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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | March 2007 
Authorities Restrict Access at Popular Mexican Tourist Site
 Oscar Avila - Chicago Tribune
| | A woman raises her hands to receive the sun's rays on the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico, Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at the moment of the Spring Equinox. (AP/Gregory Bull) |
Teotihuacan, Mexico - Alberto Alcantar scaled the Pyramid of the Sun before dawn Wednesday - the first full day of spring - to capture the full strength of the sun and revitalize his body, a ritual shared by countless Mexicans each year.
But as he pondered the massive archeological complex of Teotihuacan, the veteran tour guide felt something missing. "Like something is blocking my energy," he said.
Above him, authorities had built a wooden walkway to cover the pyramid's summit. Below and to his right, plastic orange fencing kept visitors from the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. To his left, a row of police and red tape reading "Danger" blocked much of the Avenue of the Dead, the complex's main thoroughfare.
For the first time, Mexico's federal authorities have acknowledged the complex's steady deterioration by restricting access on the most popular week of the year. The measures caused grumbling, but authorities hope visitors become aware that Mexico's vast archeological treasures do not have unlimited lifespans.
Alcantar understands the need to protect Teotihuacan but muses: "It is sad. This used to be a place of vibrancy, of energy. Unfortunately, the authorities think they have the right to place these controls on it."
While most tourist sites would relish the thought of an overflow, site director Rogelio Rivero sounded weary Wednesday rather than proud when describing its popularity.
"The massive number of visitors will always cause deterioration at an archeological site like this one," he said. "There is a new appreciation of these sites that is taking place all over the world. But that isn't always the best use."
That analysis is a depressing echo of the deteriorating situation of other popular tourist sites around the world - such as some of the Buddhist temples of Angkor in Cambodia, listed as endangered by several watchdogs. The United Nations has sounded a warning bell for Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas in Peru, if authorities do not contain the tourist influx there.
The Teotihuacan complex, about 30 miles northeast of modern-day Mexico City, was packing them in as far back as the 4th century, when its builders finished major construction. The city was as populous as Rome before it was abandoned in the 8th century.
The Aztecs rediscovered the site in the 14th century and gave it its current name, meaning "City of Gods." They used it as a religious site, believing that the gods created the sun and moon here.
The ceremonial structures are the draw, especially the imposing Pyramid of the Sun, the third-highest pyramid in the world after two of Egypt's. Local residents and tourists flock in to huff up the 248 steps and gaze at the valley on all sides.
About 3 million people visited last year, but the week of the spring equinox was the most popular time by far, drawing about 150,000 visitors, Rivero said.
That popularity is part of the problem, according to the World Monuments Fund, a New York nonprofit group dedicated to preserving the world's cultural treasures.
The group listed Teotihuacan as one of 27 "priority sites" worldwide, and activists responded by sending $450,000 in technical assistance in 2006. The site suffers from "continuous degradation" and loses key elements of its walls, stairs, murals and plaster every day because of heavy foot traffic and the elements, according to an organization report.
Although crowds were manageable Wednesday, hundreds packed the top of the Pyramid of the Sun to await the sunrise, ignoring the orders of police on bullhorns not to linger.
As in many archeological sites, Teotihuacan's creators positioned their buildings to capture sunlight during the first days of each season. This precision gives the site a profound power, a mix of astronomy and spirituality, Rivero said.
"For people who come on the 21st, it has become almost a pilgrimage," he said.
Many visitors, like Rosario Rangel, wore white and carried crystal artifacts to better absorb the sun's energy.
When the sun rose, Rangel let out a cry and put her fingers together to create a pyramid. Rangel, 53, who drove all night with relatives from the state of Guanajuato, said she hopes the ritual will give her a year of prosperity, good health and strong relationships.
Her son, Saul Sanchez, 34, added: "I'm feeling a vibration, a sensation, that is truly powerful. It is an energy that will stay all year."
The National Institute of Anthropology and History, a government agency, has tried to discourage such thinking in a campaign that urges Mexicans to avoid Teotihuacan this week.
Agency officials put out statements emphasizing that "scientific research" shows no increase in energy during the spring equinox.
The campaign targeted those who soak in the "energy" of the spring equinox, showcasing a cartoon character in a yoga pose next to a pyramid under a sunbeam. The caption advised: "Just by going to archeological sites, you are not going to pick up more energy."
The message didn't reach Alcantar, the tour guide who later organized a ritual at the base of the pyramid. On a blanket, he placed items to absorb energy: a rosary, bags of rice, crystal amulets and U.S. dollar bills folded into the shape of a pyramid.
Later, he joined hands with a circle of visitors. They closed their eyes, took in deep breaths and followed his instructions to feel energy in their hearts, lungs and minds. |
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