Ke’kchi Chocolate & Culture | Shore Excursion | NCL

Editorial Summary

The video documents a shore excursion focused on the history and traditions of the Ke'kchi Maya people. The tour begins at an active cacao farm where participants learn about the ancient origins of chocolate. The process involves a twenty minute walk to observe four different types of cacao trees and a demonstration of how Maya workers transform cacao beans into chocolate by hand. This manual process includes roasting, sun drying, and grinding the beans before a tasting of organic chocolate. Following the farm visit, the group travels to a local outpost for lunch and then visits a traditional Ke'kchi Mayan home. During this portion of the excursion, the hosts explain the distinction between the Kiche Maya and the Mopin Maya. Visitors are introduced to traditional costumes and musical instruments used during ceremonies and celebrations. The guide emphasizes that the tour serves as an educational experience intended to preserve Mayan heritage and provide guests with a deeper understanding of the living culture beyond just visiting archaeological sites.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.