This is one of my favourite photographs – not only for the very endearing memories it holds of time spent in the rural districts of Belize with the Mayan community, but in what it illustrates of the teaching-learning process. The photograph was taken during one of my sessions in inventorying community heritage among the Mayan community in Belize. In it heritage and media education combines as a powerful tool for social change.
The photograph tells an expansive story of our interconnected global heritage, expand our knowledge, promote intercultural dialogue and inspire change.
The photograph demonstrates education as a multipronged process. In the process of my transmitting knowledge in conducting the training in inventorying to safeguard at risk cultural practices, there is significant role reversal. The teacher, myself, becomes a student in learning the ancient cooking technique imparted by the Mayan’s woman.
The Mayan elder (in the background) took hold of my camera to learn videography techniques as she captured the moments. Other students of the National institute of Culture and Heritage, Belize, shared in the moment in both learning cooking and documentation techniques. Leaves of Life/ Glocal Knowledge Pot Heritage Academy.