La Ceiba: The Sacred Tree Of Life
Simply known as la ceiba in Spanish or ya’axche in Yucatec Maya, this tree has huge cultural significance to the Maya both throughout history and today.
The noticeable spikes on the trunk protect the tree from predators in the early stages of development and means that these trees can grow up to 70 meters tall with a trunk that can reach a circumference of 5 meters! You can find them in most town plazas and central squares and growing wild within the jungles of the Yucatan.
It is said that the ceiba tree is the link between worlds: its roots in Xibalbá (the underworld), the base of its trunk placed where the humans live sometimes referred to as Kab, and the trunk and branches the dwellings of the Gods and the entrance to the heavens.
It is easy to understand how this tree became such a pivotal part of Maya culture and everyday life. Its huge stature offers shade not only for people but a home for various creatures. The silk-cotton fibers harvested from around the tree's seed pods, pochote, were used by the ancient Maya to create clothes, blankets and other items, and the seed itself can produce oil to make soap or fertilizer. Parts of the ceiba tree are edible and it is sometimes used for natural medicines due to its sacred nature.
You can see ceiba trees in the park in Felipe Carrillo Puerto and can take part in a traditional Maya prayer around the tree on our excursion to the Maya center, Raxalaj. Find out more about Maya culture then and now through our cultural immersion programs.
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The best way to experience the Mexican lifestyle is in person, with a Na’atik Immersion experience. Not only do you live with a local Mexican-Maya family, sharing home-cooked meals and free time, but also receive expert instruction in your chosen language at our school. Best of all, every immersion experience helps fund our subsidized and free local education program, helping local students to access opportunities and make their own futures.