For more discussion prompts and facilitation tips,or to join the conversation, please join the Buffs OneRead community course: Braiding Sweetgrass. If so, how? I want to feel what the cedars feel and know what they know. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Dr. Kimmerer invites us to view our surroundings through a new lens; perhaps a lens we should have been using all along. Does anything in your life feel like an almost insurmountable task, similar to the scraping of the pond? In this way, Kimmerer encourages the reader to let go of the ways in which humans have attempted to define the world, emphasizing instead the wisdom of nonhuman beings. Online Linkage: http://www.wayofnaturalhistory.com/ Related Links As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses.She lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental . By paying attention we acknowledge that we have something to learn from intelligences other than our own. "Robin Wall Kimmerer is writer of rare grace. Robin Wall Kimmerer: 'People can't understand the world as a gift Inside looking out, I could not bear the loneliness of being dry in a wet world. What about the book resonated the most with you? Written from a native American point of view, Braiding Sweetgrass (2013) is one of the most unusual books Ive read. In a small chapter towards the end of the book, "Witness to the Rain," Kimmerer notices how the rhythm and tempo of rain failing over land changes markedly from place to place. Braiding Sweetgrass - Google Books When you have all the time in the world, you can spend it, not on going somewhere, but on being where you are. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. What can you do to promote restoration over despair? However, there is one plant, the broadleaf plantain, sometimes known as the White Mans Footstep, that has assimilated and become somewhat indigenous to place, working with the native plants in symbiosis in order to propagate. It's difficult to rate this book, because it so frequently veered from two to five stars for me. What's a summary of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Rather than seeing the forest as a commodity to be harvested for profit, the Salish Indians who had lived in the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years preserved the forest intact. As immigrants, are we capable of loving the land as if we were indigenous to it? If there is one book you would want the President to read this year, what would it be? Everything is steeped in meaning, colored by relationships, one thing with another.[]. 2) Look back over the introductory pages for each section"Planting Sweetgrass", "Tending Sweetgrass", Picking Sweetgrass", "Braiding Sweetgrass"for each of these sections Kimmerer includes a short preface statement. to explore their many inspiring collections, including the artist we are highlighting in complement to the Buffs One Read Braiding Sweetgrass. Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System, Karl Marx's Ecosocialism: Capital, Nature, and the Unfinished Critique of Political Economy, The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World, Debt - Updated and Expanded: The First 5,000 Years, Sacred Economics: Money, Gift, and Society in the Age of Transition, Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World, Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present, Talking to My Daughter About the Economy: or, How Capitalism Works - and How It Fails, The Invisible Heart: Economics and Family Values, Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action, Social Reproduction Theory: Remapping Class, Recentring Oppression, Revolution at Point Zero: Housework, Reproduction, and Feminist Struggle. Word Count: 1124. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. Its messagekeepsreaching new people, having been translated so far into nearly 20 languages. What questions would you add to this list? Did you find the outline structure of the chapter effective? The artists' books made in a concertina format, bear witness to the events observed, as visual scales. Specifically, this chapter highlights how it is more important to focus on growing a brighter future for the following generations rather than seeking revenge for the wrongs suffered by previous generations. In In the Footsteps of Nanabozho: Becoming Indigenous to Place, Kimmerer compares Nanabozhos journey to the arrival of immigrant plants carried from the Old World and rehabilitated in American soil. The various themes didn't braid together as well as Sweetgrass itself does. What kind of nostalgia, if any, comes to mind when you hear the quote Gone, all gone with the wind?. Kimmerer imagines a kind of science in which people saw plants as teachers rather than as objects to be experimented on. Sshhhhh from rain, pitpitpit from hemlock, bloink from maple and lastly popp of falling alder water. I read this book almost like a book of poetry, and it was a delightful one to sip and savor. Required fields are marked *. Visualize an element of the natural world and write a letter of appreciation and observation. Kimmerer occupies two radically different thought worlds. Kimmerer often muses on how we can live in reciprocity with the land, and gratitude, as our uniquely human gift, is always an important part of this. Is it possible to stay quiet long enough to hear/learn? Read it. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. We are grateful that the waters are still here and meeting their responsibility to the rest of Creation. In this chapter, Kimmerer recounts the journey of Nanabozho as he walks across the earth for the first time. When a young Amish boy is sole witness to a murder while visiting Philadelphia with his mother, police detective John Book tries to protect the boy until an attempt on Book's life forces him into hiding in Amish country. This study guide contains the following sections: This detailed literature summary also contains Topics for Discussion on Milkweed Editions, 2013. In thinking through the ways the women in our lives stand guard, protect, and nurture our well-being, the idea for this set of four was born. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Dr. Kimmerer weaves together one of the most rich resources to date in Braiding Sweetgrass, and leaves us with a sense of hope rather than paralyzing fear. Rather, we each bear a responsibility to gain understanding of the land in which we live and how its beauty is much greater than a blooming tree or manicured lawn. They are wise enough to be grateful. Out of all the gods experiments, only the corn people respect the world that sustains themand so they were the people who were sustained upon the earth.. Copyright 20112022 Andrews Forest Program. How would you describe the sensation when you did or did not? Kinship With The More Than Human World - To The Best Of Our Knowledge 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Preface and Planting Sweetgrass Summary and Analysis. eNotes.com Kimmerer hopes that with the return of salmon to Cascade Head, some of the sacred ceremonies of gratitude and reciprocity that once greeted them might return as well. publication in traditional print. Robin Kimmerer Book Synopsis. In this chapter, Kimmerer discusses Franz Dolps attempts to regenerate an old-growth forest. Kimmerer lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology and the founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. Many of the pants have since become invasive species, choking or otherwise endangering native species to sustain their own pace of exponential growth. . From time to time, we like to collect our favourite quotes, sayings, and statistics about water and share them with readers. Skywoman Falling - Emergence Magazine Each raindrop will fall individually, its size and destination determined by the path of its falls and the obstacles it encounters along its journey. As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. The address, she writes, is "a river of words as old as the people themselves, known more . It also means that her books organizational principles are not ones were accustomed to, so instead of trying to discern them in an attempt to outline the book, I will tell you about the two chapters that left the deepest impression. Braiding sweetgrass : indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the . In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two . This book contains one exceptional essay that I would highly recommend to everyone, "The Sacred and the Superfund." And we think of it as simply rain, as if it were one thing, as if we understood it. Ancient Green - Robin Wall Kimmerer - Emergence Magazine She is the co-founder and past president of the Traditional Ecological Knowledge section of the Ecological Society of America. The questionssampled here focus onreader experience and connection. Is it possible that plants have domesticated us? The Onondaga Thanksgiving Address - Myth & Moor And we think of it as simply rain, as if it were one thing, as if we understood it. in the sand, but because joy. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Traditional knowledge represents the outcome of long experimentation . PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Our lifestyle content is crafted to bring eco-friendly and sustainable ideas more mainstream. "As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent . Can we agree that water is important to our lives and bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to the Water? Kimmerer writes about a gift economy and the importance of gratitude and reciprocity. eNotes Editorial. Her first book, published in 2003, was the natural and cultural history book Gathering . Visit the CU Art Museum to explore their many inspiring collections, including the artist we are highlighting in complement to the Buffs One Read Braiding Sweetgrass. Braiding Sweetgrass Summary & Study Guide - www.BookRags.com The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, Indigenous Wisdom and Scientific Knowledge. The chapters therein are Windigo Footprints, The Sacred and the Superfund, People of Corn, People of Light, Collateral Damage, Shkitagen: People of the Seventh Fire, Defeating Windigo, and Epilogue. These chapters paint an apocalyptic picture of the environmental destruction occurring around the world today and urge the reader to consider ways in which this damage can be stemmed. The idea for this suite of four dresses came from the practice of requesting four veterans to stand in each cardinal direction for protection when particular ceremonies are taking place. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Vlog where I reflected daily on one or two chapters: Pros: This non-fiction discusses serious issues regarding the ecology that need to be addressed. Braiding Sweetgrass | Milkweed Editions Learning about Gratitude from the Onondaga - Debra Rienstra Kimmerer, Robin Wall : eAudiobook - Toronto Public Library The reflecting surface of the pool is textured with their signatures, each one different in pace and resonance. What can we offer the environment that supplies us with so much? For more reflective and creative activity prompts, please join the Buffs OneRead community course: Braiding Sweetgrass. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants.She has BS in Botany from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry as well as a MS and PhD from the University of Wisconsin. One such attempt at reclaiming Indigenous culture is being made by Sakokwenionkwas, or Tom Porter, a member of the Bear Clan. Summary/Review: "An inspired weaving of indigenous knowledge, plant science, and personal narrative from a distinguished professor of science and a Native American whose previous book, Gathering Moss, was awarded the John Burroughs Medal for outstanding nature writing. Tending Sweetgrass includes the chapters Maple Sugar Moon, Witch Hazel, A Mothers Work, The Consolation of Water Lilies, and Allegiance to Gratitude. This section more closely explores the bounty of the earth and what it gives to human beings. Will the language you use when referencing plants change? Her use of vibrant metaphor captures emotion in such a way that each chapter leaves us feeling ready to roll up our sleeves and reintroduce ourselves to the backyard, apartment garden, or whatever bit of greenspace you have in your area. Why or why not? This story is usually read as a history, but Kimmerer reminds the reader that in many Indigenous cultures time is not linear but rather circular. Why or why not? Braiding Sweetgrass addresses a tapestry of relationships that represent a larger, more significant relationship between humans and the environment we call home. Dr. Kimmerer does a fantastic job of shining a spotlight on the intersectionality of traditionally divergent spheres; most specifically, Western scientific methods and Indigenous teachings. I also loved learning about the plants she mentions, and feel quite relieved to know that the proper pronunciation of pecan is peh-cahn, and not at all related to a way one might relieve themselves in the woods. Braiding Sweetgrass: Fall, 2021 & Spring, 2022 - New York University As Kimmerer writes, "Political action, civic engagement - these are powerful acts of reciprocity with the land." This lesson echoes throughout the entire book so please take it from Kimmerer, and not from me. (LogOut/ Was there a passage that struck you and stayed with you after you finished reading? It teaches the reader so many things about plants and nature in general. He did so in a forty-acre plot of land where the old-growth forests had been destroyed by logging operations since the 1880s. What are your thoughts on the assertion of mutual taming between plants and humans? Author: Kimmerer, Robin Wall Additional Titles: . Without the knowledge of the guide, she'd have walked by these wonders and missed them completely. Your email address will not be published. 'Braiding Sweetgrass' author: 'We haven't loved the land enough' In this chapter Kimmerer again looks toward a better future, but a large part of that is learning from the past, in this case mythology from the Mayan people of Central America. Her students conducted a study showing that in areas where sweetgrass was harvested wisely (never take more than half) it returned the following year thicker and stronger. Witness to the rain | Andrews Forest Research Program In Witness to the Rain, Kimmerer gives uninterrupted attention to the natural world around her. As stated before, an important aspect of culture is its creation myths. Give them a name based on what you see. [], There are different kinds of drops, depending on the relationship between the water and the plant. Which were the most and least effective chapters, in your opinion? Cold, and wishing she had a cup of tea, Kimmerer decides not to go home but instead finds a dry place under a tree thats fallen across a stream. Kimmerer closes by describing the Indigenous idea that each part of creation has its own unique gift, like a bird with its song. If this paragraph appeals to you, then so will the entire book, which is, as Elizabeth Gilbert says in her blurb, a hymn of love to the world. ~, CMS Internet Solutions, Inc, Bovina New York, The Community Newspaper for the Town of Andes, New York, BOOK REVIEW: Braiding Sweetgrass: indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer April 2020, FROM DINGLE HILL: For The Birds January 2023, MARK PROJECT DESCRIBES GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR LARGE TOWN 2023 BUDGET WAS APPROVED, BELOW 2% TAX CAP January 2022, ACS ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2018 TOP STUDENTS June 2018, FIRE DEPARTMENT KEEPS ON TRUCKING February 2017, FLOOD COMMISSION NO SILVER BULLET REPORT ADOPTED BY TOWN BOARD June 2018. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass. "Braiding Sweetgrass" Chapter 25: Witness to the Rainwritten by Robin Wall KimmererRead by Sen Naomi Kirst-SchultzOriginal text can be bought at:https://birc. Against the background hiss of rain, she distinguishes the sounds drops make when they fall on different surfaces, a large leaf, a rock, a small pool of water, or moss. Kimmerer believes that the connections in the natural world are there for us to listen to if were ready to hear them. The last date is today's She served as Gallery Director and Curator for the All My Relations Gallery in Minneapolis from 2011-2015. In "Witness to the Rain," Kimmerer noted that everything exists only in relationship to something else, and here she describes corn as a living relationship between light, water, the land, and people. If so, which terms or phrases? As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent a career learning how to ask questions of nature using the tools . You Don't Have to Be Complicit in Our Culture of Destruction Kimmerer reaches a place where shes in tune with nature. So let's do two things, please, in prep for Wednesday night conversation: 1) Bring some homage to rainit can bea memory of your most memorable experience ever walking in the rain, listening to rainfall, staying inside by a fire while it rained, etc.or a poem or piece of prose that captures something you feel about rainor a haiku you write tomorrow morning over your coffeeor best of all, a potent rain dance! I really enjoyed this. What have you overlooked or taken for granted? Not what I expected, but all the better for it. Kimmerer who recently won a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant used as an example one successful project at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where she directs the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. "Braiding Sweetgrass - Braiding Sweetgrass Summary and Analysis" eNotes Publishing The book is simultaneously meditative about the. What problems does Kimmerer identify and what solutions does she propose in Braiding Sweetgrass? Witness to the rain. How can we have a relationship if we lack thorough understanding, an ability to listen, and ideas to give back to the natural world? From his land, Dolp can see the remains of an old-growth forest on top of a nearby peak, the rest of the view being square patches of Douglas fir the paper companies had planted alternating with clear cut fields. I had no idea how much I needed this book until I read it. When Kimmerer moves herself and her daughters to upstate New York, one of the responsibilities that she decides to take is to provide her daughters with a swimmable pond. She writes about the natural world from a place of such abundant passion that one can never quite see the world the same way after having seen it through Kimmerer's eyes. Do you feel a connection to the Earth as reciprocal as the relationships outlined in this chapter? Next the gods make people out of pure sunlight, who are beautiful and powerful, but they too lack gratitude and think themselves equal to the gods, so the gods destroy them as well. Throughout the three-day field trip, Kimmerer was anxious to help the students forge a greater connection with nature and moved through a checklist of ecological sights without evoking much awe from her captive audience. Afterward they want to create a creature who can speak, and so they try to make humans. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Dr. Kimmerer has taught courses in botany, ecology, ethnobotany, indigenous environmental issues as well as a seminar in application of traditional ecological knowledge to conservation. This was a wonderful, wonderful book. Braiding Sweetgrass explores the theme of cooperation, considering ways in which different entities can thrive by working in harmony and thereby forming a sense of mutual belonging. What are your thoughts regarding the democracy of species concept? Instead, settler society should write its own story of relationship to the world, creating its own. Struggling with distance learning? Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Robin Wall Kimmerer. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom - JSTOR