[Aztlan] "Teotihuacan In Danger"

[Miguel Covarrubias]

The matter with this kind of "light and sound" projects and other tourism
oriented activities, is that politicians and businessmen who conceive this
ideas, tend to consider archaeological sites as "attractions" or "touristic
products", instead of what they really are: ancient cities that need
specific preservation conditions. Archaeological remains are converted
into subjetcs of economical exploitation for the benefit of private
interests, in opposition to conservation and for people's education.
According with Mexico's cultural heritage legislation, the common interest
must prevail over particulars, but this laws aren't inforced as they should.
Massive events like those recently held at Chichen Itza, Izamal, Tajin, and
others, do certainly generate temporary jobs and incomes for local
populations, but these are always limited and underpaid. Mayor benefits end
into the pockets of few, while there is a significant increase in
conservation problems at these sites due to massive visitors, with very good
luck and in not in all cases, small portions of the money earned has been
reinverted in preservation/research issues.
Along with this usage concern, cultural heritage has to deal with other
problems, perhaps more serious, such as land tenure, unplanned urban
development, vandalism, lootings... There are thouthands of mesoamerican
settlements being damaged or destroyed every day and INAH is not capable to
stop or minimize this situation.
Under this conditions, places like Teotihuacan ARE and WILL ALWAYS BE in
danger, until people really get conscious of the importance of the
preservation of the past.
2009/1/16 kim Goldsmith <kiminmexico at yahoo.com>

> Contrary to "amarillista" press, the Teotihuacan Archaeological Zone is NOT
> in danger.  As decided by the Mexican Government and agreed upon by the
> Consejo Arqueológico (INAH), "Resplandor Teotihuacan" (a sort of light show
> with an informational script that is read along with it) is being carried
> out.
>
> Any "damage" to the monuments was actually a series of lightly-intrusive
> bolts that were anchored in the modern cement on the monuments - - in NO WAY
> affecting the pre-hispanic architecture.  Nonetheless, after protests by
> some investigators, alternative lighting methods were agreed upon and are
> now being set in place.
>
> This is not the first time Teotihuacan has had a "light and sound show",
> and it is not the only large cultural monument (either in Mexico or other
> parts of the world) to have such an attraction.
>
> "Resplandor" is meant as an attraction that will increment jobs in all the
> seven municipios around the site.  It is part of a larger "Tourist Corridor"
> (in an area that is far enough away from San Juan that it is not anywhere
> near the old prehispanic city boundaries) that is meant to bring more
> visitors to the area, hence more jobs for the local citizens.
>
> One of the biggest problems in tourism at Teotihuacan is that people use
> Mexico City as a base, come out during the day, visit only the site (NOT the
> neighboring towns), and then go back to the D.F. to spend the night.  Now
> with something to actually DO at night, more people will spend at least one
> night in the neighboring towns, incrementing the need for different services
> that only the creation of new jobs can fulfill.
>
> "Resplandor Teotihuacan" is NOT damaging anything.  It will be a powerful
> force in economically lifting the surrounding areas.  As an archaeologist
> myself, I believe that often times we are guilty in our zeal of wanting to
> keep everyone and everything stagnant in time.  As an Anthropologist, I
> realize that there are living cultures that need to be heeded and nourished.
>  "Resplandor" is a program that will accomplish just that.
>
> KIM
>
> Kim C. Goldsmith, Ph.D.
> Archaeologist and Member of the Teo. Community for 28 years
> Teotihuacan
>  MEXICO
>
>
>
>
>
>
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