Today I visited Hacienda Sotuta de Péon in Mérida, a restored 19th century hacienda. The word hacienda has two meanings. First, it refers to an estate or large tract of land. Second, it is also a factory, plantation, or mine that is located on a large estate.

Haciendas were owned by nobility, or influential settlers, and scattered across the country. They employed local people in agriculture and production and formed the basis of México’s economic system for hundreds of years. Prior to haciendas, agriculture and mining were used to support only the local population. Under Spanish rule, the country suddenly had demand for its exports, and began selling food and materials overseas.

Haciendas in México date as far back as the 16th century, but reached their peak from the 1800s to early 1900s. Those focused on farming were the most popular.

Each hacienda had at least 2,500 acres of land, which made it impossible for the owner to plant, cultivate, and harvest the land alone. So, native Mexicans were employed. Sometimes, with more than 100 employees and their families, these large, privately-owned properties operated more like independent cities than businesses or farms. Each hacienda had its own school, store, health facility, and chapel.

Most haciendas were closed or abandoned in the early 1900s, during the Mexican Revolution. Although neglected and dilapidated, many have been restored to be used as hotels and restaurants. Hacienda Sotuta de Peón has been restored to look and operate as it did circa 1900, complete with mule-drawn carts to transport crops from the field.

Our first stop was the main house (Casa Principal), where the owners of the hacienda once lived. The architecture is straight out of Europe, a strong reminder of México’s colonial past. With its elaborate iron gates, spiral staircases, and European artwork, Sotuta de Peón freezes in time this important part of México’s history.

Each hacienda focused on cultivating or producing one major crop or material. In the Yucatán, henequén meant big business. Also called green gold, henequén is a natural fiber that comes from agave leaves and is used to make rope and twine.

From 1880 to 1916, the Yucatán had nearly 200 factories for processing henequén. In the 1950s, synthetic fiber was invented. This led to a complete drop-off in henequén production. Today, there are fewer than 20 factories that produce henequén.

Fun Fact: Henequén is also called sisal, which comes from the name of the Yucatán port from which the henequén often shipped out of. Workers gathering the boxes of henequén in other countries saw the stamp ‘Sisal’ and mistook the port’s name for the product inside.

Return to Mexico City and visit the former home of Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera.

© ProjectExplorer.org, 2010. All Rights Reserved.