Pak'chen

Pak’chen (no one is quiet sure what it means) is the name of an amazing cenote located in the ejido of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. In previous blogs I have gone off about the beautiful ‘cenotes’ of Yucatan as well as ecotourism. This is a clear example of a ‘cenote’ destined to become an attraction, but that has yet to transform itself into an ecotouristic hotspot. There are so many of these beautiful waterholes that, in places where a large amount of property is owned and not fully surveyed yet, they are discovered! This is what occurred years ago with Pak’chen. People of the ejido, out hunting, or collecting firewood, come across certain natural discoveries. At times it is the footprints of a jaguar, and at other times it is large cenotes or entryways into one in an underground cave system (like my last cenote adventure). It is relevant to say here that people in the community are extremely poor. They survive off the food they grow in their fields, eating mostly corn tortillas and beans; meat is a luxury and eaten only a few times per month. Sometimes the men go to work as construction workers in the neighboring state of Quintana Roo (where Cancun and Playa del Carmen are) so that they can work a temporary job to make a small amount of money. This income helps support the family and buy certain things that the fields can’t provide, like oil and sugar. Today there are not even many of those jobs available and the women and men explain this to me as we share a breakfast of crackers and instant coffee (even the children drink instant coffee; there is no other choice of beverage). One of the things that the people tell me when I speak with them or interview them is that there is no money, but they are rich in everything else. Pak’chen is one of these treasures.
The cenote is a natural beauty. Since it is in their ejido, the people in collaboration with a non-governmental organization (NGO) are working on a long-term plan to make it an ecotourism spot. It is not a unique plan. In many poor ejidos across Yucatan, people are capitalizing on their natural wonders so as to make them a form of revenue. There are certain guidelines, however, that keep this lucrative plan from becoming a hazard to the environment. Rides to the cenote would be in the form of bicycles so as to avoid motors and pollution. There would be several areas for people to properly dispose of trash and recyclables, and this would be reiterated by local guides. All materials used in making paths and whatnot would be natural and sustainable. Some cenotes-turned-touristic even have composting bathrooms! As of now, Pak’chen is still in the very beginning stages of any of this kind of work. A path from where the people live to where the cenote actually is found in the ejido has only recently been cleared. Thanks to this, you can walk in a single file through the forest and not have to weave between bushes and trees and who knows what else. The path is still a little dangerous though. We set out on our expedition at 8:30 in the morning. There were about 14 of us, mostly children from ages 8 to 15, a few adolescents, and one adult – Don Fausto who was the only one with the privilege to ride on his horse the whole way there. When I say ‘the whole way there,’ I mean about 6 kilometers, which is roughly 4 miles. We walked single file, and from time to time we ran through the jungle. The kids love to run, and I even began to like it too. It is incredibly exhilarating running with forest on either side, rough terrain underneath you, and never knowing exactly what rock will move under your feet as you go, keeping up with the person ahead of you and trying your best not to fall.
Once we finally reached the cenote a little over an hour later, it was magical. We climbed down the huge opening and made our way towards the clear blue water. The men had made a makeshift wooden ladder so that we may climb down about 30 feet into the opening. A makeshift staircase made of large flat rocks was used closer to the water. Although most of the young kids can’t swim, I dove in and carried them across to a little ‘island’ in the cenote. Everyone from 7 year-old Clarissa to 40-something year old Don Fausto played in the delicious water; we shared laughs and splashes for almost two hours. After this we ate a bit at is lightly rained. We devoured the crackers and cookies we had brought and then prepared for the journey back. Our walking/running brought us back to the community in an hour. I was dirty, bitten by bugs, scratched by branches, red in the face, profusely sweaty, and extremely happy. It was such an amazing experience. I am thrilled that these places (though one day destined to be shared by all who want to come and enjoy it with respect) and moments are openly shared with me. The people are truly inspirational and their generosity and sheer energy will stay with me.