Well, here is the sister of yesterday’s Yucatan Tiger, she is a Jaguar with bird. Sculpted, like her brother, by a young Mayan artist in Coba, Yucatan, who says he would take me into the jungle tomorrow night to see the jaguars. Despite my broken Spanish we communicate for a while. To this day, I am sad that I have to decline, and miss out on my private jaguar tour. We are on our honeymoon, however Bob has injured his back, and we need to depart early next day. But all night, I am visited by visceral dreams with jaguars – guided by spirits into the jungle, nevertheless.
All colonized people have this ingenious form of resistance. Ancient parts of churches in southern Bavaria tell secret stories of the old gods sculpted into stone, as a way of subverting the intruders’ rules who are enforcing their new religion. My father, an atheist, points this out to us kids, as we play in rural cemeteries and churchyards while he is spending hours of taking black and white photographs of old Romanic churches and ruins, waiting for just the right natural lighting with the help of a setting sun.
In humble Coba among gentle Mayan people, I feel at home. Here tourism has not yet really taken over in 1992. Despite climbing some other famous spectacular pyramids with elaborate settings and sculptures, for me this magical evening is the highlight of our odd honeymoon :) Not that I knew what a “honeymoon” was supposed to be like…. Tiger and Jaguar are my companions ever since, situated as guardians at the big living room window.
(A tiny bit of history: for two periods, in 1823 and 1841, the Republic of Yucatan actually did exist as a separate state.)
appreciating the glimpses and connections of resistance through memory & history on different continents. it resonates and reminds me of family & moments where the precolonial philippine practices come through. clues hiding themselves in plain site integrated with roman catholic overtones such as plates of food offerings to saints or family members who've passed or other unknown/unnamed beings. or the superstitions that don't translate to english, but you can feel the intention behind the actions or meanings...
ReplyDeletealso so much to say around tourism in colonized places. it's a type of neo-colonialism that many people get offended by when I try to explain the history & connections. there *are* ways to travel in good ways & in respectable ways, but it's when people feel they are entitled to everything in a place, the land, the culture, the people, the medicines, etc...extractive & exploitative mentality that people don't often reflect on their intentions & actions. so much to say, but I'll leave it at that for now!
love your jaguar & tiger friends! so expressive and full of personality anytime I see them. I laughed at their garden photo shoot, because they look so playful & happy to be outside!
Yeah, Jaguar and Tiger were so excited to be outside, and wanted to go on for hours, had more ideas which places they wanted to pose and show off.. well, i had to get on with work, and we decided to do more outdoor exploration at another time....
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