MAYAN MYTHOLOGY: THE CHECHEN TREE
The Mayan people of Cancun and the Riviera Maya often speak of the infamous Chechen tree, but they never dare to touch it. Beautiful to look at, Chechen has a contrast of dark, ruffled leaves and bright white bark with black sap running out of its trunk. However, this tree is most well known for its poison.
Humans can become infected by touching the tree or its leaves, causing a painful red rash that often bubbles. I've also been told by locals that people with especially sensitive skin might even suffer from rashes just by standing under the Chechen tree for too long.
The cure for a Chechen rash is the most fascinating part about the tree: Chechen can only be cured by the Chacah tree, which always grows nearby. The tall Chacah is easy to spot with bright red bark, and its nectar has the only antidote for a Chechen rash. Chacah and Chechen always grow within a few yards of each other, and the Mayan people of the Riviera Maya have a story behind these two local trees.
Kinich, Tizuc and Nicte-Ha
Mayan legend tells the tale of two fearsome warrior princes with great strength, but each of the brothers had a unique personality. Tizic, the older brother, was quiet, hateful and angry. The younger brother Kinich had a kind heart and was loved by his people. Despite their warring personalities, each fell in love with the same beautiful woman: Nicte-Ha.
Tizic and Kinich had a ferocious battle to the death over the love of Nicte-Ha, but their strength was so matched that after a long fight, they died in each other's arms. They asked forgiveness from the gods in the afterlife, and were granted the ability to return to the world of the living to see Nicte-Ha one last time. Tizic became the poisonous Chechen tree while Kinich was transformed into the red Chacah tree. Nicte-Ha, who died from grief, was given life as a simple white flower.
The next time you're trekking through the jungles of the Riviera Maya, look out for the white Chechen tree and the red Chacah tree, always growing close by, and remember the Mayan legend of Kinich and Tizuc.