A local theater company dissolved the traditional boundaries between stage and spectator at an experimental performance this week, inviting audience members to direct the show as it unfolded. Belacqua presented “Laboratorio SF: ¿podría usted dirigirme?” (Laboratory SF: Could You Direct Me?) on Thursday at the Centro Cultural del Mayab as part of Yucatán’s Otoño Cultural…
Hundreds of people marched down Paseo de Montejo Saturday morning as part of a youth-led movement that swept across Mexico. The demonstration in Mérida was one of more than 50 organized in cities nationwide, all demanding an end to violence, corruption and government inaction. The Gen Z march kicked off at 9 a.m. at the…
Over the past couple of weeks, the Netflix documentary series “Juan Gabriel: Debo, puedo y quiero” (“I Must, I Can, and I Want To”) has become a topic of conversation at workplaces, kitchen tables, and cantinas across the Spanish-speaking world. Though Juan Gabriel (born Alberto Aguilera Valadez) may not be a household name outside Latin…
More than 113,000 people flooded through the gates of Xmatkuil Fair — the state fair — on Saturday, transforming the fairgrounds into a celebration of tradition, music, and nostalgia. The day started early with families wandering through livestock pavilions and artisan stalls. The smell of panuchos and marquesitas drifted through the air as children ran…
Mérida transformed into 1960s Havana as cameras rolled on “Pedro Pan,” a historical thriller about one of the largest child rescue operations in modern history. The production brought heavyweight Latino actors Andy García, Paz Vega, and Néstor Carbonell to the Yucatecan capital, disrupting normal life in Centro as curious residents stopped to watch the action….
The Mexican Navy’s sail training ship Cuauhtémoc will dock at the port of Progreso from November 10 to 15, joining the celebrations surrounding November 20, the anniversary of Mexico’s Revolution. During its stay, the vessel will open its decks to the public, offering a unique opportunity to explore this iconic ship up close. Admission is…
Fabricio Vanden Broeck describes his artistic process as a dialogue between media, a continuous “round-trip” between the initial impulse of a drawing and the tangible weight of a sculpture. This creative conversation is the heart of his exhibition, “Ida y vuelta” (Round Trip), on display at the Museo de la Ciudad de Mérida. The exhibition…
Legislative committees unanimously approved measures Sunday that would grant Intangible Cultural Heritage status to five major festivals and traditions, including Three Kings Day festivities in Tizimín and Our Lady of the Assumption in Mérida. The United Commission on Constitutional Points and Governance, and on Art and Culture backed the declaration after reviewing proposals from lawmakers…
Young painters from Casa Otoch will showcase their artwork at an annual exhibition on Nov. 18 at Hennessy’s Irish Pub on Paseo de Montejo. The event allows student artists to see their work displayed and meet the people who buy it. The Cool Cats art show starts at 7 p.m. and features paintings, greeting cards,…
Born in Aguascalientes in 1852, José Guadalupe Posada was a prolific Mexican engraver, illustrator, and cartoonist, widely recognized as one of the most influential artists in his country’s history. From a very young age, he showed an exceptional inclination and talent for drawing. His formal training began in the workshop of José Trinidad Pedroso in…
As Lux Perpetua Art Centre celebrates its first decade of promoting contemporary Mexican art in Mérida, the cultural center is setting its sights on a bigger stage. “The purpose of the gallery is to grow internationally and become well-known nationally,” says Mimi Cervera, general director of the Lux Perpetua Art Centre Project and founder of…
For foreign residents and vacationers, recent news of suspended flight routes between the U.S. and Mexico might have caused a moment of panic. But here’s the takeaway — you can breathe easy. The core travel plans for the Yucatán Peninsula remain largely unscathed. A recent decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation revoked approval for…
The historic ruins of a 17th-century church in tiny Mopila, Yaxcabá, have been looted, causing the front walls to collapse. Leobardo Cox Tec, a local cultural advocate and photographer, reported the crime. He shared the news on social media with what he referred to as “profound frustration and heartache.” To locals, the church is a…
The tiny village of Xocén brought Yucatán’s fall arts festival to life with a powerful story about acceptance and identity. More than 30 Maya-speaking actors packed an outdoor theater in Valladolid for the debut of “Juan Balam” to kick off this year’s Otoño Cultural. The play transformed a natural jungle setting into a stage for…
Federal authorities have opened a public comment period on plans to build a tourist service center at Uxmal that would require clearing five acres of forest land near the UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site. The National Institute of Anthropology and History plans to construct the Centro de Atención a Turistas y Visitantes Uxmal about one…
Over the past decade, the unique Choo Ba’ak ritual in Pomuch, Campeche, has drawn growing crowds of tourists, leaving locals concerned that their profound cultural heritage is being turned into a spectacle. What is the Choo Ba’ak Ritual? During Choo Ba’ak, the bones of those deceased for at least three years are exhumed, carefully cleaned…
The smell of banana leaves and achiote fills Yucatecan kitchens each fall as families prepare for Hanal Pixán, the region’s deeply rooted celebration honoring those who have passed. Unlike Day of the Dead festivities in other parts of Mexico, Yucatán’s version centers on a distinct collection of traditional foods that connect the living with departed…
A Mérida city chronicler is calling on authorities to ban advertising banners on historic buildings after promotional material appeared on the Teatro José Peón Contreras. Gonzalo Navarrete Muñoz says the practice disrespects Yucatán’s built heritage and potentially damages centuries-old structures. His criticism follows the recent placement of a banner on the theater advertising Original Yucatán,…
Who was María Sabina? To the outside world, María Sabina is known primarily as a shaman and a symbol of 1960s psychedelic counterculture. But within Oaxaca, her name is spoken of with great reverence as an enlightened woman with great wisdom, able to pierce the veil of reality. Born María Sabina Magdalena García in 1894,…
“Arraigo” is a very special book that captures the spaces and lives of Yucatecans whose lives are rooted in the heart of a rapidly changing city. This week, two presentations of Bénédicte Desrus’s new book will occur just blocks from the very homes and residents it depicts. The first presentation will take place 6 p.m….
Renowned painter and writer Gabriel Ramírez Aznar died today, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of Yucatán’s most influential visual artists and a central figure in Mexico’s modern art movement. He was 87 and active very recently. Ramírez Aznar was born in Mérida in 1938 and became part of Mexico’s “Generación de la Ruptura,”…
Liam has overtaken Brian and Kevin as the fastest-growing foreign baby name in Yucatán, marking a new wave of international naming trends, which started in 2024. Jorge Carlos de María Ramírez Granados, director of Yucatán’s Civil Registry, says the shift represents the latest chapter in the state’s evolving naming patterns. While Brian and Kevin dominated…
Mérida welcomes Latin America’s largest folk art event this week, ORIGINAL: Mexican Textile Art Gathering, which makes its first-ever appearance outside Mexico City.
It’s no secret that the Tren Maya has not exactly been the soaring success the government and Secretariat of National Defense (which operates it) had been hoping. Government data projects a loss of roughly MX$5.8 billion / US$314 million during the first half of 2025 alone. This deficit is due to lower-than-projected ticket sales and…
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