As most of you know I have been living in Peru for over a year, my primary focus has been spiritual in nature and for a better part of the year i was living in a spiritual community undergoing profound emotional and spiritual learning and healing. My time with the community was amazing, at times down right ugly and oh so necessary. I have now been given the opportunity to integrate the aspects of spirit and all I have learned in a purposeful and practical way!
About a month ago I heard about a medicinal herb and organic agricultural project located in a nearby community, my interest was peaked so I went to visit. What I found was a very small project that was barely sustaining itself yet held undeniable vibrancy and potential.
The project and demonstration site was created and run by a local family, it is called Kausay Punku, which in Quechua, (the native language) means The Door to Life. I immediately recognized the potential that was yet to manifest as well as the intrinsic importance of such a project. I was drawn in and in that moment knew in my heart, that I was going to work with this family to bring this project to life. And indeed that was just what happened!
Kausay Punku is in the Quechua Community of Maska, 10 minutes from Pisac the little town i live in. The project´s close location to a common tourist destination offers a unique multicultural interface were a diveristy of knowledge, belief´s and cultures are shared. The project site also offers a great view of the archaeological ruins of Pisaq and its terraces. These terraces have inspired the people of Maska, in their project to keep creating and developing methods of original and organic agriculture,as well as plant and animal conservation.
Kausay Punku is a indigenous grassroots rural development project that aims to include the people of different communities in promoting an active and responsible participation in the social development of this region, in relation with their traditional culture.
We are now working together to move towards this goal, we are doing so by:
• Offering weekly permaculture (and related) workshops to the public.
• Hosting a weekly volunteer workday.
• Preparing organic products such as organic cheese, milk, veggies, native medicinal herbs and native seedsto market and sell.
• Started to organize a local apiary cooperative and have been teaching community members how to care for and produce the best quality honey in an efficient natural way.
• Formally defining the organizational structure so the project will be more widely recognized by the government and other organizations that can potentially provide resources to help the project grow.
This project holds such profound importance, effecting change on both global and local levels. Historically the loss and degradation of the natural environment has coincided with the loss and degradation of indigenous cultures around the world. The project is offering an example as well as inspiration to the local people while simultaneously healing the earth. This is an opportunity for the local people to be empowered by regaining autonomy and respect for their livelihood and traditions.
