The College of Menominee Nation Sustainable Development Institute will be hosting a series of workshops that will focus on the practices associated with indigenous permaculture. Participants will learn about the practices and methods of Indigenous Permaculture through hands-on experience. Each course has a fee of $50.00 Registration Forms can be downloaded at the following link.
Indigenous Permaculture Workshop Registration Form
Introduction to Indigenous Permaculture
“It is all the more horrific, therefore, that tribal peoples, whose aim was to develop a conceptual and spiritual existence, have encountered a crude scientific and material culture whose life aim is not only unstated, but which relies on pseudo-economic and technological systems for its existence” [Bill Mollison: Permaculture a designers´ manual]
Date: Monday, August 15, 2011
Time: 8 am to 12 pm
- Introduction of Participants and Instructors
- What is world view or Cosmovision
- Local indigenous world view
- Mesoamerican World view and Mayan Cosmovision.
Landscape Design
In this unit students will learn some of the methods that can be used to assess land potential and to develop designs. These methods integrate rational, creative and or/instinctive approaches.
Date: Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Time: 8 am to 12 pm
- Reading the landscape
- Site analysis
- Zones y Sectors
Building and Working the Soil
After climate, soil is the major limiting factors to plant growth. It is well established that healthy soils help plants withstand adverse environmental conditions such as drought and pest attack.
Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Time: 8 am to 12 pm
- Soil Analysis
- Soil Fertility
- Building Fertility
Managing Water and Energy on your site:
This topic is fundamental to the course and will be referred to many times. Students need to gain at least a basic understanding of the hydrological cycle. Already they will have some insights from the unit on Soil.
Date: Thursday, August 18, 2011
Time: 8 am to 12 pm
- Energy flow in the landscape.
- A frame contour measurement
- Water management and harvest in the site.
- Water cleaning and recycling
Plant and Seed Management:
Students are encouraged to recognize plants and seeds by using all their senses. Initially most of them rely on their visual sense. In addition students will learn to study plants as fundamental elements in the design process. Of course this ability is not gained in one session but it will required further research by the students.
Date: Friday, August 19, 2011
Time: 8 am to 12 pm
- Seedlings and nurseries.
- Seed Selection and improvement
- Community Seed Banks