Ceremonial Altar

Rediscovering cultural heritage, one seed at a time

By Ellen Fagg Weist | Photography by Todd Anderson First came the blessing of the seeds. On a dramatically overcast spring evening, Mayan artist Maria Elena Ku’lub Gomez offered a prayer in her native language, Tzeltzal. Her words were infused with the smoky scent of copal tree resin burning over a ceremonial corn-studded altar incorporating 13 seeds and flowers. Next …