As I reflect on my recent visit to Rancho Encantado, one of the most memorable experiences was the trip to the ruins of Lamanai, one of Belize’s largest ceremonial centers. We travelled by boat on the 30 mile long New River Lagoon in North Central Belize.
The day began with the sunrise ceremony at Rancho Encantado. The sunrise danced across the soft morning waves of Laguna Bacalar. Then on to the usual array of fresh fruits, juices and homemade warm pastries. Six of us departed for the town of Orange Walk. Later I found out that it was named because of the orange flames that can be seen for miles when the sugar cane is burning.
We were greeted by a warm, friendly young man of Creole descent. This incredible human being exemplified the characteristics of his culture. The Creoles are descendants of African slaves and can be more recognized by their values and way of life rather then by a biological manner. The river, the connection with nature and the respect for life that this young man evoked were at the helm as we seemed to glide in the motor boat unto a winding mirror that reflected the rich, thick tropical growth on the riverbanks.
Occasionally, our guide would slow the boat down so we could take a look at crocodiles sunning on the bank or slowly moving under the shallow waters. There were many tropical birds that he identified as they flew overhead. Their reflection could been seen on the shimmering waves as we continued our journey to Lamanai. The ride was peaceful, adventuresome and joyful. The six passengers, three of them immediate family members and two close friends shared the experience of our own personal relationships to the earth, the water, the air and to each other. On the way, we passed a community of Mennonites. The Mennonites began arriving in Belize in 1958 from Manitoba, Canada and Chihuahua, Mexico. They reside in the Orange Walk and Cayo District in six main communities. Mennonites are easily identified by their apparel, the women wear bonnets and long dresses and the men with denim overalls and hats. Our guide compared them to the Amish of North America. They have their own school, church and financial institution in their community. They are well grounded in agriculture, as most Belizeans benefit from the sale of their poultry products throughout the country. Our Creole guide spoke of them with great respect and appreciation for their contribution to the world.
It was right around lunchtime when we arrived at Lamanai. We got off the boat onto a wooden walkway that led to bridge where we entered Lamanai. There was a big sign that read Lamanai ("Submerged Crocodile"). We learned later that the crocodile is a revered spiritual animal to the ancient and also to some of the current inhabitants in the area. Prior to our excursion into the tropical forest and the Mayan ruins we had lunch at the base of one of the most recent excavation sites.
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Our lunch consisted of beans that had been cooked in coconut milk, fried bananas and rice and cold drinks. The food had been prepared by one of the villagers especially for the group. During lunch our guide continued to give us more information about the area. With one of the longest occupation spans in the Maya World,
Lamanai has been continuously occupied for over 3000 years. The Lamanai Archaeological Reserve also contains a museum, the remnants of two 16th century Spanish churches and a colonial sugar mill that was established in 1860. Set in tropical forest and providing a spectacular view from several of its large temples, Lamanai provides a unique experience in the culture of the Maya and the biological diversity of a tropical forest.
After we finished our lunch, we proceeded into the tropical forest. It was everything and more than I had anticipated. The jungle has an energy all its own. One can feel the connection of the ecosystem. It lends itself to a natural process of honoring all as being sacred. It was wonderful to learn about our guide's life experiences growing up in the area. As we moved along the trail through the hanging vines, he explained how the thick vines could be cut to extract the purified water within them. Two howler monkeys were jumping at the top of some of the tallest trees. Earlier on the river ride we had seen two spider monkeys hanging by their tails and posing for the visitors.
As we proceeded to the ruins, the guide stopped and pointed out many of the herbal medicinal uses for plants and trees in the tropical forest. Tropical flowers, giant palm leaves, many types of birds, to include the native bird, the Tucan, graced the trail to the cermonial sites.
As we visited each of three ruins, our guide talked about the Mayan history and occupation of the area. At the second ruin, part of the stairway in the back had been washed away by the hurricane. He explained that the Mayans considered themselves, and still do, as products of the Cieba tree. This tree is said be in the center of the universe, holds up the heaven and is a symbol of life. The Mayans in one community only identified with their priest and nobles. They considered Mayans in other communities, including those not living far away, enemies. When we returned from the one hour tour in the tropical forest and the ruins, we went through the museum which holds many artifacts from different epics in Mayan history.
During the journey our guide shared some information on his own Mayan ancestry. The Creoles formed 30% of the population of Belize in 1991. Creoles are descendants of the intermingling of the early British settlers with African slaves from Jamaica. More than 40% of the population are Mestizos. They are descendants of mixed blood Mexicans and Yucatec Mayans who fled from Yucatan in the mid 1800s.
The boat trip back was blessed with ceremonial songs by Mallinalitzin and Atzin, who work at Rancho Encantado and are involved in being a big part of bringing ritual and ceremony to the surface as a way keeping the rich traditions of the people in Bacalar. This trip was so deep in cultural and cermonial meaning that I will be gleaning the experience for many months to come.
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