The culture of the Americans is being celebrated in Turners Falls and Greenfield this month during an event on migration.

“Migration — Connecting through Art and Culture of the Americas” started with Indigenous Peoples Day in Turners Falls on Oct. 10.

Throughout the month, an exhibition by Guatemalan artists will be at Great Falls Discovery Center at 2 Avenue A in Turners Falls. It features original art and crafts from traditional Mayan villages around Lake Atitlan and includes paintings of harvest scenes, food markets, nature and ceremonies which are integral to their life and culture.

The artists are known for their distinctive style and have been exhibited in the Smithsonian in Washington. More information is at the Guatemala Art and Culture Connection Facebook page or www.Guatemalaartandcultureconnection.blogspot.com.

This Saturday, six families from Turners Falls will at 11 a.m. present a traditional “Día de los Muertos” altar made for the “Spirit of the Place” Big Read event at Greenfield Community College at 1 College Drive.

On Friday, Oct. 28, a closing reception will happen from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Great Falls Discovery Center, 2 Avenue A in Turners Falls. It features authentic food and performances by Ecuadorian dancers and Grupo Folklorico, a children’s dance troupe.

Imre Kepes of the Guatemala Art and Cluture connection decided to share Guatemalan art with the immigrant families who use programming at Montague Catholic Social Ministries in Turners Falls. Many of these families were of Mayan descent, originating from Guatemala and the Chiapas region of Mexico. During a playgroup run by the ministries, the mothers — seeing the paintings from Guatemala — became nostalgic about the coffee harvest, volcanoes in the landscape and the food of their homelands.

That began the idea of the month-long celebration.

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