan Territory Múuch' Xíimbal, of which I am a member.
Our assembly’s goal is to defend Mayan life. To do so we have forged a series of agreements: we will not sell or rent the land; we say “no” to religion and political parties and “yes” to Mayan culture and language, to the defense of our rights and to our identity as Mayan peoples.
As Mayan people, we live in relation with animals, birds, stones, wind, fire, water, and the Yuum [guardians].
Today we worry our entire Mayan relational way of life is threatened by megaprojects, including genetically modified soybean production, pig farms, high impact tourism, photovoltaic and wind energy installations, and, now, the so-called Mayan Train.
In January, the Assembly of Defenders of Mayan Territory Múuch' Xíimbal, which means "we walk together," celebrated its sixth anniversary as an organization. In the context of this celebration, I spoke with a member of the assembly in Bacalar.
Throughout the interview, he noted that violence in the area has increased since the arrival of the train. He also voiced his disagreement with Torruco and other government officials, who claim that Mayan residents of the area want high-impact tourism.
He emphasized that the communities oppose the train, but that many are misinformed, as information does not always get to them. The person that I interviewed asked to be anonymous for fear of reprisals. Our conversation has been edited for clarity and length and translated to English by Ojalá.
read more: https://www.ojala.mx/en/ojala-en/in-defense-of-mayan-land-and-life