Video: Indigenous Ecologies Field School in Peru

Guest post by Mike Graeme

Located on a high ridge in the tropical foothills of the northern Peruvian Andes, the Sachamama Centre for Biocultural Regeneration is the non-profit organization where this hands-on, heart-opening and thought-provoking UVic field school is held.

The Sachamama Centre focuses on teaching and researching sustainable practices of the region. Students receive environmental studies credits at UVic while learning from local communities first-hand about the regeneration of local Indigenous food systems, ancient soil techniques, and stewardship systems, involving relationships with the spirits of the land.

The course is rooted in an examination of the challenges and opportunities of decolonization efforts in Peru, leading us to relate our learning back to our experiences in Canada.

This study abroad experience was made accessible to me due to the generous funding of Lorene Kennedy, the Irving K. Barber Society’s One World Scholarship, and the Student International Activities Fund (SIAF). Thanks to this support, a seemingly impossible dream became reality! I encourage all students interested in taking their education outside of the classroom to look into the incredible funding opportunities that UVic helps make available.

Want to learn more about this unique experiential learning experience? Here’s a video of our class raving about it!