The Maya Calendar, Cosmology and Tzu’tujil language are being transmitted to young people through a Guatemalan Hip Hop Group

The intersection of ancient lineages and modern culture and technology often exists as a combative arena, where – far more often than not – modern perspectives and tools dominate and eliminate the living heritage of peoples.  Is this, however, always necessarily the case?  In almost every corner of this world, the presence of our modern infatuation with “newness”, consumption and homogeneic culture lure younger generations away from their ancestral roots.  Very few have successfully rejected all aspects of the modern world, and those that have to greater or lesser extents have often isolated themselves and become subject to ongoing threats of exploitation.

At this intersection, however, lies a dynamic tension that holds the potential to unleash a creative force that, at its best, can connect deeply with and nurture the roots of tradition while transforming the outer face of living lineages and adopting and transforming the modern culture and technology engaged with in the process.  This is an important space that Saq’ Be’ is mindful of, in order to integrate the power of these living lineages to transform our modern lives while nourishing their roots.  If done correctly, lineage cultures can adopt the tools and cultural elements of the “modern” in service of their ancestral cosmology, knowledge and wisdom.  When young people are engaged, a pathway is created to ensure the future vitality of a lineage, rooted in its homeland.

Guatemalan rappers promote Mayan language, stories to youth

Deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, the community of Sarayaku has sustained their way of “Living Well” by keeping extractive oil industries out of their territories.  Saq’ Be’ has a long time connection with the community.  In 2004, my wife and I travelled to Sarayaku where we got to know the people of the community and recognize a way of life that embodies the potential that humans have when in balance with each other and our place. We had the privelage of being welcomed by the children of Sabino Gualinga, a powerful medicine man, with deep roots in a profound healing lineage.  It was also a time when the petrol companies were deploying numerous strategies to remove the community from the territory – modern day versions of the same tactics used to extract people and resources throughout history.  You can read more about that experience here: Cry in the Jungle: Defending Life, Resisting Devastation

The struggles Sarayaku has faced is indicative of both the challenges and the hope that Indigenous communities around the world hold.  These communities have much to to teach the world about how we live our lives and relate to our home:

Sarayaku residents describe sumac kawsay as “choosing our responsibility to the seventh generation over quarterly earnings, regeneration over economic growth, and the pursuit of well-being and harmony over wealth and financial success.”

Through our board member, Karen Marrero, we hope to continue to provide much needed support to the community in their successful efforts to turn back extractive industries, live in right relationship, and to bring that wisdom forward into the world.  Please contact us if you are interested in contributing to support these developing efforts to help Sarayaku.

Please read this timely, and eloquent article that appears in Yes! Magazine:

Deep in the Amazon, a Tiny Tribe Is Beating Big Oil

Modern technology is opening new ways for us to learn from and nourish living lineages.  A couple of years ago, Jim Jenner and Brenda Bynum joined us in Santa Fe for a consultation with Maya Ajq’ij Lina Barrios.  Their immediate connection with the tradition brought Brenda back here from her home in New York to participate in sessions, workshops and a ceremony in July of last year.  This quick connection suddenly found Jim and Brenda on a journey to Guatemala this past January, applying their film making skills while traveling with Denise, Lina, Carlos and others, filming elders, ceremonies and sacred locations.  This footage is being compiled to make use of the medium to further tell the stories of the living Maya lineage, so that we may learn, transform, and return to nourish the roots of the tradition.  They are hard at work compiling these videos in their spare time, putting forth a tremendous volunteer effort to make this content available.  We are excited about the potential that is being unleashed by filming lineages in an appropriate manner.

While this is being compiled, we are able to share some images of their journey in the gallery below.  More to come soon…

I had to put up a quick blog post, as the US news headlines features NASA scientists declaring that the SW US is set for unprecedented drought that will last decades.  Perhaps the only thing new in this view is that it is being confirmed by scientists, as I imagine many people expect this to be the norm within the context of climate disruption.  Personally, we live in an area often affected by drought (New Mexico), and see its impact on our drinking water, agriculture and fires. Of course, this is not only the case in the US, but in other parts of the world as well, including the Americas.

There are two things that come to mind in reading through this:

1) Our relationship to water.  Within our modern context, we treat water as though it were a fixed commodity.  We extract it, exploit it, pollute it, bottle it and worry that we won’t have enough of it.  What if we were to shift our frame, to see water as something that is alive, connected, that can grow, heal, sustain and regenerate? Would we open new realms of possibility in the way that we manage, allocate and perhaps even grow this elemental foundation to all life?  This brings me to point #2:

2) We have recently (and some of the Saq’ Be’ team have ongoingly) had conversations with a Latin American representative for UNESCO.  The group is highly aware of an impending water crisis throughout the Americas (from North to South) and sees a solution in turning towards the knowledge and wisdom of the continent’s Indigenous peoples.  This is because humanity has learned much over time through our interconnected relationship with that which sustains us, and we are fortunate to have peoples that have not lost that connected lineage.  They are able to teach us in the modern world, but it requires a fundamental transformation of the way we view that which gives us life – from a commodity towards a relationship.  UNESCO is very serious about collecting, applying, and integrating this knowledge and wisdom while protecting the territories of first peoples.

Clearly this will be a delicate process, but it points towards the opportunity we have.  My new friend here in New Mexico, Larry Littlebird, brought forth the question: what is the opportunity of climate change?  This story highlights one for me, what are the other opportunities that you see?
Study: Unprecedented ‘Megadroughts’ Expected For U.S. After 2050

You may have noticed that I’ve stepped in over the last few days to provide the daily Nawal. That is because Denise has been offline from her home in Antigua, where Volcan del Fuego erupted on Saturday. The city is covered with ask and communications were knocked down for a bit.  Thankfully, everybody is doing just fine.  Fortunately for everybody else, Denise is back to writing the Daily Nawal to share with everybody!  We are extremely grateful for all her hard work and dedication!

We’re thinking about expanding the content on the Daily Nawal.  Let us know if there is something that you would like to see on a daily basis that would support your connecting with the energies of the Cholq’ij Calendar.

Here’s a little news video on the eruption: