Inter-generational Skills Camps
The camps are designed to honor traditional art forms and ancestral skills, providing youth with the opportunity to engage in hands-on inter-generational learning. Our goal is to inspire the preservation of cultural practices through these enriching experiences.
The camps in Guatemala played a crucial role in preventing youth from migrating to Guatemala City or, even more dangerously, crossing Mexico to reach the U.S. border. This trend has been observed repeatedly in children as young as 15 years old. The goal is to engage youth so that they can develop skills and leadership, and work in their own communities. Also, the camps in the United States help young people reconnect with ancestral skills and knowledge that are gradually fading away.
First Inter-generational Camp in Guatemala
In January, 2023 The Garden’s Edge piloted its first ever Ancestral Skills Camp at the Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute on Lake Atitlan. The kids learned backstrap weaving, wood carving, how to make woven mats from tule, they read the Popol Vuh, (sacred book of the Maya), sang Mayan hip-hop songs around a campfire, played soccer, swam, and fished. They learned about beekeeping, natural dyes, how to process cacao, and they visited an aquaculture farm and a primary forest.
Traditional Pottery: Hand by Hand
Traditional pottery making is vital to the Maya Achi people’s cultural heritage In Rabinal, Baja Verapaz. To prevent this and other traditional crafts from disappearing, we support intergenerational skills camps. In 2023, we held a week-long class with Francisco, age 70, the last ceramicist from the Alvarado family, who taught the children and their parents to make traditional pots. Trough out the week, youth learned how to make a pot had by hand. Francisco has been working as a ceramicist since he was very young.
With this rich experience, he guided the youth through each step of the process. The students were fascinated by his skillful manipulation of the clay, as he effortlessly transformed a lump of earth into a beautiful, functional piece of art. Under Francisco’s patient instruction, they learned not only the techniques of pottery making but also the stories and cultural significance of this art.
As the week progressed, the group was inspired by Francisco’s passion and dedication. We began to appreciate the deeper meaning of preserving their heritage. Each pot they created was more than just an object; it was a testament to their connection with their ancestors and their commitment to keeping the traditions alive.
