About Santa Elena
Santa Elena, whose municipality encompasses Kabah and Uxmal, boasts a population of about 2,500 inhabitants. It is located on the southern slope of the Puuc region, which is the only part of Yucatan with hills. The inhabitants of Santa Elena conserve ancestral knowledge and traditions and still refer to their town by the ancient name of Noh cacab. In the town square or kiwik there is a giant ceiba tree, which is the tree considered sacred to the ancient and modern Maya. High on a hill, near the kiwik, is the enormous Colonial church of San Mateo, built in the 19 th century. A town legend mentions a subterranean path with access located at the flank of the church. When excavating the interior of the temple, human remains were located and are now housed in the Casa de la Cultural in Santa Elena, which is adjacent to the church.
Most of the population are farmers who cultivate and harvest great amounts of maize and other vegetables in their milpas. Ancient medicinal practices, celebrations of the old agricultural calendar, and artistic traditions are still common in some households of old Noh cacab.
Santa Elena's church is a treasure house of late colonial Yucatecan folk art. In addition to the fine late Baroque altarpieces, now under restoration, an ornamental stucco wall retablo and several examples of rustic Colonial furniture survive in the sacristy, The church is also home to an interesting collection of wooden diptychs or processional "box" retablos. These are cupboard-like portable altars, some with doors, housing crucifixes and local santos. All are decorated in colorful folkloric style and although none are dated, they were most likely fabricated in the early 1800s.
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