(This week, I have invited paragliding aficionado Mitch Ventura to pen this column, to describe the first Ecotourism and Organics Fair held in Chinicuila, Michoacan from June 11 to 13. You may be surprised, as I was, at how much was going on in this remote pueblito. John Pint)
I was invited to fly my paraglider for this Ecotourismo y Organicos Fair, but did not have exact directions on how to get there. After looking for Chinicuila (pronounced chee-knee-KWEE-lah) in Google Earth, one would think that it was very close to Villa Victoria, and it turned out to be lot closer than I originally thought. It is, in fact, one and the same town – the name was changed from Chinicuila to Villa Victoria some time ago, representing both the town and the municipal seat. Many locals, however, still refer to the older name and one can see “Chinicuila” written on many objects (including the public waste bins and signs used for the fair).
The indigenous name is intriguing, and there are two stories as to its origin. The first is rather blasé, referring to the “chinicuil,” which is reported to be a fruit similar in form to the tamarind but with a different taste. The second, my personal favorite, refers to a monolith on the edge of town where three crosses have been erected. According to local folklore, “chinicuila” means “rock where the vultures defecate.”
In general, the fair had some local color, the local mescal (with a citric taste), lots of beer, some embroidery, lots of beer, ceramics, lots of beer and food. Did I say there was lots of beer?
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