'Buried Worlds with Don Wildman' Season Finale: Wildman embarks on a dangerous quest to explore 'White City'
Throughout the first season of 'Buried Worlds with Don Wildman', the Travel Channel host's thirst for adventure led him to various unexplored corners of the world. Don Wildman took us along on his journey to uncover some of mankind's darkest mysteries where he joined in on taboo rituals and even summoned spirits in a search for answers. In the two-hour season finale, Wildman undertakes one of the most dangerous quests in his entire career. He travels to a remote jungle in Honduras, where he delves into the mystery of a secret city that disappeared over 500 years ago. Believed to be once a city of abundant riches, treasure and even advanced technology, it suddenly disappeared, swallowed by the jungle.
In 2012, a group of travelers on an expedition in the Honduras jungle claimed to have found evidence of a lost civilization, possibly 'La Ciudad Blanca' or the 'White City'. The legend goes that White City was doomed by a powerful, mysterious curse. In the late 15th century, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés was reportedly told by people living in the area that there was a great civilization with extreme wealth living in the jungle, but he was never able to locate it. Since then there have been innumerable expeditions organized to find this legendary place. Several explorers who ventured into the jungle to track down this city never made it back, filmmaker Steve Elkins told Wildman.
Over the years as rumors swirled they were accompanied by bizarre explanations from alien activity to portals to another dimension appearing and disappearing in space and time. Elkins found himself being obsessed with the legend and embarked on a 20-year-journey to get to the bottom of this mystery. He used modern technology and discovered ruins in the heart of the dangerous jungle that was evidence of the city's existence. Three years later, they managed to trudge through the jungle and came to face-to-face with the ruins where they began excavations.
The 'White City' is impossible to get to as an ordinary person because it is on government lockdown, and needs different kinds of approvals for access. Wildman met with a local, an expert on the jungle, who rehashed details about the city from some well-known ancient legends. He claimed that indigenous Pech peoples told him about the founding of the city. According to the Pech peoples, the city was established by a man named Wata who came from the stars or space (indicating that he was an alien), thousands of years ago.
Wata found himself on earth while running away from a rival alien race called the Ra, and helped the locals build the White City. Wata lived with the people of the White City for a very long time, but he was being followed by the Ra. The story goes that Wata then used a round, spherical device to go back to the stars. Without Wata, the White City was left without protection, and that was when the curse may have been cast which ultimately destroyed the city. The locals believe that there was a man that would appear carrying death in a sack, and if he found you, death would come and kill you. The Talgua Caves are said to contain evidence that proves an alien race may have possibly lived in the region thousands of years ago, even before the ancient Mayans.
Wildman travels to Talgua to explore the caves and finds an area that may have possibly been used to hold rituals. Archaeologists have also found human bones inside that caves dating to be at least 800 years old. Wildman meets with a member of the Pech tribe to find out more about the White City. The Pech people are the direct descendants of the White City people and keepers of their secrets. The Pech people founded the White City 3,500 BC. According to the historical account, sometime after Wata's departure, the Miskitos, a neighboring tribe, displaced the people of the White City from their land. It resulted in a full-blown battle waged between the two tribes, and according to legends, it was a battle with supernatural weapons.
The Miskitos dabbled in witchcraft and knew how to summon evil spirits. The Miskitos cast spells of black magic which the Pech people countered with one of their own from a Shaman who was well-versed in magic. Essentially, a double-curse was cast on the city and it was doomed for all eternity. Wildman learned that the Miskitos still live in the heart of the jungle, and made a 17-hour journey to seek out a witch doctor who showed him Miskito black magic. The Miskitos and the Pechs lived together on the land that was the White City before a large conflict broke out and the Pechs refused entry to the Miskito. The Miskito then turned to witchcraft to create a deadly potion from black-magic, 'Ultavan', that sickened and killed them.
The shaman concocted a potion to show Wildman how the Miskitos made Ultavan. However, he made a potion for protection and used it on Wildman to ensure his safety when he went to explore the White City. Wildman seeks to find out the truth behind the conflict between the Miskitos and the Pechs and legitimize the fact that it was because of the treasure of gold that they were housing in the White City. Historical accounts also suggest that the Mayans were aware of the White City's riches. The Mayans lived in Copan Ruinas and had an intimate relationship with the people of the White City through trade relations. White City had strategic resources that the Mayans sought after, like jade, obsidian and cacao. In an ancient labyrinth of tunnels beneath the Mayan city of Copan, an archaeologist discovered evidence of the White City's treasures.
(Travel Channel)
Wildman had to obtain the approval of the President of Honduras himself to go into the jungle and explore White City. He took the help of security specialists to prep himself for his expedition. He learned that the only way to get to the White City is by helicopter. But Wildman had to be completely dependant on the military because what they say goes. Their orders are final. The area also has violent and unpredictable weather which people popularly believe is a part of the curse. Wildman accompanied by the security team journeyed to the White City where they had only a few hours at their disposal before they would be hit by bad weather. The site covers an area of five football fields and includes the main plaza, a foundation of a pyramid, and many other mounds of unknown origin. "It's like walking into Jurassic Park," he described it.
Wildman described an ominous and eerie feeling setting in as he approached the site which warned him to not touch any objects. Legend has it that outsiders touching any White City artifacts could unleash deadly curses. He came across several mounds signaling structures that once held the great White City, but unlike the Mayan empire, the city was built from wood that perished over time. Wildman and his team were forced to retreat from the jungle due to bad weather.