Sunday, August 19, 4pm
(Posada Corazon) Aldama 9
$700 - only in advance

Los 7 Fuegos, Ceremonia/Concierto

Women and Fire--a feast for the body and spirit

By Suzanne Ludekens

This ceremony of Seven Fires is an unusual but natural collaboration of two women who work with the sacred element of fire. The Mayan ritual honoring the seven spiritual 'fires' (directions) is led by Maria Moctezuma with songs and music and local chef Esmeralda Brinn Bolaños honors those fires cooking seven unique dishes. What will evolve is an intimately spiritual and nourishing feast that enlivens all our senses.

Moctezuma's shamanic musical prowess was quickly recognised, with her music used widely in spiritual rituals around the country including a cleansing of a cenote (a naturally formed water filled sinkhole). Since her initiation she has conducted many Mayan fire ceremonies.

Brinn's project Cocina Libre (Free Cooking) is a gastronomic performance around open fire that makes people active participants in the sacred work that is preparing and cooking food. More like a ceremony it is an antidote to the media-exhausted competitive, 'superchef' trend. Using freshly gathered, seasonal, local and wild edibles and artisanal products she creates simple, uncomplicated food on open fires. "This way of cooking is a personal meditation, almost like a tea ceremony," she says. "It's about being truly present. Not feeding impulses, but feeding much more of yourself, the spirit and soul."

Cooking is deeply ingrained in Brinn whose childhood was indelibly influenced by the contrasts of working in her mother's Italian restaurant in Monterrey and vacations spent with her father in the Mexican countryside foraging, building fires, baking bread and cooking meals outdoors.

Her unique philosophy and approach to cooking evolved over years of exploration of food, alternative therapy and helping people. A rich infusion of diverse life experiences. Brinn spent many years studying and practicing alternative therapies such as aromatherapy, flower essences, energy transmissions and somatic bodywork. It was, however, on a trip to India working for a non-profit organization that her path of therapeutic work spiralled back to food and cooking. When interviewing the top leaders of 12 religious communities about their philosophy and the spiritual nature of food, she recalls discovering, that despite the language barrier with the cooks, food was the common connector that brought everyone together. "So much could be communicated in the kitchen, cooking over an open wood fire. It was a very simple and powerful vehicle to connect with the heart of the people without even touching them as in therapy. So fire, became my new language, my medicine. Fire is a common element of humanity, It represents warmth, nourishment, death and rebirth."

The ceremony of Seven Fires is an invitation to experience feeding the sacred fire and allowing the sacred fire to feed your body and spirit. Advance purchase tickets (700 pesos) only at Aldama 9 & Querencia cafe, Julian Carrillo 4B.