Seeds, Stories & Sovereignty: A Walk Through Mayan Permaculture At Lake Atitlán

Welcome to another very special series of episodes. This time, from my return to an old haunt back at the turn of the century, in beautiful current day Guatemala, Central America. Deep in the heart of Mayan Country and culture.

To have the opportunity to share these with you here, is beyond what I ever imagined possible. I couldn’t be more grateful, including to Dana Scott for so generously translating and speaking the Spanish in English, for me to overdub for you here. A version of all four episodes in the series will go out in both Spanish and English.

First up, a story I’m so glad to be able to share with you - a visit to the Meso-American Permaculture Institute on the shores of the world wonder called Lago de Atitlan (Lake Atitlan). You may have heard my conversation with Maria Inés Cuj and Rony Lec, current and former directors of the Institute, a few years ago in episode 113, when they won a major global award after 20+ years of trailblazing gutsy work. 

This time, we were fortunate to be able to visit in person, and be shown around this centre of ceremony, education and regeneration – a literal cross-cultural lifeline for the community, the lake, and beyond.

Initially, I’d just had the phone recording going to capture our arrival, but it got interesting straight up, with Inés and her colleague Patrik Mucia so warmly welcoming us in their ceremonial ground (after we’d spent untold hours scrambling to catch 2 boats, 2 tuk tuks, and 1 pickup to get there).

After that, Patrik takes us for a walk. This young Mayan man is a great communicator, including about his story - how the Institute prompted his return to Mayan culture and his introduction to permaculture. And while we walk, the gardens sing.

Recorded 15 December 2024.

Title slide: AJ and Patrik (by Olivia Cheng). 

See more photos on the episode web page, and for more behind the scenes, become a supporting listener below. 

Music:

Salta Montes, by Migra (from Artlist).

Regeneration, by Amelia Barden.

The RegenNarration playlist, music chosen by guests.

ONE PLACE HAS OPENED UP - Apply now to join us for Confluence 2026, a canoe journey on the spectacular Murray River, Australia. 

Pre-roll music: Heartland Rebel, by Steven Beddall (from Artlist). 

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Series Launch
• 1:58 Arriving At Lake Atitlán
• 2:41 Ceremonial Ground And Mayan Calendar
• 9:23 Culture, Continuity, And Youth
• 10:35 Meeting Patrick And EMAP’s Mission
• 13:23 A Return To Mayan Roots Through Permaculture
• 18:21 Milpa, Calendars, And Collective Design
• 21:52 Soil Health And Worm Composting
• 25:52 Teaching Compost From City To Countryside
• 29:03 Gardens As Ecosystems
• 31:43 Coffee Rust, Chemicals, And Resilience
• 37:08 Redesigning A Farm On Contour
• 41:48 Pandemic Lessons And Diversification
• 44:58 Living Bank Of Medicinals And Solar Drying
• 49:38 Amaranth Processing And Food Sovereignty
• 55:18 Seeds, Maize Diversity, And Storage
• 1:00:58 Natural Materials And Circular Thinking