K'utzmil
 The Ix Chel Nah, often considered to be the White Path holiest place | |
| Etymology | island of swallows |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Area | 224 km2 (86 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 30 m (100 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Yajawil | Ekab |
| Kuchkabal | K'utzmil |
| Capital and largest | Tanuh (pop. 30,000) |
| Demographics | |
| Demonym | K'utzul |
| Population | 45,000 (2019) |
| Pop. density | 200 /km2 (500 /sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Xu people |
K'utzmil is an island and Kuchkabal within the Yajawil of Ekab, Mutul. It is located within the Bay of Ekab and is close to the main urban centers of the Province, mainly Ekab, Labka, Ynaj...
The island is famous worldwide for its temple-complex, centered around the K'utz Ix Chel Nah, the "House of Lady Chel of the Colibris". The temple has been considered by White Pilgrims to be the most important pilgrimage destination of their faith, and so since at least the 12th century. The holy site receive more than 10 million visitors each year. After a period of unchecked real estate speculation in the 80s and 90s which led to the apparition of many gigantic hostels meant to lodge the pilgrims, but corruption scandals led to the island' Clergy to lobby extensively against further constructions. As a result, hostels and infrastructures for pilgrims sprang up all around the Bay of Ekab. Today, the island' economy remain centered around religious tourism.