Sustainability at Xochipilli Collective
Milpa, Ceremony, and Indigenous Land Stewardship
At Xochipilli Collective, sustainability is practiced through Indigenous knowledge systems that honor land, culture, and community as interconnected. Our work is rooted in reciprocity, caring for the land while allowing the land to care for us. Through ceremony, agriculture, and intergenerational teaching, we cultivate sustainable futures grounded in ancestral wisdom.
A core part of this work is our commitment to establishing and sustaining a milpa, a traditional Indigenous agricultural system centered on the planting of corn, beans, and squash, often referred to as the Three Sisters. The milpa is more than a farming method; it is a living model of balance, cooperation, and resilience. Each plant supports the others, creating a self-sustaining system that nourishes both the soil and the people.
We seasonally prepare the land, spiritually, culturally, and ecologically, for our milpa planting. This preparation includes ceremony, teaching, and community gathering, recognizing that sustainability begins long before seeds are placed in the ground. Land preparation is understood as a holistic practice that includes prayer, relationship-building, and the passing down of knowledge.
This work is carried out through collaborations that guide ceremonial practices and rites of passage honoring important life transitions. Together, we reclaim Indigenous frameworks that mark growth, responsibility, and belonging—such as coming of age, becoming an elder, spiritual development, and the receiving of Mexica Nahuatl names. These practices strengthen self-esteem, self-reliance, sovereignty, and collective care.
We name this ceremonial framework Xinachtli, referring to the germination process of a seed. For our inaugural cycle in 2026, we call it Xinachtli Milpani, marking our intention to plant our first milpa on this land and to offer our first water blessing. Community members are invited to bring water from their own neighborhoods or regions to be prayed over during the ceremony. Xinachtli Milpani establishes a foundation for ongoing sustainability work rooted in food sovereignty, cultural continuity, and land stewardship, honoring growth through land, water, and collective care.
Through this work, Xochipilli Collective is building a long-term, Indigenous-led model of sustainability, one that honors tradition, responds to the present, and prepares for generations to come.
Preparing the Land
Before
This image shows the land after it was cleared and made accessible, marking the first step in restoring a space long impacted by neglect. While the ground is bare, it holds potential. This moment represents intention, a pause before planting, where we honor the land, listen, and prepare it to receive new life through Indigenous stewardship.
After
This image captures the land after raised garden beds were created with the support of the Texas Conservation Corps. Together, we transformed cleared ground into a living space for traditional foods, medicinal plants, and future learning. These beds mark the beginning of our milpa garden, a return to Indigenous agricultural practices rooted in care, collaboration, and long-term sustainability.
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