Representatives of Mexican tribes and communities will contribute to the event by sharing their knowledge and experiences
A large delegation of representatives of indigenous communities from the Slow Food Terra Madre network and beyond will be participating in Indigenous Terra Madre (ITM 2015), which will take place from November 3 to 7, 2015 in Shillong (Meghalaya, India). The event is the result of a collaboration between Slow Food, the Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty (Indigenous Partnership) and the North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS).
International representatives will be coming to the event from five continents, from 14 African countries, 17 Asian countries, 8 European countries, 12 American countries and 7 Oceanian countries.
Representatives from several Mexican communities will be attending:
– the Mixes community (Sierra Norte de Oaxaca). The overall community consists of nearly 290 smaller communities and settlements within 19 municipalities. The Mixes have ethnic differences, expressed through clothing, customs, gastronomy, economic activities, art and language. The Mixes produce Pasilla Mixe chili, a product that is on board the Slow Food Ark of Taste. There will also be a representative of a project for the production of coffee.
– the Nahua de Tlaola community (north of Puebla Sierra). The community has approximately 2000 inhabitants. Since ancient times farmers have cultivated a chili, locally known as Serrano Chile, which is already on board of the Ark of Taste. Men and women of all ages participate in the planting, harvesting and processing of the Serrano chilis; women are responsible for the preparation of the seeds. Since ancient times, Nahua women have smoked or sun-dried Serrano chilis, so that they would be available in periods in which otherwise there would not be access to fresh products. From the Nahua de Tlaola community, there will also be a representative of the Empresa Social De Mujeres Indígenas Nahuas Productoras De Chille Serrano Criollo Mopampa. The Nahua de Cuetzalan community will be represented through the Sociedad Cooperativa Agropecuaria Regional Tosepan Titataniske, an organization composed mainly of indigenous families who want to work together to improve their quality of life and who are produces the Puebla Sierra Norte Native Bees Honey, a Slow Food Presidia.
– the Tarahumara community (Sierra Tarahumara in Chihuahua). The Tarahumara are organized in villages that oversee a number of farms. The most important food for the indigenous people who inhabit the Sierra Tarahumara is corn. For them, corn is not only food for the body, but also for the soul. With corn they produce tortillas, pinole, atole and teswino. During all their festivities and ceremonies they offer food to Onorúame-Eyerúame (Father-Mother gods) to thank them. There will also be a representative of the CONTEC organization, which works with the community to promote rural economy and local governance.
– the Yaqui community (Valle del Rio Yaqui, Sonora). Currently the population numbers approximately 32,000 people. Traditional economic activities are livestock, agriculture, fishing and craftsmanship.
– the Otomi community (San Francisco Magu, in the state of Mexico).
– the Calcehtok community (Municipality Opichén, Yucatan Peninsula).
– the Tzeltal Maya community (Amatenango del Valle, Chiapas). All heads of household grow corn for the food security of the local community. For several centuries, production in this area has been characterized by the use of milpas: a milpa is a system for growing up to sixty different crops: beans, corn, malezas or quelites (leafy greens), for example. The food produced in the milpas represents a healthy and complete diet, which adequate proportion of proteins, complete carbohydrates, fats and needed micronutrients.
You can find the program of the event here: http://bit.ly/1LWZaxh
Indigenous Terra Madre 2015 gratefully acknowledges funding support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), The Christensen Fund and the Government of Meghalaya. Indigenous Terra Madre 2015 is also thankful for the contributions made by Tamalpais Trust, Swift Foundation, AgroEcology Fund, Bread for the World and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Terra Madre is a worldwide network, launched by Slow Food in 2004, which unites small-scale producers from 163 countries involved in the sustainable production of food. Among these, to date the Indigenous Terra Madre Network comprises 372 indigenous food communities, 41 indigenous Presidia projects and 308 indigenous Ark of Taste products. For more information: https://slowfood.com/international/149/indigenous-terra-madre-network
Discover the stories of Indigenous Peoples from around the world on Slow Food website in the ‘Indigenous Voices’ section! https://www.slowfood.com/international/food-for-thought/slow-themes/260987
For further information, please contact the Slow Food International Press Office:
Paola Nano, +39 329 8321285 [email protected]
Ajay Nayak, +91-9820535501 [email protected]
Slow Food involves over a million of people dedicated to and passionate about good, clean and fair food. This includes chefs, youth, activists, farmers, fishers, experts and academics in over 158 countries; a network of around 100,000 Slow Food members linked to 1,500 local chapters worldwide (known as convivia), contributing through their membership fee, as well as the events and campaigns they organize; and over 2,500 Terra Madre food communities who practice small-scale and sustainable production of quality food around the world.