Yucatan Living

Yucatan News: Aguinaldos and Solar Energy

27 October 2014 News 2

New Archaeological Site Found in Merida

As the City of Merida expands and remodels, more than one area has revealed pre-hispanic Mayan ruins. Such was the case just two weeks ago when, while excavating for the building of a new section of Fraccionamiento “Los Héroes,” on the east side of the city, the work revealed the largest pre-hispanic funeral complex ever found. The new find consists of 72 burial urns of various sizes, along with several jars that contain human remains, in four buildings that surround a large central patio. Because the remains of infants and unborn babies are located within an area that is obviously the remains of a small pyramid, the site is thought to be from the Tardio Early Classic Period, which was from 600 AD to 900 AD. DNA studies are already getting underway. The quality of the pottery and burial urns found here shows that the people who were buried in this site were from the upper classes. Remains found at the site prove that the Maya cremated their dead. There is no doubt but that this new find will renew interest in the pre-hispanic city of Ichcaansihó. Needless to say, the area is now being protected and will be developed as a new archaeological site.

Getting Ready for Day of the Dead

Individual families are completing their maintenance and upkeep of graves across the State of Yucatan. Two hundred new burial vaults have been built throughout the towns and villages in the Municipality of Merida alone. Maintenance crews have almost completed their annual tree trimming and sidewalk maintenance. Members of the Public Service Commission are making their rounds and declaring the cemeteries, one by one, to be ready for Dia de Muertos. It is time for everyone to stop and reflect on those who have gone before and their importance in maintaining the strength of the family. We hope everyone who lives in Yucatan has a wonderful weekend and that our visitors will come away with a new sense of what this holiday means to families across Mexico and beyond. They may even perhaps adopt this very meaningful tradition as one of their own.

Aguinaldo News: Early Partial Payment

In Mexico, the Aguinaldo is an annual Christmas bonus that businesses are required by law to pay to employees. The aguinaldo is at least the equivalent of 15 days wages and may be pro-rated if the employee has been with the company less than a full year. The aguinaldo must be paid by December 20. This year, Federal employees will receive an early payout of 33% of their Aguinaldo, while State and Municipal employees will receive 25% so they can get an early start on their Christmas shopping. Retirees will get 50% of their annual bonus early. This huge infusion of cash will come during Buen Fin (Good Weekend), which will be held November 14 – 17 this year. Estimates are that the economic benefit to Yucatan alone is expected to involve 10,000 businesses and services and add over $6 billion pesos to the economy this year. Just one month later, by December 20, the remainder of the Christmas bonuses will be paid. Much of that will go into getting homes ready to begin the New Year with their homes cleaned, repaired, and with the fresh coat of paint that will bring good luck throughout the coming year. We suspect that this early partial payment of the aguinaldo is enough to ensure that everyone will have happy holidays in Yucatan in 2014.

Parque de Energía Solar Inaugurated in Merida

With the grand opening of the Solar Energy Park in Yucatan, La Lupita (the snack company), became the first business at the state and national level to now produce 100% of the electricity they need to operate and expand their business. They were able to do this with a grant from the State’s Entrepreneur Fund. What brings home the extended value of this particular solar power park is knowing that, in terms of environmental impact, its very existence is equal to planting more than 16,000 trees. It is particularly heartening to know that the current administration feels a responsibility to invest in projects like this in order to create conditions that will help companies grow and create new jobs. This solar park project began just eleven months ago, with an investment from Yucatan of $13 million pesos. The plant will serve the entire Yucatan Peninsula and its total cost was $30 million pesos.

DNA Research to Protect Mexican Turkey Branding

In Mexico, turkey consumption is approximately two kilograms per year per person. In Yucatan, that figure rises to five kilograms per year per person. The major producing states of this popular meat include Chihuahua (24%), Yucatan (21%), and the states of Mexico and Puebla with 11% each. The major reason for the popularity of turkey here is that turkeys elsewhere have been exposed to genetic modification and their meat tends to be hard, dry and tasteless now. The opposite is true of Mexican turkeys, which now hold a unique place in the world for genetic purity and quality of meat in the marketplace. With the new push on for rural, backyard gardening, especially in states like Chiapas and Campeche, it is now necessary to conduct genetic research to insure that the rural, small producers are able to maintain the genetic purity of the Mexican turkeys that will help to lift them out of poverty. They want to continue to preserve the wild turkeys that often interact with these backyard birds. The Mexican turkey has been a breed apart for over 500 years and we now have the tools to ensure that they survive and thrive throughout Mexico.

First Anniversary of Conalep in Your Community

How many times have we seen government programs, all over the world, that do not meet the realistic needs of the populations they hope to serve? Such is not the case with a program developed by students in Yucatan’s National College of Professional Technical Education Planning. Almost one year ago, they set out to offer the population free comprehensive health care, vehicle repair, appliance repair, haircuts, computer classes, eye exams and more. Students operate the program under the supervision of their teachers. The areas served are all in vulnerable populations in outlying municipalities of Yucatan. The goal is to bring services that will allow entire communities to move forward. The one year assessment shows that more than 5,000 individuals have benefited from Conalep in Your Community which, in turn, is a direct benefit to their families and to their communities. As these students begin their second year of service, Yucatan Living would like to congratulate each and every one of them, as well as their teachers, for seeing the real need and finding a way to meet it. These students are the future leaders of Yucatan and we believe she is in good hands.

Merida Now Has Chinese Sister City

Chinese legislators, along with officials from the Provincial Committee of the People’s Political Consulatative Conference of China, and a delegation of authorities from the Province of Anhui, China, arrived in Merida to sign the documents that “twin” the cities of Merida and Anhui. Anhui is located just to the west of Shanghai and lies across the basins of the Yangtze and Huai Rivers. This gives Anhui as unique a position, near the coast of China, as Merida enjoys near the coast of Yucatan. The Province of Anhui, with a population 59.68 million, has a few more people than the Municipality of Merida, but outlying areas show the same tranquility we find here. To see more of Merida’s new twin city, visit Anhui Travel.

The Evolution of Mayan Gastonomy

While expats and visitors were taking advantage of hundreds of entertainment events during the International Festival of Mayan Culture (FICMaya) 2014, others were attending almost non-stop academic conferences and presentations. One of the papers presented was “Notes on the History of the Peninsular Kitchen,” by Jose Ortiz Lanz. This paper shows that the cuisines in Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo were all basically similar prior to the arrival of the Spanish, but each had its unique differences based on location, and that none of these kitchens included either tortillas or chili. The object of studying the pre-hispanic Mayan kitchen is to ensure the preservation of the original culture, to help in an understanding of the Maya’s place in the world, and to understand overall human development around the world. One recent conversation among expats was concerned with whether or not there is information regarding pre-hispanic Mayan humor. Perhaps we will learn more from FiCMaya this year or next. In any case, the research that comes out of this important international festival is extremely valuable and Merida is lucky to have the resources necessary to be the host of the International Festival of Mayan Culture (FicMaya).

SodaStream Comes to Mexico

That SodaStream has finally come to Mexico is great news for those of our expats who are unashamedly addicted to carbonated drinks. According to the advertisements, SodaStream is capable of significant reductions in the number of calories per glass, as well as in the price of carbonated drinks. Beginning now, SodaStream and the supplies necessary to operate it will be on sale throughout Mexico in major department store chains and convenience stores. Models sold in Mexico will be Jet, Genesis, and Source. There can be no doubt but that this inexpensive alternative to bottled drinks will find a willing and waiting market in Mexico.

Criminals on the Run: Yucatan is Not an Option

We hear, all the time, about how safe it is in Yucatan. The bad guys hear it too and some decide that Yucatan will make a great place to hide from law enforcement. Some are small-time crooks who are caught as they attempt to ply their trade in Yucatan. Others are “big fish,” who are caught living peacefully in the better neighborhoods in Merida and even sending their children to private school here. The operative word in all of this is “caught.” The SSP, the Mexican Army, and the Attorney General in Yucatan all work with the FBI, the CIA, and all major law enforcement agencies around the world to ensure that Yucatan is soon rid of any criminals who attempt to come here and hide in the peace and tranquility of the state. More on the stories of drug traffickers, fugitives from other countries, and even terror suspects who were caught hiding in Yucatan, can be found online in Milenio Novedades.

Winter hours is here

Yesterday, we all turned back our clocks... did you? Winter has officially begun in the Yucatan.