The Soul of Guatemala: Maize

Why does maize mean so much more than food in Guatemala?

From the Maya creation story to the tortilla on the table today, maize connects Guatemala’s history, culture, science, and identity. In this episode, we follow the story of the people of maize, from ancient traditions and remarkable biodiversity to a seed vault deep inside the Arctic.

One Guatemala. Three Voices. Countless Stories.

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CREDITS

Created & produced by Adriana Estrada, Silvia Álvarez & Gregor Pechmann

Research & story: Silvia Álvarez, with Adriana Estrada & Gregor Pechmann

Audio editing & visual design: Adriana Estrada

Theme music & arrangement: Gregor Pechmann

SOURCES & FURTHER READING

• Popol Vuh — Allen J. Christenson (Mesoweb) https://www.mesoweb.com/publications/Christenson/PopolVuh.pdf
• Santini et al. (2022) — Nixtamalization at San Bartolo https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2022.105581
• Congreso de Guatemala — Decreto 13-2014: Maize as Intangible Cultural Heritage https://www.congreso.gob.gt/assets/uploads/info_legislativo/decretos/2014/13-2014.pdf
• FAO — Guatemala’s first deposit in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault (2026) https://www.fao.org/plant-treaty/news/news-detail/guatemala-makes-its-first-deposit-to-the-svalbard-global-seed-vault--safeguarding-national-and-community-seed-heritage/en