The New Year of the Maya of Yucatan starts today in Xoclan, southern Mérida.
It is the fifth occasion since this traditional Maya commemoration is rescued in Yucatan with several activities in favor of nature.
Thursday, July 25 at the archaeological-ecological park of Xoclán, the Mayan New Year ceremony will be presided by the X’men, Tiburcio Can May, Maya spiritual guide.
Headed and coordinated by Proyecto Baktún, the Maya News Year celebration was carried out for the first time in 2015, ever since it was banned after the Spanish invasion, more than 470 years ago, and today the Maya celebrate it not only in Yucatán but in several countries around the world as well.
According to Tiburcio Can, the ceremony will begin at 6 PM and it is expected as in previous years, the participation of hundreds of people, in addition to artisans, herbalists and healers who are dedicated to the practice of traditional medicine.
Arrancará en Xoclán el Año Nuevo de los mayas de Yucatán (Photo: La Verdad)
This year the lighting of the sacred fire will have the purpose of awakening in the population the awareness of caring for the environment. As the devastating consequences that climate change is producing worldwide are a call to global consciousness to take care and save our planet.
“The Maya must take care of nature, we are the right people to do so, because we indigenous people have always observed the care of the land and its resources,” said Can May.
For its part, the representative of the Maya tradition, said that today more than ever the natives of the Yucatán and all of Mexico need to take a stand and make their traditions resurface, because humanity needs their knowledge, given the obvious devastation, destruction and abuse of natural resources, so valued and respected by the original peoples.
“Today, more than ever, society needs indigenous people,” Can May concluded.
The Yucatan Times Newsroom with information from La Verdad
