On May 7, UWC-USA students, faculty, and community members will gather for a ceremonial planting of heritage amaranth that weaves together history, agriculture, and art.
From 10:15 a.m. to noon, Maya Achi farmer and traditional healer María Aurelia Xitumul Ivoy will visit campus with The Garden’s Edge to share ancestral amaranth seeds from Guatemala and the story of their return to community gardens after centuries of suppression. Aurelia will speak about amaranth’s role in Maya Achi lifeways, its near-eradication during colonization and genocide, and its resurgence as a resilient, drought-tolerant “food of survival.” Translation and additional context from the Seed Travels project will be provided by Sarah Montgomery, director of The Garden’s Edge.
UWC-USA visual arts teacher Louis Schalk is coordinating the planting near the greenhouse behind the art building. Adrian Carter, UWC-USA farm manager, has planned, prepared, and will tend the crop through harvest with student support. In the fall, IB Visual Arts students will explore amaranth as both a nutritious grain and a natural dye, using its vivid flowers and seeds in studio projects that link land, culture, and creative practice. A Harvest Ceremony will include the return of the Seed Travels team in September where they will share winnowing practices and techniques for food preparation, inviting the local community back to campus to cultivate sustainable practices with the ancient grain.
The event is free and open to the public. Local farmers, artists, educators, and families are invited to join the UWC-USA community, hear Aurelia’s stories, and take home seeds to plant in their own gardens. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and check with the staff at the Welcome Center for directions and parking.