Carolina is connected to MaayatꞋaan (Maya); other cultural connections can be found at the municipal level in Tixcacalcupul.

MaayatꞋaan and oral traditions

MaayatꞋaan is a nationwide element of intangible cultural heritage encompassing oral traditions and expressions, including language. Carolina is one of the municipalities connected to this element. This places the town within a broader linguistic context focused on transmission and expression. The connection can be understood on two levels: Carolina as one of the participating municipalities, and MaayatꞋaan as the overarching cultural heritage element. For cultural context, this linguistic connection offers a different perspective from archaeological topics or textile work. Its classification as intangible heritage draws attention to shared linguistic and oral forms of expression rather than to a single structure or artifact.

Archaeological and municipal connections

Archaeological remains of Xai Bei are located within the municipality of Tixcacalcupul. There is also a statue of Juan Cupul in the center of Tixcacalcupul’s main park. The two points of reference differ in their nature and location: Xai Bei refers to archaeological remains, while the statue is a named work of art in the center of the main park. When exploring the municipality thematically, you can distinguish archaeological traces from the statue as two different historical points of reference.

Textile traditions

Craft traditions in the municipality include hammocks made from henequen yarn, as well as embroidered tablecloths and huipiles. Traditionally, women there wear simple huipiles with embroidery around the square neckline and along the hem of the garment. Textile traditions take different forms: in the yarn and hammock, in embroidered cloths, and in the specific details of a garment. These differences offer several cultural perspectives on the municipality’s craft heritage.

Customs and dance

For All Saints’ Day and the commemoration of the dead, customs in the municipality include home altars with the deceased’s favorite foods. These include traditional Mucbil-Pollo, atole made from new corn, and frothed chocolate. At regional festivals in Tixcacalcupul, residents dance the Jarana and hold competitions among the participants. Thus, domestic customs and foods sit alongside communal forms of expression at festivals. The occasions differ, as do the activities associated with them.

Cultural highlights for your trip

For planning your trip, the cultural themes can be organized by focus. MaayatꞋaan connects Carolina with language and oral transmission; the municipal level adds archaeological remains, textile work, home customs, and regional dances. You can decide whether you are mainly interested in the town’s linguistic and cultural connection or would rather focus on several cultural aspects of Tixcacalcupul. Linguistic heritage is intangible; Xai Bei and the statue are place-specific, material points of reference, while crafts and customs bring other cultural practices into view.

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For the broader travel overview: Yucatán.