Melipon bees (c) Georgina Cranston
Learning about the Mayan community has been one of our greatest Tulum pleasures. This indigenous community has contributed so much to our understanding of human culture, ancient rituals, the strength of spirit and the need for playfulness.
Our guests also share our tender spot for the Mayan community that lives in Tulum. Whether it be discovering the flavors of Mayan moles, cochinita pibil (pulled pork) tortas and tacos, chaya and chiles, or admiring the crafts created by families in Tulum, Mayan culture is becoming a better understood indigenous community in a town of many nationalities and beliefs.
Mayan families are proud. They have a deeply rooted work ethic that continues through generations. Even under great stress and during the invasion of the Spanish when over 90% of the Mayan community in Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala was victim to genocide, the remaining few worked diligently to retain their families, stories and history.
Making an impact on the Mayan community while in Tulum
Make an impact on the Mayan community when visiting Tulum. This is easy. Purchase through local merchants in the town of Tulum. Seek out Mayan made crafts and honey products that directly support families in the area.
Educate yourself about this indigenous culture by visiting the ruins, both the Tulum ruins and Coba. If you wish to visit more, there are hundreds in the area that can keep you busy.
Travel off the beaten track and find small villages where Mayan families live and work. We have a Mayan family on the Coba road where we purchase local plants for the hotel. We also use a local carpenter who has built some of our furniture both for the villa and our personal houses out of local wood.
Making an impact on the Mayan community when at home
Have you ever heard of Kiva? Kiva is a microlending online not for profit organization non-profit. Kiva has a mission to connect people through lending assist community development, entreprenuership and business development that builds education and self sufficiency. Kiva leverages the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions to fullfil this mission and create opportunity around the world.
If you want to continue your support of the Mayan community, consider Kiva as an opportunity to continue that support. Membership is free, microloans are as small as $25 usd and Mayan communities or families appear on the site when there is a supported endeavor. Kiva has over 680,000 lenders, loans have a 99% repayment rate and over 60 countries are represented on their system.
What is unique about Kiva is that your donation can continue to support many families and communities. Once the loan has been repaid to you, your Kiva bank is credited and you can then loan this money to another family to assist in thier dream, idea or business. The same funds can be repurposed over and over again without having to dig into your pockets time and time again.
Watch for local Mayan communities that come up on Kiva and consider your support of this microlending site that has contributed over $279 million in loans to people around the world. When Tulum pops up, support the community and then visit when your loan is complete to see the impact.
