Lowlines

05 |Plotlines: Aztec Permaculture in Xochimilco


Listen Later

Working with the land, tuning into the pulse of place - the Aztecs knew what was up. They were engineering geniuses who worked with the lake around which Tenochtitlan (ancient Mexico City) was built to create a rich permaculture system - chinampas - fringed by canals and waterways. When the Spanish landed and took over they didn’t get it. They said ‘drain that lake’, make this place make sense - and the city has been sinking at a terrifying rate ever since. Today, as Mexico City slides lower, the remaining chinampas endure, perfectly designed to function in this landscape - and now being carried forward by some tuned in farmers.


In Episode 5, we’re following these ancient canalways to visit Arca Tierra down in Xochimilco - brilliant project, brilliant vision - the future, and the past all in one big juicy sponge of rich volcanic soil.


Credits

Featuring the voices of Lucio Usobiaga and Victor Gamboa at Arca Tierra, Dani Moreno and Santiago Muñoz of Maiz Ajo, and Leonel, Gamaliel and Noé on whose boats and chinampas this episode cruises through. Extra field recordings: Emilio Quiñones , San Chago


Produced by Lucia Scazzocchio of Social Broadcasts, Executive-Produced by Lina Prestwood of Scenery Studios, Mixing & Mastering: Jobina Tinnemans. Extra field recordings: Emilio Quiñones, San Chago on Freesound. 

Music by Hannah Marshall 


To go deeper into this episode head to low-lines.com

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

LowlinesBy Social Broadcasts & Scenery Studios

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

56 ratings


More shows like Lowlines

View all
Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,909 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,844 Listeners

The Moth by The Moth

The Moth

27,299 Listeners

Death, Sex & Money by Slate Podcasts

Death, Sex & Money

7,691 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,428 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,513 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,761 Listeners

Ear Hustle by Ear Hustle & Radiotopia

Ear Hustle

20,509 Listeners

Chasing Life by CNN

Chasing Life

8,209 Listeners

We Can Do Hard Things by Glennon Doyle and Audacy

We Can Do Hard Things

41,337 Listeners

All There Is with Anderson Cooper by CNN

All There Is with Anderson Cooper

9,533 Listeners

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus by Lemonada Media

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

10,445 Listeners

Something More Human by Sam & Elliot

Something More Human

175 Listeners

Plant People by New York Botanical Garden

Plant People

164 Listeners

The Telepathy Tapes by Ky Dickens

The Telepathy Tapes

7,431 Listeners