Traditional Mayan Cooking Class: Pulik Stew & Tortillas

Hosted by Gaia Temple
Casa Awänímä, Tzununá

Cooking Class: Traditional Mayan Dish

When: Wednesday, 9:30–11:00 AM
Lunch Served: 1:00 PM
Where: Casa Awänímä, Tzununá, https://maps.app.goo.gl/mL8FfNRKiy6SUuYy7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy 
Cost: 200Q per person
Capacity: Open attendance (no limit)
RSVP: WhatsApp Marly at +1 (808) 765-2836

About the Cultural Immersion

This class is part of the Gaia Temple Cultural Immersion Series, designed to learn directly from living Mayan traditions through hands-on experience with food, craft, and local knowledge.

On Wednesday morning, local Mayan women will guide us in preparing pulik (pulique) — a traditional stew — along with handmade tortillas cooked over the fire.
At the same time, the women will be weaving, offering participants a chance to learn about their craft, ask questions, and purchase textiles directly.

Cooking, weaving, and conversation happen together, the way they often do in community settings here.

About the Dish

Pulik (Pulique) is an ancestral Kaqchikel and K’iche’ dish, shared during community gatherings, celebrations, and special occasions. It is a one-pot communal stew, which reflects the values of shared work and shared food in Mayan culture.

Key elements of the cooking process include:

• the central role of maize (corn)

• local herbs and stone-ground spice blends

• cooking over fire

• preparing tortillas by hand

• taking the time required for ingredients to develop

In this class, we will prepare a vegan version using local produce and traditional techniques, making the tortillas from scratch and cooking them in the authentic way.

About the Weaving Experience

During the cooking class, the women will also be weaving textiles. Weaving is a traditional Mayan artform passed down through families and taught through practice. It carries patterns, colors, and symbols that often represent local identity, cultural stories, and the natural world.

Participants will be able to:

• observe the weaving process

• ask questions about meaning and materials

• purchase weavings directly from the women

This supports local artisans, and keeps economic benefit with the craftswomen themselves.

(Note: different regions and families use different weaving techniques. The method you see will reflect the tradition of the women leading the class.)

Schedule

9:30–11:00 AM
• Cooking class: making pulik stew and tortillas
• Weaving demonstration integrated into the class

11:00 AM–1:00 PM
• Stew continues cooking
• Open space for conversation with weavers
• Optional participation in the AI workshop happening in the event space (description below)

1:00 PM
• Lunch served together: traditional meal of pulik and tortillas

Optional Session While the Stew Cooks

While the stew finishes cooking, participants are invited to join the “From Vision To Venture” workshop taking place onsite from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

This session supports regenerative founders in turning their vision into a launch-ready venture, using Future Self practices, AI tools, and collaborative culture.

Participation is optional, and the cooking class continues as normal.

About the Lineage

This class takes place in Tzununá, within the ancestral territory of the Kaqchikel Maya. Cooking together is a central part of community life, and dishes like pulik are connected to family gatherings, market days, and seasonal celebrations.

Maize (ixim) is at the heart of Mayan culture — the Popol Wuj, a foundational Maya narrative, describes humans as being shaped from corn. Cooking with maize is a way of honoring origin and continuing tradition.

Weaving carries community identity, and is often a space where stories, knowledge, and skills are passed down. Both cooking and weaving are part of living cultural practice, not reenactment — what you learn comes from experience, not a staged demonstration.

What to Bring

• Comfortable clothing
• Water bottle
• Notebook for recipes or weaving questions
• Cash if you want to purchase textiles

Location

📍 Casa Awänímä, Tzununá
5–10 minute walk uphill from Maltiox, on the right-hand side

RSVP Required
WhatsApp +1 (808) 765-2836

Cost: 200Q per person
All are welcome