1. Ejido 20 de Noviembre,
Calakmul, Campeche,
MEXICO
Aalto LAB Mexico - October 10, 2012
Claudia Garduño García

2. Location
Our hostel is located in Zoh-Laguna,
about 10 km away from Xpujil
Xpujil is the main community in Calakmul, that’s
where the governmental palace, highschool,
hospital and gas stations are located. It is the
middle point in the road between the cities of
Chetumal and Escárcega.
20 de Noviembre is located
5 km away from the road
that connects Chetumal
and Escárcega. Driving 10
km towards Escárcega, lies
Xpujil.

3. Zoh-Laguna History
Zoh-Laguna was founded in the 40’s. The company called
Caobas Mexicanas established there, aiming to exploiting
mahogany in the region.
People who live there now tell that the company was
operated by some Polish people. The European influence
can be seen in the construction style of their houses.
The company injected money to the region, and placed it in
the map. But Caobas Mexicanas’ extraction of the precious
wood resulted in the depletion of the place. Even to our
days, “the jungle” has not recovered.

4. Besides the ruins of the wood company, Zoh Laguna
preserves the lagoon, and it is a clear example of the
appreciation for color in facades that can be seen
throughout Mexico, and especially in Campeche.
Zoh-Laguna nowadays

5. 20 de Noviembre... bad news
Calakmul Biosphere is an area that corresponds to 3
different municipalities of Campeche. The borderline in
Calakmul is located before Xpujil, which means 20 de
Noviembre is NOT located within the Biosphere.

6. 20 de Noviembre History
20 de noviembre was founded 43 years ago, by a group of Mayan people from Dzibalché, Calkiní, Campeche (due to
land distribution made by the government). They originally planned to extract chicle (chewing gum). As soon as they
arrived, they acknowledged it should not be destroyed; “it smelled beautiful”, the elderly told their children.

7. 20 de Noviembre good news
The “ejido” has got its own regulations:
It measures 35000 hectares, out of which everyone owns
a piece of land within town for their homes, and a piece of
land for their crops the rest is a common property. They call
that common property “el monte” (the mountain), it is the
jungle. It is divided in 3 types of land: huma, reservoir, and
forestry permission.
They have subscribed to the governmental programs
“environmental services”, where they get paid for
taking care of the jungle, and CO2, where they get paid
accordingly with the O2 production.
Everyone has the right to be warned 3 times; if someone
breaks the rules one more time, the punishment is exile.

8. Activities for sustenance:
Agriculture
The two most important crops are corn and beans. but they
also grow squash, tomato, and chilli.
They sow in May, when the rainy season begins. They
harvest in September. It rains heavily, and there is always
risk of hurricane. When great part of the crop is lost to the
rain (like this year), they have a sow again in January, to
harvest in April.
Their corn is their most sacred belonging. They will only
sell it in emergency situations; especially because of its
price and cost: it is bought to them on 3 pesos per kilo, and
sold back for 7 pesos per kilo.

9. Activities for sustenance:
Agriculture in solarios
They also grow fruits and herbs in their “yards”, like chaya,
orange, and mandarine.

10. Activities for sustenance:
Poultry
The one who wants to eat meet shall rise their own poultry.
There is no cattle nor goats (although there are goats in
Zoh-Laguna).
They have pigs, which are usually slaughtered for their
only party, on November 20th, when they celebrate the
foundation of the town.

11. Economical Activities: Wood
Sawmill Furniture crafts

12. Economical Activities: Textiles

13. Economical Activities:
forestry & agriculture
Chewing gum, pepper, jalapeño chilli

14. Economical Activities:
apiculture
Two types of bees’ products are made:
From common bee: honey
From “melipona” bee: soaps
Some producers have been certified as organic, others are
in the process.

15. Economical Activities:
ecotourism
The plan is integrated by the archeological site, Rio
Bec, the cultural house, and the crafts (wood, textile,
and apiculture). The road to Rio Bec is usually in terrible
conditions scaring the tourists away.
Neverhteless, the potentialities include a diversity of local
dishes.

16. Infrastructure: houses
The craft store was buit in the traditional Mayan style:
rounded, with walls made of woven wooden sticks, kept
together with mud, with a palm-woven roof.
Most of the houses are made of wood, and have now got a
metallic roof. They’ve aslo got a “solid ground” (cement)
Through the government’s program for the development
of prioritary zones, many have got a brick made house.
They didn’t take the other houses down, though; the brick
construction simply expanded the area of the now hybrid
constructions.

17. Infrastructure: stoves

18. Infrastructure: water
Water tanks made by an NGO called SANUT.
And the traditional way for collecting rain water.
The new houses include toilets flushed with water. They
have a way out, but not a way in, so that water has to be
carried in buckets. (Don’t know where exactly is that water
drained)
They wash while sitting down on a wooden bench, and
pouring water from a bucket with a plastic vase. Water is
heated in any of the stoves, preferably the wood one.

19. Infrastructure: roads
Rain damages and/or bloks the roads. Rio Bec, the
archeological site which is closest to 20 de Noviembre, can
only be visited during the dryest season (April).
Visitors are interested in archeology.

20. Religion
There are 3 religious groups in 20 de Noviembre:
Presbiterian, Jehovah Witnesses, and Catholics.
The Presbiterian and the Jehovah Witnesses have their
temples, but the Catholics haven’t, they celebrate mass at
their homes.