INPI Official Witnesses Maya Ball Game in Kantunilkín During Indigenous Rights Law Tour

Kantunilkín, Quintana Roo — An official from Mexico’s National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI) visited the Maya Ceremonial Center here this week and witnessed the daily practice of the traditional Maya ball game, a living cultural tradition that remains central to local identity.

Gabriela Molina Moreno, INPI’s director of international affairs, toured the center as part of a broader government push to consult indigenous communities on a proposed General Law on the Rights of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican Peoples. The initiative was ordered by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

During the visit, Molina received a detailed explanation of the history, cosmology, and practice of the ball game, which is recognized as one of the most significant cultural expressions of the Yucatán Peninsula’s original peoples. She noted that the game is played every afternoon at the ceremonial center, drawing a steady crowd of local residents who come to preserve their traditions.

“This type of activity strengthens the identity of indigenous peoples and helps keep their cultural roots alive,” Molina said, acknowledging the community’s efforts to safeguard its intangible heritage.

Also participating in the event were Margarito Albornoz Cupul, the INPI representative for the municipality of Lázaro Cárdenas; José Fidel Pool Cauich, president of the Kantunilkín ejido commissariat; and Agustina Tah Pech, a national INPI councilor. All agreed that the ball game remains fully active and well-attended.

Molina also distributed informational materials to traditional and ejido authorities to ensure the community can participate knowledgeably in the upcoming consultation process.