The True Nature of an Earthkeeper: What Every Human Being Can Become

“What is an Earthkeeper?” I asked my group as we prepared for a soul-healing journey anchored in the Munay-Ki rites. It’s a question that reaches far beyond titles or teachings. Because being an Earthkeeper is not loud or boastful. It doesn’t come from guilt or judgment. A true Earthkeeper doesn’t shame others into change. They protect the Earth from a place of love, humility, compassion, and deep listening.

An Earthkeeper lives in an intimate relationship with Pachamama—Mother Earth. They feel her heartbeat, receive her instructions, sense her longings. They are not separate from her—they are part of her.

The Munay-Ki rites are a series of energetic transmissions rooted in ancient Andean traditions. They awaken the memory of who we truly are and call us into becoming a new kind of human being—conscious, heart-centered, and in service to all life. These rites are not just teachings; they are living codes of transformation, guiding us to walk the Earth in sacred reciprocity and become caretakers of a new future.

Just yesterday, I visited my dear friend Manuel Choqque, a fourth-generation farmer and scientist in his own right—and one of the most humble Earthkeepers I know. Though he lives simply and stays rooted in his Andean traditions, Manuel is known around the world for his transformative work. He is reviving ancestral potato varieties that were on the verge of extinction, restoring not only biodiversity but also the cultural memory of the Andes. His work has received global recognition, yet he continues to walk in service to Pachamama with deep humility.

As we spoke with one of his friends, we reflected on how aligned our paths have become. We’ve both answered the call of the Apus—the mountain spirits of Peru—and stepped into service to the Earth in a sacred and unique way.

Manuel grew up in the highlands of Huatata. He remembers walking to the fields with his father, seeing the land covered in frost that would melt with the sun’s warmth. Today, from his farm in Huatata, he watches the glaciers recede—just as I witness the same in Alaska. Yes, the human factor plays a role—but we both feel that these changes are also part of Pachamama’s larger rhythm, a natural cycle that lives in our bones.

Manuel's Beautiful Tubers

To be an Earthkeeper is not just to study the Earth, but to belong to her.

That’s the message I want to share today. I believe every human being can become an Earthkeeper. What does it take? Remembering. Remembering who you are, why you came, and where you come from.

You are of the Earth. Your lineage is woven with the wisdom of nature. You were born into this living school that offers everything you need to return to harmony.

When I began creating my documentary, Journey to the Heart of the Andes, I never imagined I’d become a filmmaker. I simply followed the thread of purpose, guided by my love for the land and its people. My scientific background helped me understand how ecosystems function, but it was my spiritual connection to Pachamama that revealed a deeper truth: we cannot heal the planet from the outside—we must become part of her again.

So I ask you—are you ready to become an Earthkeeper in your own way?

Not someone else’s version. Yours.

What are the unique gifts you carry that can be put to use—in your backyard, your neighborhood, your community? Pachamama doesn’t ask you to become something you are not. She only asks you to remember who you are.

🌿💫 I invite you to watch my documentary Journey to the Heart of the Andes. An experience that honors Pachamama and the Earthkeepers of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.👉 Click here to watch it on Kinema

At Manuel's farm surrounded by the magnificent Apus