Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Cemeteries and Mosquitos

Hanal Pixan Altars in Merida

More than 90 exhibitors set up altars to honor their departed family members in Merida’s Plaza Grande this year. The entire area was inundated with the smell of incense, and the sounds of pre-Hispanic music. Scenes of everyday Maya life were depicted with structures made of wood and guano and small animal pens. Both men and women prayed for peace for the souls of their departed and celebrated their lives with the wonderful foods they so enjoyed. If you have never been to this event, put this on your list to go and see next year. This and the Corredor de Las Almas in L'Ermita on Friday night are two amazing spectacles you cannot see anywhere else.

Progreso Market Bursting With Shoppers

Day of the Dead flower sales in Progreso were a huge economic boon to the market this year. The big shopping day was Friday, so that people could stay home and cook on Saturday, then make their way to the cemeteries on Sunday. But cemeteries were already filled with flowers by the end of Friday. Although Progreso is not unique in its celebration of the Day of the Dead, it is the city in which the cemetery is easy to find and easy to get to, so Progreso’s cemetery is a perfect place to go and see the spirit of the Day of the Dead without all of the crowds in the General Cemetery in Merida. Add this to your list of places to visit during this holiday next year, too!

Trick or Treating in Maxcanu

If that picture won’t melt your heart, nothing will. These little ones have the right idea and are in the best possible place for trick or treating. They live in a small town in western Yucatan, and are too young to be out trick or treating after dark. Instead, their teachers escorted them to the local market, where they promptly cleaned up on candy and other treats. Never mind that house-to-house foolishness. Get all of those people in one place, in the market, already in the mood for shopping, and knowing that they have a little cash in their pockets – and the rest can be trick-or-treating magic. We know that no one could possibly refuse these kids. They are simply too cute. How do we feel about the influx of Halloween into the Yucatan? Well, let's not get started on that. Let's just enjoy it all, and anticipate that like everything else in the Yucatan, this holiday will eventually become some mezcla of the two!

Merida Bans Cockfights and Shows that Use Animals

This week, the Cabildo in Merida banned all torneos de lazo, cockfights, and shows that use animals. This news is no surprise, but it has been a long time coming. It is not lost on anyone that continued events that cause harm to animals have a negative influence on both tourism and recruiting environmentally-responsible industries to Yucatan State. This is a very emotional topic to almost everyone, no matter which side of the argument one takes. We tend to come down on the side of the animals and are thrilled to finally see the end to animal exploitation, at least within the boundaries of our adopted home.

Cemetery Mosquito Control

When the weather turns cold, the problem of mosquitoes usually goes away. Unfortunately, that is not the case at the present time. Insead, mosquitoes are searching for a warm place to breed and are trying to find it near the doors and windows of homes, as well as in the warm concrete paths of cemeteries. In order to alleviate this problem, municipalities fumigated the cemeteries in advance of Day of the Dead activities. However, this does not mean that visitors can throw caution to the wind. This is a time to wear long-sleeved shirts and wear mosquito repellent. Although the incidence of such diseases as dengue fever have dropped, the holidays are not a time to tempt fate. Everyone needs to continue all activities related to denying mosquitoes a place to breed.

Weather: Wet, Cold and Windy Plus Flu

Norte Number Nine arrived in Yucatan with 10 C (50 F) degree winds and rain. These are brief incidents of weather in the tropics, but they are enough to disrupt the ebb and flow of daily life. Harbors are closed, which grinds the fishing industry to a halt, and the incidence of weather-related illness is on the rise. So far, 210 cases of flu have been confirmed and five people have died of complications related to flu, so this is a very serious issue. It has been announced that more nortes than usual are expected this winter, and people are being asked to please be sure to get a flu shot. The best advice, in addition to getting a flu shot, is still to eat well, sleep well, and stay out of the weather if possible. After all, “This is Yucatan” and the weather will soon be beautiful again.

Crime Prevention: Civil and Social Organizations Partner with State

New reforms in the Justice Department of the State of Yucatan are coming out all the time now, as lawmakers pass and implement them one at a time. This week, it was announced that Yucatan is the first state in the country to partner with the Citizens Network for Monitoring of Preventive Measures to ensure that human rights are being respected for all prisoners and defendants. Further investigation showed that this is not the only citizen group that signed a cooperative agreement with the state. In fact, such organizations as Alcoholics Anonymous and a variety of addiction and rehabilitation centers, plus mental health and youth organizations also signed on to the agreement. What this looks like is that the citizens of Yucatan are being given a vested interest in maintaining the peace and tranquility of the state and that they are more than ready to show the world how one responsibly creates and maintains a very low crime rate. We have complete faith in their ability to succeed.

Future Farmers and Ranchers in Yucatan

…and while adults all over the world are fussing and fighting over one political stance and then another, the young people of Yucatan keep forging ahead into a future they will own. Such is certainly the case with these three young men: Jairo Torres Valdes, Elmer Tun Arana and Marcos Poot Parra. Each is a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Technology Center for Agriculture No. 118 in Oxkutzcab, and all three will be attending a university in Costa Rica on four year scholarships. Their tuition will be free but their families must pay for their living expenses. They will be majoring in Agriculture and Livestock Management. The Bachelor of Technology Center for Agriculture No. 118 in Oxkutzcab says its success in producing three of the four scholarship winners is that it teaches both theory and practice as it is related to agriculture and livestock management.

Missing Ship Found Off Veracruz Coast

In late August, the Cuauhtemoc X, a small fishing vessel, disappeared while fishing in the waters off the coast of Yucatan. There were only two men on board, the captain and one crew member. An all out search by civilian and military resources failed to turn up any trace of the Cuauhtemoc X or its crew. This past week, the ship was found semi-sunk 35 miles out from Tuxpan, Veracruz. There is still no trace of the crew.

Xmatquil State Fair Begins This Friday

The 2014 Fair at Xmatquil will begin on Friday, November 7 and will run through Sunday, November 30. Admission is $15 pesos and parking is $30 pesos. Free public transportation will be provided from the city to the fairgrounds. Over 1,800 shows and events will take place during those short three weeks. For a full listing of events, please see Yucatan Living’s Events.