Contribute to the Conservation of Traditional Mayan Homes in Chicxulub Pueblo, Yucatán, Mexico

Details

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  Description

  We are grassroots Cultural Conservatory with the mission of helping to conserve the remnants of the local Mayan influence through preserving the few remaining traditional Mayan homes for the elders in the village. Adhering to the local environmental knowledge of the local elders and utilizing only natural materials that we harvest by hand as permitted by ancient tradition, we have the opportunity to contribute to the longevity of a culture threatened by modernization through compassion and hard work.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  If you are looking for an intensive cross-cultural and second language experience of a lifetime, come and stay with us in our bilingual village of Chicxulub Pueblo, Yucatan, Mexico. You will certainly have the opportunity to enhance your Spanish skills here or come to dominate your second language, and wholly participate in the culture here as if you belonged. And you will also have the opportunity for a more profound experience as we do the actual work of the Mayan people. Some residents in our pueblo adhere to the cultural traditions of their ancestors and continue to speak the native Mayan language and Spanish, and they are highly-receptive to visitors who want to learn to speak with them in their native tongue. However, the majority of the people in our pueblo speak only Spanish.
  
  And if you would like to see a bit about what I have learned while living here, and some of what lies ahead for you if you decide to come for a visit, you can view the digital version of our book. The book is packed with travel tips for the Yucatan Peninsula, Spanish language review activities for travel, and even an introduction to the spoken Mayan Language of the region.

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  Help

  Currently, we are looking for volunteers to help us to develop our cultural conservatory, including advancing our garden with culturally relevant plants to the Mayan People of the region as well as painting some murals on the walls around the property.
  
  Also we will continue to help maintain the few remaining Traditional Mayan Homes for the elders in Chicxulub Pueblo, Yucatan, Mexico over two week cycles in October and November: from 13 October to 27 October 2024; and 10 November to 24 November 2024.
  
  Hola Amigos!
  
  My name is Don Hector, Mucho gusto! I am a freelance anthropologist in the development stage of establishing a Mayan Cultural Conservatory and Language School on our recently acquired property in Chicxulub Pueblo, Yucatan, Mexico.
  
  While I am originally from the West Coast of the US, I am now living the dream in Chicxulub Pueblo as a credentialed anthropologist and linguist. After nearly 12 years here, I have become a participating member of this bilingual language community; speaking both Spanish and Maya in addition to my native English.
  
  Currently, I am looking for three or four volunteers to help rescue and maintain the few remaining traditional Mayan homes for the elders in our village. We have already rescued five of the approximately 25 homes here, and have plans to rescue at least two more this fall beginning in October. Based upon ancient tradition we harvest palm leaves during the week around the full moon, dry leaves under the sun for three to four days, and then install them into the roofs of traditional Mayan roofs the following week. So, we require a two week commitment, working five days in a row, five hours a day, for at least two weeks. Though it is very easy to learn the process of harvesting palm leaves and then weaving them into roofs, of which we will practice at our lodging site before going out in the pueblo, the actual work is quite strenuous. You will get dirty and sweaty, and at the end of the workday you will feel like you did something significant and worthwhile.
  
  We also have plans to continue painting murals to compliment the others that we have on the property here, which we will use for academic purposes in the future when we receive grade school children from the city. Themes include: Las tres hermanas: Maiz, frijol, y calabasa; Dios Chaak in the Ciclo de agua; and Kukulkan the serpiente emplumada. But our canvas is not limited to flat walls. There may be some gardening and simple construction to complete our communal work of art!
  
  So, I am looking for self-motivated volunteers with some creativity for the above mentioned activities. Let me know what you think, and how you might be able to contribute to the movement of cultural conversation of longtime traditions in Yucatan. I look forward to hearing from you.
  
  Don Hector de Chicxulub
  
  And not only does your participation truly serve as an educational opportunity for yourself and others, this cultural conservation project directly benefits real people, and actually preserves ancient traditions using your two hands and right before your own eyes!

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  We speak English, Spanish, and Yucatec Maya
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  Accommodation

  Our project provides a shared living space experience for volunteers. Accommodations include a personal bed in a shared room at our home in Chicxulub Pueblo. Depending on the number of volunteers for the project, we may have two gender-segregated rooms.
  
  We have already preserved the traditional palm-roof roof on the main house at the place where we cook our meals and hang our hammocks; and we maintain four other roofs of neighbors nearby that we have already rescued. And though our focus is on the preservation of these homes and the traditions that take place beneath those sticks and palm leaves that protect them, we have a fully-furnished and shared modern room for up to four people just waiting for you to inhabit. We also have a pool table and foosball table, a fully-equipped kitchen, two palapas, and a beautiful natural stone swimming pool.
  
  Besides safe and secure lodging, we also provide purified drinking water and most of your staples in the kitchen like eggs, rice, beans, flour, cooking oil, and propane for preparing your own meals during the work week in the communal kitchen. On the days that we work we will share our breakfast meal before we go out for the day.
  
  However, we do not provide meat, dairy, fruit and veggies, which are the responsibility of volunteers.

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  What else ...

  This is a peaceful pueblo retreat, away from the hustle-and-bustle of the Capital City and the typical Tourist Areas. Our only house rule concerns the unruly. While everything is fine in moderation, not everyone can handle moderation. Though we do not have a hard rule about the consumption of drugs and alcohol, we do ask that you keep these matters to yourself and away from public view, including the common areas of the posada.
  
  While the two super-minis in the centro, San Valentín and Mikey Donald’s, which are open all day, from early in the morning until late at night, they mostly only carry packaged foods. To find fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, tortillas, or natural juices, you will have to shop in the municipal market, or look for other vendors around the centro such as the fruterías and carnicerías on the main street.
  
  Wifi is available in all rooms. Internet Speed should hover around 8Mbps. But if there is an internet failure for some reason, you can go to the Cibernautica (Cybercafe) in the Centro which charges by the hour, or visit the Main Plaza in Chicxulub Pueblo for free internet.
  
  Sheets and towels will be washed for volunteers once a week. For personal clothing, there is a drop-off Wash-and-Fold Laundry in Conkal (5km), which you get to by getting on one of the colectivos taxis for the centro in Chicxulub Pueblo. Or, you can “encargar” a taxista to take your laundry and pick it up for less than $100mxn; $5usd each way, plus the $15mxn/kg of clothes. This usually takes a few hours. Other options include asking a local woman, but this is not an option on Sunday or rainy days as clothes are line-dried.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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