How Human People Are Only One Manifestation of Intelligence In theUniverse. What ceremonies are important to you, and serve as an opportunity to channel attention into intention? It perceives the family of life to be little more than a complex biochemical machine. What questions would you add to this list? Its not as big as a maple drop, not big enough to splash, but its popp ripples the surface and sends out concentric rings. These are not 'instructions' like commandments, though, or rules; rather they are like a compass: they provide an orientation but not a map. moments of wonder and joy. Follow us onLinkedIn,Twitter, orInstagram. "Robin Wall Kimmerer is writer of rare grace. As the field trip progresses and the students come to understand more fully their relationship with the earth, Kimmerer explains how the current climate crisis, specifically the destruction of wetland habitation, becomes not just an abstract problem to be solved on an intellectual level but an extremely personal mission. A wonderfully written nonfiction exploring indigenous culture and diaspora, appreciating nature, and what we can do to help protect and honor the land we live upon. 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. "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 of science. Give them a name based on what you see. Through storytelling and metaphor, Braiding Sweetgrass is a nonfiction work that reads as a love letter to the natural world. Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerers "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants,". Did you recognize yourself or your experiences in it? 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. The book is simultaneously meditative about the. 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. What kind of nostalgia, if any, comes to mind when you hear the quote Gone, all gone with the wind?. I'm sure there is still so much I can't see. When we take from the land, she wants us to insist on an honourable harvest, whether were taking a single vegetable for sustenance or extracting minerals from the land. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us. 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. "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. 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. They all join together to destroy the wood people. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. How did the explanation of circular time affect your perception of stories, history, and the concept of time in which you are most familiar? Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Inside looking out, I could not bear the loneliness of being dry in a wet world. How will they change on their journey? As an American, I don't think my countrypeople appreciate or understand enough about native culture, as a general rule and so I was very grateful for this sort of overview of modern day native life, as well as beautiful stories about the past. In Braiding. 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. 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. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Our lifestyle content is crafted to bring eco-friendly and sustainable ideas more mainstream. to explore their many inspiring collections, including the artist we are highlighting in complement to the Buffs One Read Braiding Sweetgrass. If so, which terms or phrases? Witness to the rain Published December 15, 2017 Title Witness to the rain Authors: Kimmerer, Robin W. Secondary Authors: Fleischner, Thomas L. Publication Type Book Section Year of Publication: 2011 Publisher Name: Trinity University Press Publisher City: San Antonio, TX Accession Number: AND4674 URL Abstract. What was the last object you felt a responsibility to use well? I think that moss knows rain better than we do, and so do maples. Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass. Visualize an element of the natural world and write a letter of appreciation and observation. Each print is individually named with a quality that embodies the ways they care for us all. Do you feel rooted to any particular place? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); To live in radical joyous shared servanthood to unify the Earth Family. She puts itwonderfully in this talk: Its not the land which is broken, but our relationship to the land.. Kimmerer also discusses her own journey to Kanatsiohareke, where she offered her own services at attempting to repopulate the area with native sweetgrass. [Illustration offered as an anonymous gift :-)]. In the story, the first divine beings, or gods, create plants and animals to fill the emptiness. Different animals and how the indigenous people learned from watching them and plants, the trees. Noviolencia Integral y su Vigencia en el rea de la Baha, Action to Heal the (Titanic)Nuclear Madness, Astrobiology, Red Stars and the New Renaissance of Humanity. What about the book resonated the most with you? What did you think of the juxtaposition between light and dark? Already a member? Kimmerer describes how the people of the Onondaga Nation begin every gathering with what is often called the "Thanksgiving Address.". Her writing about the importance of maintaining indigenous language and culture also elicited feelings of tenderness and sadness from me. The various themes didn't braid together as well as Sweetgrass itself does. 1976) is a visual artist and independent curator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Many of the pants have since become invasive species, choking or otherwise endangering native species to sustain their own pace of exponential growth. First, shes attracted by the way the drops vary in size, shape, and the swiftness of their fall, depending on whether they hang from a twig, the needles of a tree, drooping moss, or her own bangs. She sees these responsibilities as extending past the saying of thanks for the earths bounty and into conservation efforts to preserve that which humanity values. Burning Sweetgrass and Epilogue Summary and Analysis, The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. tis is how they learned to survive, when they had little. How does one go about exploring their own relationship with nature? Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Do you have any acquaintances similar to Hazel? (USA), 2013. Throughout his decades-long journey to restore the land to its former glory, Dolp came to realize the parallel importance of restoring his personal relationship to land. In the Indigenous worldview, however, humans are seen as the younger brothers of Creation who must learn from those who were here before us: the plants and animals, who have their own kinds of intelligence and knowledge. 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. Praise and Prizes In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two . How can we create our own stories (or lenses) to view sacred relationships? Which were the most and least effective chapters, in your opinion? Was there a passage that struck you and stayed with you after you finished reading? This makes the story both history, ongoing process, and prophecy of the future. We need to restore honor to the way we live, so that when we walk through the world we dont have to avert our eyes with shame, so that we can hold our heads up high and receive the respectful acknowledgment of the rest of the earths beings.. The questionssampled here focus onreader experience and connection. In this way, the chapter reflects that while Western immigrants may never become fully indigenous to Turtle Island, following in the footsteps of Nanabozho and plantain may help modern Americans begin their journey to indigeneity. What's a summary of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Robin Wall Kimmerer posed the question to her forest biology students at the State University of New York, in their final class in March 2020, before the pandemic sent everyone home. 5 minutes of reading. That's why Robin Wall Kimmerer, a scientist, author and Citizen Potawatomi Nation member, says it's necessary to complement Western scientific knowledge with traditional Indigenous wisdom. 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. Pull up a seat, friends. "As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent . Witness to the Rain In this chapter, Kimmerer considers the nature of raindrops and the flaws surrounding our human conception of time. It was not until recently that the dikes were removed in an effort to restore the original salt marsh ecosystem. Braiding Sweetgrass consists of the chapters In the Footsteps of Nanabozho: Becoming Indigenous to Place, The Sound of Silverbells, Sitting in a Circle, Burning Cascade Head, Putting Down Roots, Umbilicaria: The Belly Button of the World, Old-Growth Children, and Witness to the Rain. Here, Kimmerer delves into reconciling humanity with the environment, dwelling in particular upon the changes wrought between generations upon the way in which one considers the land one lives on. Read it. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.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 . Kimmerer believes that the connections in the natural world are there for us to listen to if were ready to hear them. What have you overlooked or taken for granted? Its about pursuing the wants and needs of humans, with less concern for the more-than-human world. The second is the date of Why? The author reflects on how modern botany can be explained through these cultures. Yet, this list of qualities could go on and on and each person carries multiple roles. I read this book in a book club, and one of the others brought some braided Sweetgrass to our meeting. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Preface and Planting Sweetgrass Summary and Analysis. 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. Oh my goodness, what an absolutely gorgeous book with possibly the best nature writing I've ever read. What problems does Kimmerer identify and what solutions does she propose in Braiding Sweetgrass? Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Kimmerer muses on this story, wondering why the people of corn were the ones who ultimately inherited the earth. Afterward they want to create a creature who can speak, and so they try to make humans. Dr. Kimmerer invites us to view our surroundings through a new lens; perhaps a lens we should have been using all along. If so, how? please join the Buffs OneRead community course: In Witness to the Rain, Kimmerer gives uninterrupted attention to the natural world around her. If so, how can we apply what we learn to create a reciprocity with the living world? If your book club is about to read "Braiding Sweetgrass" and has limited time for discussion, consider sticking with these ten general questions that are intended to instigate conversation about the book as a whole. If not, what obstacles do you face in feeling part of your land? If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original Adapting Fearlessness, Nonviolence, Anarchy and Humility in the 21st century. Do you feel a deeper connection to your local plants now? During times of plenty, species are able to survive on their own but when conditions become harsh it is only through inter-species reciprocity that they can hope to survive. I'm so glad I finally read this book for the Book Cougars/Reading Envy joint readalong. (Siangu Lakota, b. The series Takes Care of Us honors native women and the care, protection, leadership and love the provide for their communities. More than 70 contributorsincluding Robin Wall Kimmerer, Richard Powers, Sharon Blackie, David Abram, and J. know its power in many formswaterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans, snow and ice. San Antonio, TX: Trinity University Press: 187-195. How do you show gratitude in your daily life; especially to the Earth? Its messagekeepsreaching new people, having been translated so far into nearly 20 languages. A fairly gentle, love-based look at ecology and the climate crisis with lots of educational value. Copyright 20112022 Andrews Forest Program. In addition to this feature event, Sweet Briar is hosting a series of events that complement . Parts of it are charming and insightful. Looking back through the book, pick one paragraph or sentence from each of these sections that for you, capture the essence of the statement that Kimmerer includes in the intro of each section. Please enter your email address to subscribe to this blog if you would like to receive notifications of new posts by email. Fougere's comment relates to Kimmerer's quote from his Witness To The Rain chapter in which he says, "If there is meaning in the past and in the imagined future, it is captured in the moment. Kimmerer again affirms the importance of the entire experience, which builds a relationship and a sense of humility. Does your perception of food change when you consider how food arrived at your table; specifically, a forced removal vs. garden nurturing? 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 . Its author, an acclaimed plant scientist born and raised in the U.S., has been conditioned by the Western European culture were all heir to, and writes in full awareness that her audience will consist mainly of non-natives. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. . At Kanatsiohareke, he and others have carved out a place where Indigenous people can gather to relearn and celebrate Haudenosaunee culture. It also greatly touches upon how humans and nature impact one another and how we should appreciate the journey that food and nature have taken to get to our tables and backyards. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. It establishes the fact that humans take much from the earth, which gives in a way similar to that of a mother: unconditionally, nearly endlessly. Where will they go? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. How much do we love the environment that gives of itself despite our misuse of its resources? It offered them a rich earthly existence and their culture mirrored this generosity by giving their goods away in the potlatch ceremony, imitating nature in their way of life. In: Fleischner, Thomas L., ed. Robin Wall Kimmerer begins her book Gathering Moss with a journey in the Amazon rainforest, during which Indigenous guides helped her see an iguana on the tree branch, a toucan in the leaves. Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of "Braiding Sweetgrass" Sweet Briar College is thrilled to welcome Robin Wall Kimmerer on March 23, 2022, for a special in-person (and livestream) presentation on her book "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.". So I stretch out, close my eyes, and listen to the rain. Sshhhhh from rain, pitpitpit from hemlock, bloink from maple and lastly popp of falling alder water. Recall a meaningful gift that youve received at any point in your life. Its not about wisdom. What can we offer the environment that supplies us with so much? (LogOut/ They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. The reflecting surface of the pool is textured with their signatures, each one different in pace and resonance. All rights reserved. Five stars for the beauty of some of Robin Wall Kimmerer's writing in many essays/chapters. Change). She honors the "humility rare in our species" that has led to developments like satellite imagery . I would have liked to read just about Sweetgrass and the customs surrounding it, to read just about her journey as a Native American scientist and professor, or to read just about her experiences as a mother. By Robin Kimmerer ; 1,201 total words . 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. The chapters reinforce the importance of reciprocity and gratitude in defeating the greed that drives human expansion at the expense of the earths health and plenitude. Robin Wall Kimmerers book is divided into five sections, titled Planting Sweetgrass, Tending Sweetgrass, Picking Sweetgrass, Braiding Sweetgrass, and Burning Sweetgrass. Each section is titled for a different step in the process of using the plant, sweetgrass, which is one of the four sacred plants esteemed by Kimmerers Potawatomi culture. She lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental . They provide us with another model of how . 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. If there is meaning in the past and in the imagined future, it is captured in the moment. These people are beautiful, strong, and clever, and they soon populate the earth with their children. If so, what makes you feel a deeper connection with the land and how did you arrive at that feeling? online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. Clearly I am in the minority here, as this book has some crazy high ratings overall. The author does an excellent job at narration. Maybe there is no such thing as rain; there are only raindrops, each with its own story. This quote from the chapter "Witness to the Rain", comes from a meditation during a walk in the rain through the forest. Ms. Kimmerer explains in her book that the Thanksgiving Address is "far more than a pledge, a prayer or a poem alone," it is "at heart an invocation of gratitude . . Every drip it seems is changed by its relationship with life, whether it encounters moss or maple or fir bark or my hair. Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. But I'm grateful for this book and I recommend it to every single person! Give your attention to the plants and natural elements around you. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. For more reflective and creative activity prompts, please join the Buffs OneRead community course: Braiding Sweetgrass. 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. As for the rest of it, although I love the author's core message--that we need to find a relationship to the land based on reciprocity and gratitude, rather than exploitation--I have to admit, I found the book a bit of a struggle to get through. . Kimmerer writes about a gift economy and the importance of gratitude and reciprocity. We can almost hear the landbound journey of the raindrops along with her. "Witness to the Rain" is the final chapter of the "Braiding Sweetgrass" section of RWK's beautiful book. Then she listens. 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. Were you familiar with Carlisle, Pennsylvania prior to this chapter? Listening to rain, time disappears. Fir needles fall with the high-frequency hiss of rain, branches fall with the bloink of big drops, and trees with a rare but thunderous thud. "Burning Sweetgrass" is the final section of this book. Does embracing nature/the natural world mean you have a mothers responsibility to create a home? What have you overlooked or taken for granted? Robin Kimmerer, Potawatomi Indigenous ecologist, author, and professor, asks this question as she ponders the fleeting existence of our sister speciesspecies such as the passenger pigeon, who became extinct a century ago. This idea has been mentioned several times before, but here Kimmerer directly challenges her fellow scientists to consider it as something other than a story: to actually allow it to inform their worldviews and work, and to rethink how limited human-only science really is. The address, she writes, is "a river of words as old as the people themselves, known more . Braiding Sweetgrass. Consider the degree of attention you give to the natural world. Why or why not? 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. How has this book changed your view of the natural world and relationships? Prior to its arrival on the New York Times Bestseller List, Braiding Sweetgrass was on the best seller list of its publisher, Milkweed Editions. Maybe there is no such thing as rain; there are only raindrops, each with its own story.. Dr. Online Linkage: http://www.wayofnaturalhistory.com/ Related Links Kimmerer's claim with second and even third thoughts about the contradic-tions inherent in notions of obligation that emerge in the receiving of gifts. Many of her arguments rely on this concept of honour, which is what she thinks weve abandoned in our publicpolicies. It is a book that explores the connection between living things and human efforts to cultivate a more sustainable world through the lens of indigenous traditions. 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.. As stated before, an important aspect of culture is its creation myths. The gods send disasters to strike them, and they also give the rest of creation their own voices to speak out against their mistreatment. As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. Kimmerer explores the inextricable link between old-growth forests and the old-growth cultures that grew alongside them and highlights how one cannot be restored without the other. I don't know how to talk about this book. As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Her writing blends her academic botantical scientific learning with that of the North American indigenous way of life, knowledge and wisdom, with a capital W. She brings us fair and square to our modus operandi of live for today . While the discursive style of, As we struggle to imagine a future not on fire, we are gifted here with an indigenous culture of. She is wrong. We are grateful that the waters are still here and meeting their responsibility to the rest of Creation. How does the story of Skywoman compare to the other stories of Creation?