163. The Healing Power of Cacao and Ancestral Lineage Cacao as a Healing Medicine with Cristina Pitter

Cristina Pitter (they/she/anything said with respect) is a queer multi-spirit afro-indigenous artist, abolitionist, and alchemist who wants to burn it all down and plant new seeds in the fertile soil. They also have the best laugh ever. SERIOUSLY. You may have seen their work at Round House Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Metropolitan Opera, JACK, The Bushwick Starr, Target Margin Theatre, Abrons Art Center, Mabou Mines, 59E59, Ars Nova, New Ohio Theatre, Joe’s Pub, The Tank, or Netflix’s Bonding. Follow their antics at ⁠cristinapitter.com⁠ . Summary: In this episode of The Eating Me Podcast, Alicia Christian interviews Christina Pitter about her work in performance art and her exploration of her Afro-Indigenous heritage. They discuss Christina's performance installation and ceremony titled 'Ixchel, We Are Still Here, Remember This Medicine,' which centers around the Mayan goddess of fertility and medicine. They also talk about the use of cacao as a heart medicine and its connection to Christina's ancestral lineage. In this conversation, Alicia and Cristina discuss the process of healing and self-discovery through relationships and the exploration of queerness. They delve into the importance of undoing shame and holding space for all aspects of oneself. Finally, they discuss the use of cacao as a healing medicine and the importance of stillness and self-care. Keywords: performance art, Afro-Indigenous heritage, Mayan goddess, cacao, heart medicine, ancestral lineage, decolonization, relationships, colonialism, white supremacy, healing, self-discovery, relationships, queerness, power, fetishization, stillness, self-care Takeaways: Christina Pitter's performance installation and ceremony 'Ixchel, We Are Still Here, Remember This Medicine' explores her Afro-Indigenous heritage and centers around the Mayan goddess of fertility and medicine. Cacao is used as a heart medicine in Christina's work and is connected to her ancestral lineage. Christina's production 'The Ashe Collective: Decolonizing My Vagina' examines her relationships with cis white hetero men and the impact of colonialism and white supremacy on her attraction to them. Cacao can be used as a healing medicine and practicing stillness and self-care is crucial for overall well-being. Sound Bites: "I trust that what I'm doing is being received and it's up to folks to take it from there. That I cannot change whole swaths of people, but I can make offerings from the heart in the attempt to heal the heart space that I believe you all need collectively as human beings." "We come from the earth. It is the very thing that gives us life. We have healed from it. And yes, I'm grateful for all technologies and advances that have been here. And everything goes back to the land." Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Connection 03:23 The Importance of Holding Space for New Work 08:28 Exploring 'The Ashe Collective: Decolonizing My Vagina' 23:05 Decolonizing Relationships and Attraction 25:33 Addressing Power Dynamics and Fetishization 29:05 The Significance of Authentic Friendships 34:07 Cacao as a Healing Medicine 37:09 Practicing Stillness and Self-Care Stay connected with Cristina! Website: ⁠https://www.cristinapitter.com/ Mercury Store: https://www.mercurystore.com/ Subscribe to The Eating Me Podcast on YouTube!! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@aliciachristian9226?si=lndTSV7K9miNuetj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stay in contact with Alicia! Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.aliciachristian.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/Divaleesh⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thealiciachristian/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@thealiciachristian?lang=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠