Our Culture

Gastronomy

The culinary delights of typical Yucatecan cuisine are achieved with an exquisite mixture of ancient Mayan ingredients, flavors introduced by the Spanish during the colonization, and later Caribbean and Middle Eastern contributions. For many years, the Peninsula of Yucatan was not easy to reach due to the mountainous terrain and scarce roads. Although isolated from the rest of Mexico by land, its ports enabled cultural and commercial ties with Europe, in particular France, New Orleans and Cuba. The Yucatecans were naturally influenced in many aspects by these cities and countries, creating a cuisine now renowned in Mexico and the world.

Handcrafts

The skillful hands of the men and women artisans make Yucatecan handcrafts true works of art. Brilliant filigree jewelry in gold and silver is a good example, as are items carved from tortoiseshell, such as combs, ornamental hair slides, rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. This is more difficult to find now given the necessary prohibitions imposed, and respected, to protect the species. Coral, coconut husks and heneken spines are also used in jewelry making, as in the necklaces and earrings worn by the mestizas to grace the huipil, the embroidered dresses traditionally worn here.

Traditions

Deeply rooted in their customs, festivals and traditions the inhabitants of this wonderful state, as rich in history and legend as it is in archaeological and natural wonders, have been able to maintain their quintessential nature through generations. Traditionally, Yucatecans sleep in hammocks, eat muc-bil pollo on the day of the dead, and spend the summer in the port. The men wear guayaberas and the women huipiles or ternos. But there's one thing that really distinguishes Yucatan from the rest of Mexico, and that's romance. The music of Yucatan, known as trova and played by troubadours or trios, has brought international fame to Yucatecan composers and poets like Ricardo Palmerin, Guty Cardenas, Pepe Dominguez, Ricardo Lopez, Ermilo Padron, Sergio Esquivel and Armando Manzanero.