With the governments in southern Mexico marketing and advertising the End of the World on December 21, 2012 to tourists around the world, the Maya, the indigenous people of the region, want their fair share of the celebration and its resulting rewards.
Groups and organizations that represent the Maya point out that they have been excluded from the planning, design and promotion of the End of the World festivities. However, in light of the fact that festivities are exploiting their culture and heritage, they are demanding more in-put and opportunities for participation.
“Once again, the government has acted without consulting us. The only ones who will benefit are corporations,” said Aretmio Kaamal, general coordinator of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Policy Kuxa’ano’on (Mayan for ‘we live’).
Kuxa’ano’on supports the rights of the Maya in the states of Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco and Yucatán.
In addition to wanting more involvement, the Maya are concerned about the environmental damage the expected flood of 52 million tourists will do to the many Maya sites.
“The focus is purely commercial, with no consideration for our culture, our roots, or our traditions,” said Kaamal.
Mexico’s Tourism Department is pumping $8 million into marketing the “Mayan World” in conjunction with the December 21, 2012 “prophesy,” which, again, is misinterpreted. Additionally, the government is investing about $49 million into the Mayan World Program. Come the end of the years – as opposed to the End of Days – Mexico expects to gross a whopping $14 billion in tourist dollars.
“According to Mayan historians,” a news agency reported, “the 13 Baktun began on Aug. 11, 3114 BC, and when it ends this December it will simply mean that another 144,000-day ‘long count’ will start.”
Here again is an example of government running roughshod over people with not much power and trampling their heritage and legacy in the name of the almighty peso.
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