Built in shallow wetland areas, chinampas are structures of logs and branches covered with mud and leaf litter, surrounded by a fence of branches that sink to the bottom, defining an area of land and compost. This agricultural system guarantees a constant supply of water and soil fertility, allowing for sustainable agriculture that drove the development of the Mexica capital, the colonial capital, and continues to be productive for the current Mexico City.

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Formerly spread across vast regions of the extinct lake system of the Valley of Mexico, chinampas survive today in the south, in the remnants of Lake Xochimilco. Although their extent and agricultural importance have decreased considerably, they still retain the magnificence of their navigable canal system, making them one of the essential tourist attractions for those visiting the Mexican capital.

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Visitors can take a leisurely ride on a trajinera, a boat that will take them to discover hidden places, escape the bustle of the asphalt city, and step back in time to imagine the beauty of the great Tenochtitlán. To cast off, the chinampero pushes the stern, supporting his pole on the bottom of the canal, winding his way among the dozens of trajineras that crowd the vicinity of the pier. As they navigate the canals, boats with traditional musicians’ approach, creating an atmosphere with a mosaic of multiple regional folklores. The warmth of the Chiapas marimba, the joy of the Veracruz harp, the virtuosity of the Huastec violin, and the festivity of the Tapatío trumpets resonate.

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The chinampa and the trajinera narrate a journey through the canals of Xochimilco, with stops at different chinampas. During the intermediate stretches, the trajineras approach, performing traditional Mexican melodies. The chinampas have been composed with a contemporary language, while the trajineras retain more of the characteristic style of their popular origins.

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Trajinera Chiapaneca – Chinampa de Ahuejotes

Quetzalcoatl, the divine feathered serpent, transformed into an emerald green quetzal to sink his claws into the lakebed and support the sky with his tail feathers. Above the reflection of the water in the canals, he projected his foliage into the depths, maintaining balance with the underworld.

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Ahuejotes are water willows endemic to the Valley of Mexico, which play a crucial role in the construction of chinampas. Planted around the perimeter, they take root in the lakebed with their strong roots, consolidating the reed fence.

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Trajinera Jarocha – Chinampa de Ajolotes

In the beginning of time, two gods sacrificed themselves to bring light, becoming the sun and the moon. However, more divine sacrifices were needed for the stars to traverse the sky. The wind god, in charge of the immolations, searched everywhere for the dog god Xólotl, who transformed into an axolotl to avoid being recognized and hid in the depths of the wetlands.

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The Mexican axolotl is an amphibian endemic to the lacustrine zone of Xochimilco, whose Nahuatl name means "water monster." Related to salamanders, it does not complete its transition from larva to adult, retaining its ability to regenerate limbs and vital organs. Due to this ability, the Mexica considered it a god and consumed it until it was on the verge of extinction.

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Trajinera Huasteca – Chinampa de muñecas – Trajinera Tapatía

Don Julián Santana found a drowned girl among the lilies of his chinampa. Shortly after, he began hanging dolls on the branches of the ahuejotes, seeking to appease the spirit of the deceased girl, who pursued him at night and tormented him in his dreams. Over the years, the number of dolls increased, as did the interest of curious onlookers to contemplate the disturbing landscape, which became one of the most visited places in the chinampa area of Lake Xochimilco.

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Dedicated to my dear grandmother, Noráh Behrens.