Pachamama - Andean

High up in the tall, pointy mountains lived a little girl named Anka. The wind sang a soft song. Her fluffy llama munched on sweet, green grass. Today was a very special day. Anka’s abuela said they were going to give a gift to the Earth. She told Anka that the ground under their feet and the big mountains that watched over them were all part of the Earth Mother. This is the story of Pachamama.

Anka and her abuela walked to their garden. The corn grew tall, tall, tall, reaching for the bright sun. Together, they dug a small, cozy hole in the dirt. The dirt smelled earthy and sweet. They gently placed colorful flowers in the hole. They put some of their best, shiny corn kernels inside, too. Abuela poured a special corn drink into the hole. She whispered, 'Gracias, Pachamama.' She explained that they were feeding the Earth Mother to say thank you. Thank you for the yummy food. Thank you for the clean water. Thank you for our beautiful world. Anka patted the ground and said, 'Thank you,' too.

Pachamama does not talk with words. But Abuela says we can feel her answer. We feel her in the warm sun on our faces, like a gentle hug. We feel her in the strong ground that holds us up. Taking care of Pachamama makes our hearts feel happy and warm. For a long, long time, people have given gifts to the Earth to remember that she takes care of us. So, we must take care of her, too. When we plant a tiny seed or water a bright flower, we give a little gift to Pachamama.