A prophet in the midst of the jungle
To the south of the town of Ticul, the hacienda of St. John the Baptist, Tabi, offers a number of historical, architectural and natural attractions. In its early day, during the 18th century, it was a major producer of cattle, corn and sugar cane.
Later, in the 19th century, it turned to sisal cultivation, and at the same time the old Colonial hacienda was expanded and remodeled, creating the impressive architectural complex which we see today, including the main house, machine room, corrals, chapel and so on.
Because of its historical and cultural significance, and also the rich biodiversity surrounding it, the St. John the Baptist hacienda and its annexe Sacnicté were acquired by the State Government in 1993 and declared a nature reserve. The etymology and meaning of the name Tabi are uncertain.
The chapel dates from the late 19th century, and its size bears witness to the importance of the hacienda. Today the building is in ruins. The chapel was, of course, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, whose statue is preserved in a corner of the main house which has been adapted as an oratory. The image forms the focus of traditional festivals which are still celebrated in the period leading up to the 24th of June, the birthday of “the Last of the Prophets”.
The statue is of fine quality, and life-size. The Baptist is depicted as a mature man, with his characteristic iconographic attributes: a camel-hair shirt and leather belt, symbols of his austerity and his life in the lonely desert. He carries a cross-shaped crook, and at his feet rests a small lamb, representing Jesus as the “Lamb of God”, announced and identified by John before the people of Judea.
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