Alebrijes – A dream that came true

Alebrijes are handicrafts made of cardboard or copal wood carving, painted with cheerful and vibrant colors. These imaginary creatures are made up of elements of different animals that form an amazing being. Pedro Linares, the creator of these magnificent creatures, was a “cartonero” born in Mexico City.

The story goes that he contracted a serious illness that left him unconscious for a season. He had a very strange dream. He was in a kind of forest, where he felt peaceful, full, happy, and did not feel any pain. Later, everything around him began to turn into strange creatures, among which most remember the famous winged donkey and the rooster with the bull’s horns. These creatures incessantly screamed the word “Alebrijes”, loud and clear.

Pedro Linares continued his journey until he recognized a human figure and asked him how to get out of there. The man mentioned that he was not in the right place and that he should leave, as it was not his time yet.

In a hurry, the man indicated the direction to leave, and Pedro Linares remembers passing through a strange little window. When Pedro regained consciousness, he was already in his wake.

Once recovered, he began to recreate the creatures that we know today as Alebrijes and that are part of Mexican culture.

At Fairmont Mayakoba we want you to take home a bit of our culture. We will give away an Alebrije for stays from October 29 to November 2, 2020.