Chankom Municipality (in the Yucatec Maya language: “little ravine”) is a municipality in the Mexican state of Yucatán containing 137.95 km2 of land and located roughly 135 km southeast of the city of Mérida.
History Before the arrival of the Spanish, the area was populated as evidenced by archeological sites but no specific information is known of the inhabitants nor the encomienda system. The area was depopulated by the Caste War of Yucatán and the inhabitants did not return to the area until the 1890s.
Chankom was established as a ranchería assigned to the Valladolid region in 1928. Seven years later, it was designated as its own municipality.
In 1931-1948 the anthropologists Robert and Margaret Park Redfield and stayed in the county seat of Chankom for extended periods (Villas taught there) and published Chan Kom, a Maya Village, A Village that Chose Progress, Chan Kom Revisited, and The Folk Culture of Yucatan.
In 1986-2006 the anthropologist Alicia Re Cruz stayed in Chankom and published The two Milpas of Chan Kom: scenarios of a Maya village life and a documentary, The Mayan dreams of Chan Kom: tourism, migration, and changing identities in the Yucatan.
Governance The municipal president is elected for a three-year term. The town council has four councilpersons, who serve as Secretary and councilors of policing, public services and ecology.
Communities The head of the municipality is Chankom, Yucatán. There are 17 populated places in the municipality including Chuntabil, Maykab, Muchucuxca, Nictehá, Sacpasil, San Isidro, San Juan, Santa María Koochilá, Santa Rosa, Ticimul, Tomku, Tzukmuc, Xanla, Xbohon, Xcalakdzonot, X-Cocail, Xhuaymil, Xkatún, Xkopeteil, X-Pamba, Xtamech, Xtohil, Yacbchem, and Yochotún. The significant populations are shown below:
Community Population Entire Municipality (2010) 4,464Chankom 628 in 2005Muchucuxcáh 314 in 2005Ticimul 642 in 2005Tzukmuc 212 in 2005Xanlá 406 in 2005X-Bohom 108 in 2005X-Cocail 161 in 2005Xkalakdzonot 770 in 2005Xkatún 130 in 2005Xkopteil 754 in 2005
Local festivals Every year from the 9 to 13 November the town holds a celebration for its patron saint, San Diego.
Tourist attractions
Cenote Chankom Cenote Kochila Cenote Muchucuxca Cenote Nicte-Ha Cenote Santa María Archaeological site Cosil Archaeological site Kochilá Archaeological site Ticimul Archaeological site Xcocail
References