In Good Hands

Culture and Agriculture in the Lacandon Rainforest

While inefficient agricultural methods are destroying much of the world's rainforests, the Lacandon Maya of Chiapas in southern Mexico have been practicing a sustainable form of rainforest farming for centuries. Dr. James Nations, an ecological anthropologist, has worked with the Lacandones for many years. IN GOOD HANDS follows Nations as he interacts with three Lacandon elders who show how they farm in the forests. The video also examines how culture, mythology and religion influence their agricultural methods.The Lacandon approach to farming provides the basis for developing a practical alternative to destructive rain forest farming. However, only a few families still practice these ancient methods, as modernization and civil strife threaten their traditional way of life.