Another entertaining and informative entry in the history of the Maya! Your substack is a great resource for learning about this proud and storied culture. We often live our lives in places whose history and struggles go completely unnoticed (or forgotten!). Your articles provide a correction for this lack of attention - thank you for that!
Thank you, Mike. A bit of it I took from a chapter from my memoir, but I wanted to interlace it w/ Church of Speaking Cross (so wild) and the Cruzob. I think living in a place gives us more access to info, too. Also love that the descendants are still going strong.
This is so fascinating Jeanine! I recently watched an interview with a Yucatec Mayan abuelo, who speaks about the origin stories of the Xocén cross. It's in Spanish, but his name is Don Pablo Chuc. This is a related passage from a publisher that helped him translate Mayan traditional knowledge into Spanish in a book called "Divine Stories from the Center of the World": "For the people of Xocén, the Cross is, first and foremost, the Holy Cross Yuum Balam Tun, which is located in the Center of the World, which is south of Xocén. This Cross is the patron of Xocén and, according to some stories, it is the cross of Jesus, which he left in Xocén. One day, when the end of the world comes, the entire Mayan race will gather there. This cross is the sister of the Talking Cross, which went to command the Caste War in the 19th century and will return one day to Xocén, along with a third cross, which is also currently missing and is the sister of the other two." Love this piece of Mayan history!
Thank You, Mikel! You know what a history geek I am. I love reading about it, and we carried MacDuff Everton's book in Alma Libre. He used Puerto Morelos as a base at times during his many Yucatec travels. Though I'd never met him, our best customer was friends with him and he was aware of Alma Libre. Along w/ The Lost World of QRoo's information, Everton's book was also an entry point into knowing about the war.
What a fascinating post, Jeanine. While I hadn’t heard of the Caste War, your depiction captured its underlying themes. The powerful murals you included also captured this. The more I read here, the more familiar this story felt viscerally—as possibly crystallizing similar stories, rebellions, and cultural and religio-fusions after la Conquista in Latin America and the Caribbean, including my homeland. Thanks for sharing this story, amiga! Have a wonderful fin de semana! 🌸
Thanks for this incredible article, Jeanine! You said: "As scholar Nelson Reed wrote in The Caste War of Yucatán, during times of extreme cultural stress, that’s when prophets arise." I wonder if you or your readers think we now are in extreme cultural stress? Paraphrasing Tit Nat Kahn, community is the messiah in modern times. The Mayans certainly showed the force of community, and I feel that communities and their viable structures of alternatives to the mainstream will save us.
Someone recently on Substack did an excellent breakdown for lack of better word between east and west ideologies—a big list. But the one that really stood out is, in their breakdown, was west—individualistic. East—community conscious. And in writing the Milpa story ( I hope you saw that one) then this, it drives it home. Thanks for reading and —welcome to the platform, Don!! Y Feliz Año!
Thank you. I’ve been reading a number of books about the Caste War for years. (And the Maya in general—I study them—my bookstore was filled with books on Maya). And in the Yucatán, people know about it as it only ended around 1935. Also a town 100 miles south of us was the outpost for the church of the speaking cross. It’s in peoples’ mindset on Yucatan Peninsula.
Glad you found it interesting! It's pretty wild that the war lasted so long, and still, the descendants of the Cruzob Maya, carry the 'flame' so to speak. I loved the photo by MacDuff Everton, of the descendants of the original Cruzob. Thanks for reading Kara!
In the Yucatán, in Chiapas, to my understanding, the Maya are still fighting the fight, and not necessarily winning. For land rights, a few years ago, they were being pushed off their lands, and I cannot recall the details--has been a while. Perhaps they had originally been granted land by the State, as is common in much of MX. In QRoo home to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Tulum, the Maya are more integrated as they speak Spanish and sometimes English and work in tourism and various industries on the coast. Chiapas state is the poorest in the Mexican Union, with the highest concentration in Mexico of Maya. A few years ago a very charismatic young man had organized against the powers that be, for a couple years. He was becoming quite popular, rallying them against water restrictions etc. Assassinated at a rally. This year, in La Concordia, Chiapas on Guatemala border, a mayoral candidate was killed and at least 11 in a nearby town, by gun violence, but from cartels as this area is a major drug route. In Merida, the highest # of Maya in Yucatán state, there is good meshing and it is the safest city in Mexico.
Thank you so much, Anita! I'm always amazed and happy that such a niche topic, the Maya civilization, creates readers. It thrills me to no end. Thanks for the comment, and yes, the artwork is really something else.
Thanks Daniel. I’d written some of it earlier in a chapter from my memoir, but had to re-introduce it to continue with the amazing church of the speaking cross, and the Cruzob. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for the restack Daniel!
Thanks for the restack, Kara!
Another entertaining and informative entry in the history of the Maya! Your substack is a great resource for learning about this proud and storied culture. We often live our lives in places whose history and struggles go completely unnoticed (or forgotten!). Your articles provide a correction for this lack of attention - thank you for that!
Thank you, Mike. A bit of it I took from a chapter from my memoir, but I wanted to interlace it w/ Church of Speaking Cross (so wild) and the Cruzob. I think living in a place gives us more access to info, too. Also love that the descendants are still going strong.
This is so fascinating Jeanine! I recently watched an interview with a Yucatec Mayan abuelo, who speaks about the origin stories of the Xocén cross. It's in Spanish, but his name is Don Pablo Chuc. This is a related passage from a publisher that helped him translate Mayan traditional knowledge into Spanish in a book called "Divine Stories from the Center of the World": "For the people of Xocén, the Cross is, first and foremost, the Holy Cross Yuum Balam Tun, which is located in the Center of the World, which is south of Xocén. This Cross is the patron of Xocén and, according to some stories, it is the cross of Jesus, which he left in Xocén. One day, when the end of the world comes, the entire Mayan race will gather there. This cross is the sister of the Talking Cross, which went to command the Caste War in the 19th century and will return one day to Xocén, along with a third cross, which is also currently missing and is the sister of the other two." Love this piece of Mayan history!
Brilliant piece, Jeanine. Knew fragments of this story from our visit and friends who hail from the Riviera Maya, but not in this detail
Thank you so much Marco&Sabrina! Really appreciate that. I love that you've spent time in Yucatán and have heard the histories and stories!
Amazing history, Jeanine! Thanks for researching and posting this wonderful article.
Thank You, Mikel! You know what a history geek I am. I love reading about it, and we carried MacDuff Everton's book in Alma Libre. He used Puerto Morelos as a base at times during his many Yucatec travels. Though I'd never met him, our best customer was friends with him and he was aware of Alma Libre. Along w/ The Lost World of QRoo's information, Everton's book was also an entry point into knowing about the war.
What a fascinating post, Jeanine. While I hadn’t heard of the Caste War, your depiction captured its underlying themes. The powerful murals you included also captured this. The more I read here, the more familiar this story felt viscerally—as possibly crystallizing similar stories, rebellions, and cultural and religio-fusions after la Conquista in Latin America and the Caribbean, including my homeland. Thanks for sharing this story, amiga! Have a wonderful fin de semana! 🌸
Mil gracias, Luna. Mexico has such an immense, sometimes sad, historic history. So much to learn. Thanks for reading!
Thanks for this incredible article, Jeanine! You said: "As scholar Nelson Reed wrote in The Caste War of Yucatán, during times of extreme cultural stress, that’s when prophets arise." I wonder if you or your readers think we now are in extreme cultural stress? Paraphrasing Tit Nat Kahn, community is the messiah in modern times. The Mayans certainly showed the force of community, and I feel that communities and their viable structures of alternatives to the mainstream will save us.
Someone recently on Substack did an excellent breakdown for lack of better word between east and west ideologies—a big list. But the one that really stood out is, in their breakdown, was west—individualistic. East—community conscious. And in writing the Milpa story ( I hope you saw that one) then this, it drives it home. Thanks for reading and —welcome to the platform, Don!! Y Feliz Año!
Fascinating read, must've have taken quite a bit of research!
Thank you. I’ve been reading a number of books about the Caste War for years. (And the Maya in general—I study them—my bookstore was filled with books on Maya). And in the Yucatán, people know about it as it only ended around 1935. Also a town 100 miles south of us was the outpost for the church of the speaking cross. It’s in peoples’ mindset on Yucatan Peninsula.
Another fascinating post, Jeanine.
Thanks so much, Paulette!
Yet another great piece of reporting, Jeanine! Maybe your next book should be history!
Mil gracias Carmen!
I had no knowledge about any of this. It’s very exciting to learn about it.
Glad you found it interesting! It's pretty wild that the war lasted so long, and still, the descendants of the Cruzob Maya, carry the 'flame' so to speak. I loved the photo by MacDuff Everton, of the descendants of the original Cruzob. Thanks for reading Kara!
Again, Jeanine! Nicely done. You had me on the edge of my seat.
Thanks Damon!! Some of it was a duplicate from a chapter in my book. Thanks for reading it through again. How was the skydive?
It was this!: https://youtu.be/LHF1Qvv6Ayg?si=yZ0INSdE7bbjt_-B
Whoa!! Do you have a YouTube channel!? I tried to like and subscribe but for some reason could not. Will try when I’m back at ny Mac. Too cool!!
I do not. Not on that email address anyway.
If you have another channel, either DM me with it or let me know here. I don’t use it much but Paul my husband does — and will follow or subscribe.
What a fascinating, complicated history, Jeanine! What is the relationship like now between the Maya and the larger Mexican society?
In the Yucatán, in Chiapas, to my understanding, the Maya are still fighting the fight, and not necessarily winning. For land rights, a few years ago, they were being pushed off their lands, and I cannot recall the details--has been a while. Perhaps they had originally been granted land by the State, as is common in much of MX. In QRoo home to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Tulum, the Maya are more integrated as they speak Spanish and sometimes English and work in tourism and various industries on the coast. Chiapas state is the poorest in the Mexican Union, with the highest concentration in Mexico of Maya. A few years ago a very charismatic young man had organized against the powers that be, for a couple years. He was becoming quite popular, rallying them against water restrictions etc. Assassinated at a rally. This year, in La Concordia, Chiapas on Guatemala border, a mayoral candidate was killed and at least 11 in a nearby town, by gun violence, but from cartels as this area is a major drug route. In Merida, the highest # of Maya in Yucatán state, there is good meshing and it is the safest city in Mexico.
I am glad to see all the enthusiastic responses to your post & enjoyed the fabulous artwork.🙋🌶️
Thank you so much, Anita! I'm always amazed and happy that such a niche topic, the Maya civilization, creates readers. It thrills me to no end. Thanks for the comment, and yes, the artwork is really something else.
So much interesting facts here, Jeanine. I applaud your thorough research and narration. You make this history easy to digest. Thanks!
Thanks Daniel. I’d written some of it earlier in a chapter from my memoir, but had to re-introduce it to continue with the amazing church of the speaking cross, and the Cruzob. Thanks for reading!
I think for many readers (like me) it all feels so new! I love learning about Mexico’s history through your interesting posts.
Thanks Daniel!
What a great read, Jeanine. Thank you.
Thank you, Priya!