Albuquerque Public Schools
Preserving Culture and Tradition: Chile Ristras
An intergenerational workshop teaches students and the community how to preserve chile, save seeds, and honor cultural roots.
The tradition of chile stringing is far more than a method of food preservation; it’s also a bridge between generations. High school interns from Rio Grande, Albuquerque High, and Del Norte lead these hands-on workshops, sharing their agricultural knowledge with younger students, parents, and grandparents. By focusing on these time-honored practices, the program ensures that native Pueblo landrace seeds and ancestral culinary skills are preserved and passed down through generations.
This initiative is part of the Indigenous Knowledge Keepers Intern program, an academic career experience pathway that guides students from elementary through high school. Interns earn academic credit and $15 an hour as they move through a seasonal curriculum—learning traditional foods in the fall, oral histories in the winter, planting in the spring, and leading summer immersion programs for K-8 youth —keeping these vital cultural roots vibrant and alive.
At its heart, this hands-on activity teaches the vital lessons of resourcefulness and sustainability. Students learn the full cycle of their food: how to grow the chile, preserve it for the coming months, and harvest the landrace seeds to plant them in the soil next growing season. By keeping these unique Pueblo community seeds alive, the students ensure their agricultural heritage remains unbroken.
By stepping up as interns, these students are building essential life skills that extend far beyond agriculture—including public speaking, mentorship, and community leadership.
Upcoming Fall Workshops:
October 24, 2026 | 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Los Padillas Elementary School – Traditional Foods
- Parts of Corn
- Tamale-Making Workshop
- Corn Grinding
- Corn Winnowing
- Corn Braiding
November 21, 2026 | 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Polk Middle School – Community Engagement Event
Traditional Foods & Indigenous Knowledge
- Cooking in the Horno
- Roasting Corn and Squash
- Hands-on Activities
- Traditional Ecological Knowledge Presentations
- Garden Tour