An AI illustration Generated for Our Life in El Salvador, of elders sharing knowledge across generations, inspired by the 18th Circle of Wise Grandmothers and Grandfathers in El Salvador.
From September 19 to 23, El Salvador hosted the 18th Circle of Wise Grandmothers and Grandfathers of the Planet. The gathering brought elders and other participants from Indigenous communities together to share traditions, hold ceremonies, and talk about their relationship with the land.
Much of the gathering took place in eastern El Salvador, in Lenca territory. Participants held ceremonies honoring fire, water, air, and earth. They also met in circles to listen and speak with one another” as it was.
For me, the most meaningful part of this story is the attention given to knowledge passed from one generation to the next.
Lessons That Begin at Home
Antolín González, a Maya spiritual guide from Guatemala, explained that children first learn their culture at home. Parents teach their children, and grandparents teach their grandchildren. As a result, stories, customs, and ways of understanding the world continue from one generation to the next.
That idea extends beyond any one culture. Many of us remember something a parent or grandparent taught us that we still carry today. Sometimes it is a story. Sometimes it is a practical skill or a way of treating other people. Once those conversations stop, the next generation may never have the chance to learn it.
Mexican elder Aurelio Ramírez said he participates in the Circle to connect communities and help pass their traditions to younger people. His words are a reminder that preserving a tradition takes more than remembering it privately. Someone must be willing to teach, and someone else must have the opportunity to listen.
A Gathering in Lenca Territory
Salvadoran elder Mónica Barahona explained that this year’s gathering focused on the four elements and their connection to the human body and Mother Earth. The ceremonies gave participants a way to express respect for the natural world through their own beliefs and traditions.
Rafael Cruz, a resident of Berlín in Usulután Norte, spoke about how people’s relationship with nature has weakened as older customs have faded. His concern gives the gathering a local voice. This was an international event, but its questions also matter to the communities where it was held.
Participants expressed concern about changing weather, water shortages, and the future of the land. Those concerns were part of the conversation. The article did not describe a new environmental program or a specific plan emerging from the Circle. Its clearest purpose was to bring people together, share knowledge, and strengthen ties between communities.
What We Can Take From It
I am glad El Salvador hosted this gathering. It gave elders from different places a chance to speak for themselves and gave others a chance to hear them. It also drew attention to Indigenous traditions that are still being practiced and shared today.
We do not have to hold the same beliefs as every participant to appreciate the value of listening to elders. Their knowledge may come through stories, ceremonies, or everyday experience. What matters is giving the next generation the chance to hear it, ask questions, and carry forward what they find meaningful.
The five days of gatherings have ended. The conversations they encouraged can continue in families and communities throughout El Salvador.
The event details and participants’ remarks are drawn from Diario El Salvador’s September 25 report by Xinhua.
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