Luis Patcanul

Location: Piste

Occupation: Archeological Guide

Luis was born in Piste in 1981. He is married and has a two-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl. His father was a Camposino [traditional Mayan farmer] and his mother a Homemaker, both born in the area.

Luis graduated high school, studied history in Merida and wrote and passed his English language test. He also took the official INHA course about the archeology sites of Coba, Palenque, Tulum and Chichen Itza.

We found Luis to be extremely articulate in English and he also speaks Spanish and fluent Mayan [his local dialect].

Quite the happy fellow, Luis works as a self employed guide at Chichen Itza. He has caught on to contemporary marketing and in order to compete against all the guides at Chichen Itza, Luis has stationed his post outside the restaurant located just outside Piste at the turn-off from the highway to get into the ruins. He kind of stands on the side of the road looking official and people stop to ask questions. This is when he explains that, yes, they are on the right road to the ruins and yes he can be their official guide. Very clever indeed!

Luis is computer literate, owns his own house and boasts he will never leave Piste because he loves it there so much. Like everyone else in the world he wishes he had more money!