“Food sovereignty is not merely about what we eat—it is about who we are.”
Dr. Shelly Valdez, Executive Director
These corn seeds, carved in limestone a thousand years ago, honor our sacred bond with Mother Earth.
OUR STORY
A living journey shaped by land, people, and ancestral knowledge
The YAKANAL journey has been intentional and shaped by forces older than memory.
In 2011, the Sun, the Moon, the stars, and native maize brought together a small circle of Indigenous participants from Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, and Maya communities from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, for cultural exchanges at our ancestral sites.
Together, we revitalize our peoples’ ancestral knowledge to animate “Science of Place.”
The name YAKANAL combines two Indigenous words meaning “corn”—yaa’ka in Western Keres and nal in Yucatec Mayan—honoring our enduring relationship with this mother food.
The nameYAKANAL combines two Indigenous words meaning “corn”—yaa’ka in Western Keres and nal in Yucatec Mayan—honoring our enduring relationship with this mother food.
Mentoring the Future
The future is a legacy we build today, hand in hand with our elders
The experiences reignite histories of past connections through trade and migration stories—a wonderful example of transfer of knowledge from a placed-based perspective.
Our program design fosters intergenerational mentoring and time spent with elders to foster deeper understanding of our Indigenous cultures.
CULTIVATING LIFE
Nurturing the land from the roots up
YAKANAL’s origin story is rooted in the early cultural exchange gatherings, and our ongoing work supports local programs with global resonance.
Our efforts center food sovereignty through traditional, sustainable, and forward-looking practices.
Our communities cultivate maize and medicinal plants, tend bees and other pollinators, shape earth into Indigenous architecture, and connect with the skies through cultural astronomy.
WE INVITE YOU TO HEAR OUR VOICES, BECAUSE THE LAND IS SPEAKING.
OUR STORY
A living journey shaped by land, people, and ancestral knowledge
The YAKANAL journey has been intentional and shaped by forces older than memory.
In 2011, the Sun, the Moon, the stars, and native maize brought together a small circle of Indigenous participants from Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, and Maya communities from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, for cultural exchanges at our ancestral sites.
Together, we revitalize our peoples’ ancestral knowledge to animate “Science of Place.”
The nameYAKANAL combines two Indigenous words meaning “corn”—yaa’ka in Western Keres and nal in Yucatec Mayan—honoring our enduring relationship with this mother food.
The name YAKANAL combines two Indigenous words meaning “corn”—yaa’ka in Western Keres and nal in Yucatec Mayan—honoring our enduring relationship with this mother food.
Mentoring the Future
The future is a legacy we build today, hand in hand with our elders
Our program design fosters intergenerational mentoring and time spent with elders to foster deeper understanding of our Indigenous cultures.
The experiences reignite histories of past connections through trade and migration stories—a wonderful example of transfer of knowledge from a placed-based perspective.
CULTIVATING LIFE
Nurturing the land from the roots up
YAKANAL’s origin story is rooted in the early cultural exchange gatherings, and our ongoing work supports local programs with global resonance.
Our efforts center food sovereignty through traditional, sustainable, and forward-looking practices.
Our communities cultivate maize and medicinal plants, tend bees and other pollinators, shape earth into Indigenous architecture, and connect with the skies through cultural astronomy.
WE INVITE YOU TO HEAR OUR VOICES, BECAUSE THE LAND IS SPEAKING.
