Actor Paul Campbell Plants Commemorative Tree in Mexico’s Chacah Garden While Prepping Caribbean Living Magazine Celebrity Travelogue

Fort Lauderdale, FL, January 24, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Actor Paul Campbell, whose credits include roles on TV’s Battlestar Galactica and Knight Rider, this week planted a tree in the the Chacah Garden in Xel-Ha on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula [backgrounder follows below], while preparing a celebrity travelogue spread for Caribbean Living magazine.

The Chacah Garden is a by-invitation project that commemorates visits by entertainment, literary and sports celebrities, who plant a Chacah seedling and leave a short phrase describing their personal experience engraved in stone. Campbell – who will chronicle his exploration of the region from his base at the Rivieria Maya resort for the Caribbean Living’s summer 2009 issue – is one of only a handful of North Americans to have planted trees at the site.

“At Caribbean Living, it’s our passion to seek out and share with our readers the rich, inspiring and rewarding stories like that of the Chacah Garden project,” said publisher Peta Phipps. “All across the Caribbean, we’ve found projects like this that celebrate culture and enrich the environment.”

Mayan legend
According to Mayan legend, the two greatest warrior princes of all time, brothers of enormous strength and skill but of completely different nature -- Kinich, the younger, who was kind and merciful and beloved by all, and Tizic, who was dark and sullen, “drawing strength from the hate and anger.” Both fell in love with the beautiful Nicte-Ha, and fought a battle to the death for her favour that ended fatally for both.

Tizic was reborn as the Chechen tree, which seeps black poison from its branches. Kinich was reborn as the Chacah, whose nectar neutralises Chechen's poison. Both watch over Nicte-Ha, who, having died of grief, was “reborn as a beautiful white flower.” The bark of the Chacah is still used to relieve and cure burns and rashes caused by the Chechen, as well as dysentery, fever, and measles.

About Caribbean Living Magazine: Caribbean Living is the magazine takes readers on an inspirational exploration of the finest of luxury travel, lifestyle, culture, cuisine and arts of this diverse and dynamic region. With a focus on the premium market segment, the publication takes readers beyond the beachTM on an insider’s track to the most exclusive, enticing and exhilarating and inspiring experiences of the archipelago. Each issue of Caribbean Living also features an exclusive celebrity travelogue. CaribbeanLivingMagazine.com

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Official Backgrounder
Chacah´s Garden in Xel- Há

Certain Mayan legend tells of the two greatest warrior princes of all time, brothers of enormous strength and skill but of completely different nature.

Handsome Kinich, the younger, was kind and merciful and beloved by all, while the elder Tizic was dark and sullen, drawing his strength from the hate and anger nursed in his heart. They both tragically fell in love with the beautiful Nicte-Ha, and despite her protests, declared a battle to the death for her favour.

As they fought the Earth was torn and the Heavens went into hiding, becoming a battle longer and more hideous than any the world had ever seen, until both brothers died in each other's arms. In the afterlife, they begged the gods for forgiveness, and a chance to return to the world of the living and see their beloved Nicte-Ha once more.

Celestial decree allowed Tizic to be reborn as the Chechen tree, which seeps black poison from its branches and burns any who come near. Kinich was reborn as the Chacah, whose soothing nectar neutralises Chechen's venom. They solemnly watch over Nicte-Ha, who having died of grief, was mercifully restored to life as a beautiful white flower.

Today, the Chacah belong to the Burseraceae family, and its bark is still used by the Mayan to relieve and cure burns and rashes caused by the Chechen, as well as dysentery, fever, and the measles.

Here in Xel-Ha, the Chacah Garden is designed to commemorate the movie, radio, television, literature, and sports celebrity visits, inviting them to plant a Chacah seedling and leave a short phrase describing their personal experience engraved in stone for future generations.

Who has planted a Chacah?

Writers: Carlos Monsiváis, Elena Poniatowska, Guadalupe Loaeza, José Luis Cuevas, Ana Cerón, Martha Chapa.

Athletes: Oleg Maskaev, Giovanni Dos Santos, Fernando Platas, Galia Moss, Manuel Youshimatz, Nancy Contreras, Luis Hernández “El Matador”, Giancarlo Maldonado, Arturo Brizio, Valeri Liukin, Manuel López, Mariano Trujillo, Alain Nkong, Tigres de Quintana Roo.

Actors: Kevin Zegers, Criss Angel, Héctor Bonilla, Lilia Aragón, Xavier López “Chabelo”, Roberto Gómez Bolaños “Chespirito”, Florinda Meza “Doña Florinda”, Gonzalo Vega, Silvia Pasquel, Annete Michell, Enrique Rocha, Diana Bracho, Sofía Álvarez, Consuelo Duval, Gaby Goldsmith, Paty Álvarez, Lorena Tassinari, Francisco de la O, Mónica Noguera, José Miguel Pérez “Ludoviquito”, Chantal Andere, Sergio Mayer, Isabela Camil, Eric del Castillo, Aitor Iturrioz, Rodrigo Nehme, Liz Vega, Ulises de la Torre, Manuel Foyo, Sherlyn.

Musicians: Paulina Rubio, José José, Enrique Guzmán, Reyli, Laura León, Ivette Hernández, Cynthia, Mimi, Lidia Ávila, Maya, Erika Zaba.

Journalists: Víctor Trujillo, Alberto Aguilar, Fernanda Tapia, Maricarmen Cortés, Maxine Woodside, Alex Kaffie, Alejandro Cacho, Fernando Buñuelos, Tere Bermea, Eduardo Torreblanca, Ana María Alvarado, Fernando del Solar, Talina Fernández, Humberto Hernández, Sergio Sarmiento, Horacio Franco, Juan José Origel, Andrés Roemer, Iñaqui Manero, Patricio Cabezut, Adal Ramones, Enrique Campos Súarez.