Journey to Mexico’s Totonaca Ruins of El TajinBy Habeeb Salloum
Crossing a 1.5 km (1 mi) long suspension bridge, spanning the Pánuco River we left behind the state of Tamaulipas and were driving in the state of Veracruz - Mexico’s richest province. During a previous journey in the southern part of the state, a guide had explained, “Whatever you want to see and do, you’ll find it in Veracruz. Everything important in the country has some connection with this state. It produces almost everything! For me it’s the centre of the universe!” We drove through a ranching countryside - during the Spanish era this region became the cradle of cattle ranching in North America - until some 80 km (50 mi) after leaving Tampico, we stopped at a cheese-marketing outlet. “Taste our local cheese!”, our guide Guauhtémoc - he called himself Témoc for short - handed us pieces of homemade cheese from a slab that he bought for 60 pesos a kilo. A local entrepreneur had tapped on the highway traffic and was doing a roaring business. Approaching Cerro Azul about half way to El Tajin, Témoc’s voice boomed through the bus, “Look! Fidel Castro!” Sure enough in the distance, the top of the mountain had been carved by nature into an amazing replica of Castro’s face. “See! Castro is looking down on us!” Témoc smiled.
As I was gorging myself on what must be the sweetest tangerines in the world, I remarked to Témoc, who had explained the tangerines were so cheap because they have no international market, “I wonder why these tangerines aren’t sold in Canada. We have a free trade treaty with Mexico.” “It’s the Americans! They want to sell their California and Florida oranges”, a woman in our group remarked. “The Americans can’t do this! We have a trade agreement!” another woman broke in. “Why should the US respect a trade agreement when Bush didn’t even listen to the United Nations”. Témoc seemed to have the answer.
In front of the ruins, the Totonac dancers were performing the dance of Los Voladores (The Sacred Fliers). Hanging by their feet from a rope, which slowly unwinds, they spun down from the top of a pole and jumped down, just before appearing to have crashed into the ground. It is said, that as the fliers slowly unwind they are sending their prayers to the sun. While this was happening, the leader of the fliers danced on top of the 30.5 m (100 ft) high pole, playing a pipe as he moved with his music. Today, Los Voladores perform their routine all over Mexico, not for the sun, but for the amusement of tourists.
After a quick tour of the museum at the entrance to these vestiges of native history, we walked into the first square of ruins. Total silence enveloped our group. As we approached the pyramids of the Totonacos, it was as if their god of thunder hovered his wings over our crowd. No words were spoken for the first few minutes. It was as if each one was praying in his or her own way for the souls of the dead, whether, royal, priestly or sacrificial victims.
The ‘Plaza del Arroyo’ is the first group of buildings, featuring monumental structures that visitors see when they arrive. This area consists consist of temples, altars and palaces as well as ball courts. The South Ball Court is a masterpiece of art thanks to the figures sculptured over its walls. Higher up, ‘Tajin Chico’, containing the castles of the most important of the city’s citizens, gives the site a more human dimension. After a three-hour tour of the ruins, we applauded Témoc for his superb historical knowledge and informative comments about El Tajin and its history. Témoc, in response, grateful for our appreciation, remarked, “Thank you for respecting our culture, civilization and history.” A few minutes later we returned dine at the Tajin Coffee Shop. When our food came, I heard my daughter say, “Oh no! That bread that’s fit for dogs!” She had opened the breadbasket and found corn tortillas - Mexico’s bread par excellence. She has never been able not only to consume them but, even to withstand their aroma.
With this humorous incident, we ended our tour of El Tajin, a city built for the gods. It was a worthwhile trip. The Sacred Fliers, the Pyramid of the Niches, ball courts and much more, as well as Témoc and his tales told us much about Mexico and its indigenous civilizations. IF YOU GOFacts About Mexico 2) A full day tour from Tampico to the Ruins of El Tajin costs US$77.00. 3) The official Mexican currency is the peso currently trading at around - 10.5 pesos to a US dollar - 9 pesos to a CDN dollar. 4) The usual tips for baggage handlers and bellboys is $1.00 per suitcase; maids $1.00 per day and 50 cents for washroom attendants. 5) When you leave Mexico there is a ‘Departure Tax’ of about $18.00 US per person but this tax is usually included in your airline ticket. For Further Information, Contact: |
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The rain was drizzling down in a misty fog as our tour bus left Tampico - Mexico’s Caribbean coast resort not yet discovered by many foreign travellers. Our goal, this day, was the Totonaca ruins of El Tajin - 260 km (140 mi) away. It was a journey to which I very much looked forward to as we had enjoyed the sun and sands on Tampico’s Miramar sands, one of the finest beaches in Mexico.
A little further on, we were driving through a rich fruit-growing landscape. All types of citrus fruits, bananas, melons, pineapples and other fruits crowded both sides of the road. At Alamo, as we passed a huge statue of a farmer pouring tangerines out of a basket, Témoc purchased a freshly-made corn-cake from a boy running alongside our bus and divided it among our group of seven. When one of the men asked him why he was treating us so well, he replied, “My ancestors were Aztecs and they were hospitable people. Look how they welcomed the Spaniards!” “You know how the Spaniards returned their hospitality?” I remarked. “They enslaved the whole Aztec nation”, he grinned, “Thank God! I have kept my ancestors virtues.”
Soon both sides of the roadways were cluttered with what seemed to be never-ending tangerine stands. “Don’t cry for me Argentina!” my daughter began to hum as we stopped beyond the Mexican town of Buenos Aires at one of the fruit stands. Here, most members of our group loaded themselves with bananas, pure honey and, above all, tangerines - selling at less than $1. for 10 pounds.
At Poza Rica, a fair-sized industrial city, we turned toward the sea on the last 15 km (9.3 mi) to El Tajin. Témoc had barely started to talk about the ruins when we reached the city of pyramids, built by the Totonacos to honour their god of rain and thunder.
El Tajin, a world heritage site, which was named after the Totonaco god of thunder, is a fascinating archeological complex, encircled by jungle. Even though El Tajin’s structures have deteriorated since the city was abandoned, one can still see and feel the wonder of the Totonacs and their gods. The city’s core was erected as a religious centre - the home of holy men, priests and the elite of society. It was built on 5 ha (12.4 ac) of land on which were constructed a whole series of ball courts and pyramids. Easily worked limestone was used for bas-reliefs and mineral paints were used to paint all the structures. In the future it expected much more will be learned about El Tajin’s structures - only 30% of the site has been excavated.
Construction began in the 2nd century B.C. and continued until El Tajin reached its golden age between the 6th and 9th centuries. By the 12th century, the city had been abandoned. Today, besides the Mayan ruins in the Yucatan and the Zapotec/Mixtec ruins in Oaxaca, it is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Americas. 
The El Tajin complex includes a variety of pyramids, each covered with another pyramid every 52 years - believed to be the time span of life by the indigenous American civilizations - and showing adornments with frets, cornices and niches; 11 (some say 17) ball courts of varying sizes; temple and palace ruins; and platforms. Over 300 buildings have been identified on the site, but only 30 have been excavated and restored. The principal buildings are: the Pyramid of the Niches, the Central Ball Court, the South Ball Court and the Temple of the Columns. The site is overshadowed by the Pyramid of the 365 Niches, one for every day of the year. A masterpiece of ancient Mexican architecture, the pyramid is believed to have astronomical and religious significance.
When she began to eat her breaded fish, she discovered tortillas hidden underneath. A dog appeared beside her chair and she fed him her and her mother’s tortillas, which the dog gratefully accepted, all the time wagging its tail. Muna, pointing to the dog, turned to me and said bluntly, “See! I told you that tortillas are dog food.”