Hacienda Dzibikak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hacienda Dzibikak
Private Residence / Event Venue
Entrance to Hacienda Dzibikak, Yucatán.
Hacienda Dzibikak Location in Mexico
Country	Mexico
Mexican States	Yucatán
Municipalities	Umán Municipality
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Postal code	97391
Area code	988

Hacienda Dzibikak is a historic estate located in the town of Umán, in the state of Yucatán, Mexico. It is found in the southeastern part of the country. This hacienda was one of many large properties that became important during the 1800s. This was a time when a plant called henequen was a very valuable crop.

What Does "Dzibikak" Mean?

The name "Dzibikak" comes from the ancient Mayan language. It means 'written with fire'.

Finding Hacienda Dzibikak

The Hacienda Dzibikak property is located south of the big city of Mérida. You can find it right in the town of Umán.

The Story of Hacienda Dzibikak

From Ancient Village to Farm Estate

Dzibikak was first a Mayan settlement about 500 years ago. It was a place where people traded farm goods. They grew crops like corn, beans, and cotton. Then they traded these with people from coastal towns for fish and salt.

After the Spanish arrived, they set up large farms called encomiendas. These farms grew from the old Mayan trading centers. This is how the haciendas, like Dzibikak, began in the Hunucmá District.

A Busy Henequen Hacienda

Hacienda Dzibikak was actively working by 1860. By 1879, about 231 people lived and worked there. The person who owned Dzibikak in 1882 also owned another hacienda called Hacienda Sacnicté. In 1910, the hacienda was home to between 200 and 400 people.

Decline and Abandonment

Later, the demand for sisal (which comes from henequen) went down. This caused the hacienda to struggle. A big fire also damaged the warehouse, making its walls and ceilings fall apart. Because of these problems, the buildings were left empty for many years.

Bringing the Hacienda Back to Life

In 2005, a couple named Richard and Lena Nichols bought the old, ruined Hacienda Dzibikak. They spent six years carefully fixing up the property. Today, Hacienda Dzibikak is a beautiful place once more. It is used for special events like weddings, photo shoots, and 'quinceañeras' (a special 15th birthday celebration). It has even hosted a ballet with 300 people and is a location for the yearly Mérida Music Festival.

People of Dzibikak

Changes in Community Life

All the large henequen farms changed a lot after 1937. This was when President Lazaro Cardenas made new land laws. These laws turned the haciendas into collective farms called ejidos. This meant that only a small part, about 150 hectares, was left for the original owners as private land.

Before 1937, population numbers showed how many people lived on the hacienda itself. After 1937, the numbers show people living in the surrounding community. The remaining Hacienda Dzibikak only houses the owner's family.

Population Growth

A town with the same name, Dzibikak, surrounds the hacienda. In 2005, a study by the INEGI counted 1,238 people living in the town. This included 628 men and 610 women. By 2010, the INEGI reported that the total population had grown to 1,388 people.

Images for kids

• 

  View of Hacienda Dzibikak

• 

  Another view of Hacienda Dzibikak

• 

  Entrance to Hacienda Dzibikak

• 

  A well at Hacienda Dzibikak

• 

  Another view of the well at Hacienda Dzibikak

• 

  The church at Hacienda Dzibikak

See also

In Spanish: Dzibikak para niños