Stories of Resistance: Two Mayan Warriors

Within the Caribbean forests of Quintana Roo, two Mayan brothers lived.

They had been fierce warriors, and in addition very other. One was once chilly and boastful. The alternative, they are saying, was once tender, type, and giving.

They usually each fell for a similar lady: Nicté-Ha.

They battled to win her love.

However, just like the brothers within the Greek tragedy Antigone, they killed every alternative in struggle.

Within the afterlife, they pleaded to the gods to allow them to go back to be with Nicté-Ha.

And the gods assuredly. They despatched them again within the mode of 2 bushes. 

The primary brother, who was once boastful and chilly, was once became el Chechén: a toxic tree with bark that turns out to peel, and leaves and branches that drop thick rashes and burns on those that are available in touch with it.

The alternative brother was once additionally reborn. The gods reworked him into el Chacá: a tree this is by no means a long way clear of el Chechén, and which heals the ones touched by means of his brother.

Nicté-Há died of disappointment on the gruesome demise of her warriors. 

The gods reworked her right into a aqua lily, a fantastic white flower that blooms over the cenotes of the pocket, by no means a long way from el Chechén and el Chacá.

However this is best the start of the tale.

Alongside the banks of the sunny turquoise waters of Bacalar Lagoon within the southern Yucatan, there may be an section the place el Chechén and el Chacá develop in excess.

A veritable woodland of toxic bushes, they sequence the channel that leads into Bacalar Lagoon from the obvious ocean. This was once the direction taken by means of the Spanish—and after, pirates—to invade the pocket.

They are saying Mayan warriors planted the Chechén woodland right here to safeguard towards those invaders, who would mistakenly mop towards the bushes with out wisdom in their poison and the healing attributes in their brother Chacá simply close by.

Others say it was once the gods who planted the woodland. Both method, those two Mayan warriors are nonetheless protecting their land, within the forests of Quintana Roo.

That is the 5th episode of Tales of Resistance.

Tales of Resistance is a untouched challenge, co-produced by means of The Actual Information and International Trade. Each and every year, we’ll convey you tales of resistance like this. Inspiration for twilight instances.

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Written and produced by means of Michael Fox.

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