Why Choose Nikté Yucatán
With so many kinds of honey to choose from in the UK, finding the right balance between flavour, quality and ethics isn’t easy. Fortunately, Nikté Yucatán delivers on all three counts.
Our packaging tells you everything you need to know about our multi-floral honey varieties and many hidden mysteries...
The logo is a modern version of the ancient Maya glyph — used by the ancient Mayas to depict the god of the honey bee, Ah Muzen Kaab/ Ah Muceb Cab.
The study of the glyphs was often seen as a path for improvement of the soul, health, self-awareness, and illumination.
The native bee in the Yucatán Peninsula is the Melipona beecheii, known as the Xunan kab in Maya. This literally translates to ‘royal lady’ in English. These stingless bees have been raised as pets by children in the region for centuries.
Ancient Maya tribes used Melipona to treat eye, ear and respiratory ailments for thousands of years. They also used it in rituals, cooking and medicines. Even today, these multi-floral honey varieties are used for their medicinal and digestive qualities by communities in the peninsula.
The wild European bee — Apis Mellifera — was introduced by Spanish conquerors, however. And it soon became one of the most common species in the Yucatán Peninsula.
At Nikté Yucatán, we are committed to preserving both bee species, as well as their ecosystems.
In total, there are more than a dozen bee species in this part of the world, and our expert beekeepers (apicultures and meliponicultures) work tirelessly to preserve all of them.
All our honeys were developed and harvested in the rainforests of the Yucatán Peninsula, México.
The art of beekeeping was sacred to the Ancient Mayas and still to the modern Mayas — and it’s sacred to us, too.
We believe our pure Maya honey is one of the best in the world, and here’s why.
Pure, Raw Honey Straight from the Yucatán Peninsula
All varieties of Nikté Yucatán honey are sourced directly from the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Produced by traditional Maya beekeepers (apicultures and meliponicultures), these limited-edition, pure raw honey products are characterised by their floral flavour profiles and distinctive aromas.
Nikté Yucatán enjoys its unique qualities due to two geographical factors: the wild bees in the region and the tropical forests (dry and moist) in which they live.
Our Commitment to the Mayan Culture and Environment
All Nikté Yucatán honey is supplied in smart, multipurpose and eco-friendly packaging. Consumers can cut the box from the side with scissors to create a Maya calendar — featuring the colour of the forestland Nikté Yucatán is fighting to protect. There are two Maya calendars in this box — a metaphorical long round. In Maya calendars, there are several cycles all going on at the same time and they were — and still are — in use for different purposes.
In operation together, the Haab and Tzolk'in create a larger, 52-year cycle called the Calendar Round that was used not only by the Maya, but also by every other culture in Mesoamerica. The Classic Maya demonstrated with great skill and ease how our annual cycles are related to the galactic harmonic pattern.
The inside of each Nikté Yucatán box represents three things:
- The moon and the sun
- The long count or path of wisdom
- The tropical forest we’re fighting to protect — it’s black to signify the dry forest
The pattern on the inside of our box is based on the mystic Maya spine — a figure that represents the Tzolk´in. The Tzolk´in is associated with the moon, as it has 260 days or 13 moons of 20 days.
In addition, our Haab calendar is associated with the sun. This calendar was being widely used by at least 100BC, and possibly before. The Haab was originally created to be used in conjunction with the Tzolk’in calendar. And together, they represent a 52-year cycle — recognised as one cycle of wisdom, when a person leaves the role of student to become a teacher.
The Mesoamerican Calendar is based on the Tzolk’in or “ritual almanac” of 260 days. This calendar features 20 symbolic day signs and a series of 13 numbers (13 x 20 = 260). The solar calendar of 365 days is called the Haab in Yukatek Maya, and combines with the Tzolk’in to form the Mesoamerican calendar.
The Tzolk’in and Haab interlock and intermesh with one another like cogs in a wheel. The same combination of numbered days in the Tzolk’in and the Haab will re-occur once every 52 years. This 52-year cycle is known as a Calendar Round.
If time is a circle, we can enter the circle at any given point. And there is any number of potential beginnings to the mythic history of “the eternal return.”
We included these calendars in our packaging because they form a bridge of wisdom between the ancient Maya beekeepers, our current team and the new generation that we wish to develop.
We’re Committed to Preserve the Maya Culture and Environment
This relatively new brand is passionate about remembering the origins of ancient and sacred beekeeping practices. But it’s also determined to protect today’s increasingly fragile ecosystem. All Nikté Yucatán products are completely plastic-free. All the honeys are available in glass jars — for freshness and environmental protection.
The Nikté Project is set up to protect the tropical forests that are home to millions of wild bees, Melipona bees and a megadiverse region that’s home to thousands of migratory birds. Our limited edition 2021 honey from the dry forest was created to raise awareness for our cause.
The region has significant ecological and cultural importance, so it requires constant protection from the effects of climate change and deforestation (hurricanes, fire & heavy rains).
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