PARENT SESSION
Oral Session #38: The Human Spirit in Landscape Restoration.
Presiding: D. Borland
Tuesday, August 6. 1:00 PM to 4:45 PM. Greenlee Meeting Room, TCC.

Ecological and cultural restoration among the Q'eqchi' Maya.

Gonella, Michael^*,1, ¹ 376 Ingram Road, Cincinnati, OH

ABSTRACT- Many Q'eqchi' Mayans, fleeing from civil war violence, settled in the eastern tropical lowlands of Guatemala and found themselves in a land and climate dramatically different from their drier, cooler, highland home. During forced immigrations many cultural traditions were lost, including traditional agricultural practices, some of which were more ecologically sound than current practices. Ancient and more recent traditionalist Mayans designed and tended intricate homegardens and polycultural fields. In contrast, the lowland Q'eqchi' villages contain few homegardens, only monocultural fields of hybrid corn, and depleted crop soils. This study, in cooperation with Proyecto Ak' Tenamit, created an information 'warehouse' for the Q'eqchi' where farmers re-learned ancient and traditional farming techniques that are more ecologically sustainable. To create the 'warehouse' we conducted interviews with local farmers, conducted a literature search for ancient and traditional farming methods, and created a demonstration garden showing examples of traditional, sustainable farming techniques. Workshops for local farmers were held to encourage exchange of agricultural methods. By presenting a mix of old and new sustainable farming techniques to the Q'eqchi' within a culturally relevant Mayan context, the Q'eqchi' were able to reclaim lost agricultural traditions and restore the land upon which they currently depend.

KEY WORDS: Traditional knowledge, Guatemala, sustainable agricultural