Global Heroes: Plenty Canada Hemispheric Indigenous Work

Plenty Canada is dedicated to bringing together Indigenous and western knowledge systems for the protection and restoration of Indigenous cultures and communities. We believe that as Native communities strengthen and thrive, the whole world benefits.

Our commitment is to the Indigenous spirit of cultural revitalization and to the building of economic capacity within our communities. As an Indigenous-led organization, we recognize that humans are one species among many; we are guided by natural law to care for our children and to consider our responsibilities to the next seven generations.

Throughout the Western Hemisphere, Indigenous communities have focused on improving the dire economic circumstances facing their peoples. A strong call for community leadership focuses on strengthening local self-sufficiency in agriculture, traditional health and economic potential. The idea is to restrengthen the Native communities’ cultural and economic self-determination.

Problem: impacts from climate change are leading to shifting rain patterns that exacerbate heat and drought seasons. The issues of water, its catchment, utilization and eco-enhancing drainage, are paramount. Native farming communities have asked for assistance in accessing solution-oriented sources and resources.  

Indigenous agricultural development supports many productive traditional skills useful to communities of people. Indigeneity appreciates and values the home medicinal knowledge, including the traditional midwifery, as well as healing practices of herbal and massage-bone-structure (“hueseros”) practitioners.  The ancestral weaving is particularly strong among our partnering communities in Guatemala and Peru. One focus: Indigenous culinary skills—the culture of “from the garden to the table.” Self-reliant traditional and contemporary crafts, such as basketry and ceramics, sewing and embroidery in the production of wearables, all useful skills that build community.

Maya Guatemala: Culture-Weaving Our People

Maya-Guatemala—a Plenty Canada partner—supports the work of people who uphold the preservation of cultural values and traditional knowledge. Dozens of elder women of the Maya Q’eqchi’ people, traditional weavers, are teaming up with young women to safeguard that ancestral knowledge, “uniting in defense of our beliefs and values that roots us in our Mother Earth, the Mountains and even the cosmos,” according to Maria Leonor Teni de Leon (Maya-Q’eqchi’), project director.

They are reweaving the family networks within that ancestral tradition. Their indigenous way of resilience restrengthens kinship relations that are guided by reciprocity. Catalina Xo, a community elder and leader, expressed that the weaving tradition in itself is a way of life. “The more ancient weaving patterns carry stories and symbols important to our people,” said Catalina.

Among the elder weavers are midwives and healers of various types, many with important traditional culinary skills. The younger women assist their elders in their daily work in the corn and bean gardens, in the gathering and preparation of medicinal plants.

“We take stock of our elders and can see that many are marginalized, the older women, many widowed; these are our treasures and they are often living in severe poverty with very poor housing,” said Teni.

Climate change is felt. Hurricanes cause widespread flooding, damaging the foundations of many houses. The project’s work in home repairs revealed a serious need of upgraded water management, as contamination was impacting health in the communities. The project has organized an active, community-based team of workers, engineers and others working successfully on these water issues.

Director Leonor’s circle trained in available traditional and contemporary technologies for house construction using local materials and sustainability skills.  The specialized team has gathered impressive expertise in appropriate and indigenous construction of superlative water catchment and drainage systems.

Andean Mountains: A Quechua Community Reaches Out

Near Cuzco, heart of Indigenous Peru, Plenty Canada partners with a Quechua ancestral community of considerable traditional leadership value. Master weavers and artisans, this Quechua community of llama herders and potato farmers, leads a valley of communities in the famed Potato Park of Andean Peru. Elders strongly guard their traditional institutions, particularly, the ancient Council of Elders called Wachu, which conducts community feasts and ceremonies. A treasure of ancient wisdom, this Andean Indigenous (“originario”) community safeguards several important ancient sites, dated at 5,000 years or more. Quechua speakers, they are expert farmers, and the traditional Andean reciprocity system, or Ayni, continues to be an intricate part of the culture.

More recently, Chawaytiri has prepared housing and activities for receiving visitors and tourists seeking to immerse in a genuine and participatory Andean experience. “Come visit with our Indigenous people,” says Elder Lucio Ylla Mesa, “Our old ways are still important, and good for us.”

Caribbean Indigenous: Traditional Communities Cuba 

Plenty Canada’s “Caribbean Indigeneity—Values and Knowledge,” is based in the remote mountain and coastal region of eastern Cuba. It partners with communities of Taino-guajiro (rural) Indigenous families under the leadership of a traditional cacique (chief), women elders, and a new generation of leaders. 

Cuba’s Indigenous population has been marginalized from contemporary history, even considered extinct in many national histories. In fact, it has been ‘hiding in plain sight,’ and it is now re-emerging and reconnecting as an extended Native community of related families.

Since 1974, Francisco (Panchito) Ramírez, elder of this core community of Cuban Indian people, at Caridad de los Indios, Guantanamo Province, has led his people to “reweave” the families, to unite once again. 

The Gran Familia people, marginalized through most of the 20th century, are now in a serious process of self-actualization. The main objective of our project is to assist this self-actualization. 

Carib Community: Canoe as a Way of Life

For Plenty Canada’s Kaligano (Carib) partners in the Caribbean island of Dominica, the art of canoe making provides a living and it is a way of life.

Plenty supports Kaligano Elders, expert fishermen, who are committed to passing on the complex set of skills required. From the selection of proper trees and their ceremonial cutting, to the skill-sensitive methods for carving, firing and cooling, much culture passes in shaping and presenting a sea-worthy canoe. The young people are enthusiastic and elders are working confidently teaching the tradition to a new generation.

Good Mind Grappling

Twin wrestlers from Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation, national Canadian champions Phillip and Thomas Barreiro, use the Art of Grappling to promote self-esteem and mutual empathy among First Nations youth in several communities.
“Plenty Canada’s work in Canada includes supporting the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network and the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Network to ensure that Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge systems are included in achieving shared goals and maintaining the UNESCO standards.”

“Please assist Plenty Canada by supporting its vital work. To learn more and to donate, visit www.plentycanada.com/donate.” 

Contact Plenty Canada at: [email protected] and (613) 278-2215.

- Global Heroes

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