Spring Planting with a Community School in Taray

We found out about an amazing, Waldorf-inspired community school for Quechua children in in the nearby village of Taray, in Peru's the Sacred Valley. Since the rainy season is beginning now, in October,  farmers are preparing to plant their corn and beans. We were invited to participate in this community planting ceremony with the parents, teachers, and students.  It reminded us so much of the Waldorf school-celebrations we'd become used to back home, but of course with the local Andean traditions integrated into it.

The Elemental Ritual


Following the ancient Andean tradition before planting,  an altar was set up on the edge of the field. Bags of the seeds to be blessed were arranged in a circle. Each of us took our turn to blow our prayers and intentions into a trio of coca leaves, laying them on the altar, and finishing by sprinkling water over the altar. I watched as each of the farmers removed his shoes and hat before performing this ritual.

The team of oxen carved out the furrows in the rich alluvial soil. Then, the girls placed the seeds, while the boys followed with handfuls of guano (sheep and llama poop in this case). Seeds were covered with soil, and songs were sung.





Finally, we all sat in a circle and shared a snack of choclo (roasted corn niblets) and chicha morada (warm purple corn drink--not fermented). Beautiful.


Then we dipped in the creek to cool off. A wonderful day in Peru!!!