The Guarani-Kaiowá are the people of Mato Grosso do Sul, a Central-West region of Brazil. It translates as “Thick Forest of the South", and as the name suggests, nature has protected the Guarani-Kaiowá and their culture from colonization. Particularly, the ancient tradition of chicha making—a sacred white corn drink that can also be fermented. The Guarani-Kaiowá believe that if they stop making chicha, the world will end. Today, this thick forest has been turned into a vast monoculture of soy plantations, and the Guarani-Kaiowá have nowhere to go and continue their ancestral cultural practices. Perhaps the end of the world is closer than ever.

Join us on a fermentation journey with Paula Neubauer, a Brazilian award-winning chef and educator, as we explore the complexity of sacred fermented chicha and the fascinating people who make it.

Welcome to “The End of Many Worlds”, the third episode of The World in a Pickle, Ferment Radio’s mini-series focused on understanding geopolitical complexities through fermented foods.