Merida a voice of its own in the world concert

The world has had a new symbol of beauty to contemplate, one whose combination of attractive qualities is already well known to the 35 countries of the American continent.  On October 12, 1999, Merida, Yucatan was officially designated to be the first Cultural Capital of the Americas by the Non Governmental Organization (NGO) of the same name headquartered in Barcelona, Spain.

Merida is festive throughout the year, hosting travelers from all over the world who have come to enjoy the charms of its daily life. Bound by a commitment to live up to the high expectations of its visitors, the city is always working to better its image.       The recently restored centro histórico proudly invites everyone to attend the nightly cultural offerings held in the Plaza Grande and in the adjacent parks.  Monday is the night when locals dress in their regional finery to dance the jarana: this quintessentially Yucatecan dance, a mixture of gay, emotive Spanish rhythms, generally interpreted by one of the city’s venerable orchestras. The next day the same musicians can be found enlivening a popular dance at Parque de Santiago: the couples who faithfully attend this event impress the spectator both with their tasteful dress and the uncommon elegance with which they move to the beat of a classic danzón or a hot cha-cha.  It’s always been a tradition to gather here to listen to the big bands, watch the dancers, and dine on the Yucatecan delicacies offered by food stands near the dance floor.

The exquisite variety might include tamales wrapped in banana lea-ves, panuchos, salbutes, or a rich turkey broth accom-panied by a cold jamaica or horchata water.    After the heat of a Merida day has subsided, it’s common to spend the evening talking for hours with family and friends while sitting in the doorway and enjoying the night air.  This custom is as much a part of Merida’s people culture as is sleeping in a hammock, dressing in white, or strolling through Santa Lucía or Hidalgo parks while shopping for crafts, sweets or antiques and watching street artists render faithful portraits of their subjects with pencil and charcoal.       Here the Bohemian life is embellished by improvised poetry, guitars and serenades, with lovers being privileged to hear true trova yucateca. The Golden Age of trova produced artists such as Ricardo Palmerín and Guty Cárdenas, whose ballads in praise of feminine charms have secured their status in the anthology of Mexican popular music.  Pastor Cervera, the last trovador, has received various tributes, among them the placing of his bust in the Museo de la Canción Yucateca (Yucatecan Song Museum).       Music in Merida is indispensable to daily life. The choral group has built a repertory of both classical works and Mexican popular music over their 15-year existence. Equally excellent is the Academic Chamber Orchestra of Merida, under the direction of the Cuban Alberto Álvarez.  This aggregation of young, profoundly dedicated musicians performs regularly in Merida’s Olimpo Cultural Center, a magnificent facility next to the Municipal Building and a favorite site for artistic presentations.

The list of notable participants in Merida’s cultural life is a long one, but particularly worthy of mention are Graciella Torres, whose modern dance company–one of the country’s best–performs frequently in the theater of the school of Fine Arts, and the painter Daniel Rosel, who recently won a first prize at the Salón Internacional de Arte 1999 in La Paz, Bolivia.      Merida, eternally emblematic and seductive, harbors a growing number of impressive talents who are contributing significantly to the effervescent mood characteristic of the new century. At this point in time, there are no mute witnesses to the passing of days, and Merida’s lovely historical buildings would be the first to speak. For example, in the Municipal Building the independence of Yucatan from Spain was decided.

It also hosted the first exposition of indigenous crafts in 1865, while the Yuca-tecan Feminist Congress was held in the José Peón Contreras Theater in 1916.       Two of the current generation’s masters in the fine arts are Gabriel Ramírez and Fernando Castro Pa-checo. Although they are not strictly part of Merida’s cultural agenda, their work is prominently displayed here: Ramírez’ art permanently occupies various rooms in the Contempo-rary Art Museum Ateneo de Yucatán (MACAY), across from the Plaza Grande and close to the Government Building, whose interior walls, in turn, are covered with the paintings of Castro Pacheco.
Another attraction for travelers is Paseo Montejo, an elegant, tree-lined avenue bordered by mansions with French architectural motifs–testimonies to Yucatan’s early 20th century economic boom. Among the most prominent buildings are the Palacio Cantón, now an archaeological museum featuring a collection of ancient Maya pieces; the Colonial era is represented by the striking San Ildefonso cathedral, and there are many other magnificent churches in which the people customarily take refuge when the sun becomes too hot.     Optimism and hospitality are but two aspects of the exuberant vitality characteristic of the Cultural Capital of the Americas in the year 2000. Indeed, Merida’s doors are open wide in welcome, and its residents fully intend to preserve its splendor in order that it deserves to be part of that select group of the world’s cities with a distinctive “voice.”