Thursday, May 5, 2011

Ixchel Gone Missing

I’m here in Isla Mujeres and can see some changes since I was here seven weeks ago. There is a very small Mayan ruin at the South end of IM (Punta Sur). It is surrounded by a nice sculpture garden and fronted by a small mercado devoted to the tourist trade. The ruins were sacred to Ixchel who was a Mayan Goddess of Fertility. On my last trip I photographed an almost anatomically correct statue of Ixchell at the mercado entrance, but found its role usurped by a brazen hussy of a statue that would do Norman Rockwell proud.

Here is the earthy version before and after:

Winter 2011 C 440 Ixchel Gone Missing

And here is the tourist friendly replacement. What happened tIxchel ala Norman Rockwello the fertility part? What we have now is the usual white man’s Indian Princess fantasy.