Heritage
"Heritage: This was my second visit to the Lacandon Jungle. In 2016, I visited a cacao-producing Tojolabal community near the Jataté River, and I knew I had to come back... This time, the opportunity arose through the Lacanjá reserve, as indicated on road signs, only to find panels in Maya where the entire population still speaks it, using Spanish only to communicate with us outsiders. Life in the jungle at around 28-29 degrees Celsius becomes not so easy with the humidity in the air; however, the experience of being close to nature conditions the bones. In reality, the Lacandon people are very accustomed to city dwellers; there are even camps where people are formally welcomed who seek a genuine connection to nature. I experienced several similarities between the Tenejapa community in 2016 and here in Lacanjá: Alcohol is not allowed, there is no trash, and one can comfortably walk at 3:00 in the morning, worrying only about a Jaguar taking a stroll. Traditional clothing was on