Colouring book promotes pride in Maya forest
The ancient Maya site of El Pilar near Bullet Tree Village may not boast the tallest buildings or most valuable artefacts but as a continuing source of education for Belizeans the place is definitely on top. News Five Janelle Chanona reports.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This morning Standard Three students participated in the launch of a new educational colouring book by trying to stay within the lines.
“The Maya Forest Garden & El Pilar” includes drawings and scientific information about Belizean plants and trees. According to author Anabel Ford, thousands of years ago the ancient Maya designed huge gardens with select species. Today their descendants continue to harvest from these areas for everyday use.
Dr. Anabel Ford, Author
“The biggest threat to bio-diversity, and in Belize, in the Maya Forest, is the loss of these people’s precious knowledge…these people that I have met are not getting younger.”
In an effort to document the importance of these resources, Ford teamed up with the Government of Belize to produce a child friendly book about the Maya Forest.
Dr. Anabel Ford
“Forest Gardening, gosh, it’s knowing what’s on the ground, following the plants, knowing what crops up, understanding if it’s edible or if it’s medicinal. Taking it out if it is competing with something you want. It’s a landscape process. No one really understands the Forest Garden and understands that the people in the rural communities are actually practicing a conservation technique, and if we don’t have that persisting, if we don’t have young people following, we won’t have any forests in the future.”
Alfonso Tzul, Maya Forest Gardener
“What does that teach us? That we must view the forest as something of a gift that is eternal only if we take care of it. So I am saying to the teachers, I hope that this book will inspire the children to appreciate the many species of trees that are found in the forest, which enriches the lives of people, which enhances the taste of their food.”
Yasser Musa, President, NICH
“This book is one firm example of what can and should continue to be done in the area of cooperation. This book would not have been possible without the financial support of NICH, PACT and Exploring Solutions Past, an NGO that Ms. Ford has in California. We’ve made it a point to ensure that we have enough copies, over eight thousand, to distribute free of cost to each Standard Three student in this country.”
The collaborative effort between Ford and National Institute for Culture and History has also produced a primary school teacher’s guide and will include school field trips to the Mayan Forest Gardens. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
Ford is also lobbying for support to produce an encyclopaedia of Belizean plants.
