What can you do to promote restoration over despair? Is it possible that plants have domesticated us? Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass. She then relates the Mayan creation story. How does the story of Skywoman compare to the other stories of Creation? 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. By paying attention we acknowledge that we have something to learn from intelligences other than our own. What problems does Kimmerer identify and what solutions does she propose in Braiding Sweetgrass? Kimmerer again affirms the importance of the entire experience, which builds a relationship and a sense of humility. Similarly, each moment in time is shaped by human experience, and a moment that might feel long for a butterfly might pass by in the blink of an eye for a human and might seem even shorter for a millennia-old river. The trees act not as individuals, but somehow as a collective. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); To live in radical joyous shared servanthood to unify the Earth Family. Robin Wall Kimmerer is an American author, scientist, mother, professor, and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. October 6, 2021 / janfalls. Traditional knowledge represents the outcome of long experimentation . What did you think of the juxtaposition between light and dark? Kinship: Belonging in a World of Relations is a five-volume series exploring our deep interconnections with the living world and the interdependence that exists between humans and nonhuman beings. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Elsewhere the rain on . I had no idea how much I needed this book until I read it. In: Fleischner, Thomas L., ed. The actual practice of science often means doing this, but the more general scientific worldview of Western society ignores everything that happens in these experiences, aside from the data being collected. And we think of it as simply rain, as if it were one thing, as if we understood it. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Adapting Fearlessness, Nonviolence, Anarchy and Humility in the 21st century. (Siangu Lakota, b. a material, scientific inventory of the natural world." It invokes the "ancient order of protocols" which "sets gratitude as the highest priority." Sweetgrass, as the hair of Mother Earth, is traditionally braided to show loving care for her well-being. know its power in many formswaterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans, snow and ice. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Do you believe in land as a teacher? It perceives the family of life to be little more than a complex biochemical machine. The author has a flowery, repetitive, overly polished writing style that simply did not appeal to me. Mediums and techniques: linoleum engravings printed in linen on both sides. White Hawk writes: "As a suite, these works speak to the importance of kinship roles and tribal structures that emphasize the necessity of extended family, tribal and communal ties as meaningful and significant relationships necessary for the rearing of healthy and happy individuals and communities. Witness to the rain. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. She is represented by. Kimmerer, Robin Wall Summary "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. Did you consider this a melancholy chapter? By observing, studying, paying attention to the granular journey of every individual member of an ecosystem, we can be not just good engineers of water, of land, of food production but honourable ones. As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. She highlights that at the beginning of his journey, Nanabozho was an immigrant, arriving at an earth already fully populated with plants and animals, but by the end of his journey, Nanabozho has found a sense of belonging on Turtle Island. Dr. Kimmerer invites us to view our surroundings through a new lens; perhaps a lens we should have been using all along. 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. This nonfiction the power of language, especially learning the language of your ancestors to connect you to your culture as well as the heartbreaking fact that indigenous children who were banned from speaking anything from English in academic settings. What have you worked hard for, like tapping maples? 380 Words2 Pages Summary The article "Returning the Gift" that written by Robin Kimmerer has discussed the importance of having our appreciations for nature. We will discuss it more soon on their podcast and in the meantime I'll try to gather my thoughts! online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. But I'm grateful for this book and I recommend it to every single person! In this chapter, Kimmerer recounts a field trip she took with a group of students while she was teaching in the Bible Belt. Do you feel a deeper connection to your local plants now? Even a wounded world is feeding us. 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. Kimmerer, Robin W. 2011. 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. We are showered every day with the gifts of the Earth, gifts we have neither earned nor paid for: air to breathe, nurturing rain, black soil, berries and honeybees, the tree that became this page, a bag of rice and the exuberance of a field of goldenrod and asters at full bloom. moments of wonder and joy. I'm sure there is still so much I can't see. 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 were your thoughts surrounding the Original Instructions?. She challenges us to deconstruct and reconstruct our perceptions of the natural world, our relationships with our communities, and how both are related to one another. If so, how? Teachers and parents! On the other hand, Skywoman falls to Earth by accident, and lives in harmony with the animals she meets there. 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. Director Peter Weir Writers William Kelley (story by) Pamela Wallace (story by) Earl W. Wallace (story by) Stars Harrison Ford Burning Sweetgrass Windigo Footprints The Sacred and the Superfund Collateral Damage . Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. While the discursive style of, As we struggle to imagine a future not on fire, we are gifted here with an indigenous culture of. In 2013, Braiding Sweetgrass was written by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It has created powerful tools for ravaging the planets ecosystems, creating a hard path for our descendants. When you have all the time in the world, you can spend it, not on going somewhere, but on being where you are. 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. Kimmerer also discusses her own journey to Kanatsiohareke, where she offered her own services at attempting to repopulate the area with native sweetgrass. Consider the degree of attention you give to the natural world. 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.". In this chapter, Kimmerer describes another field trip to the Cranberry Lake Biological Station, where she teaches an ethnobotany class that entails five weeks of living off the land. Change). She is the author of the New York Times bestselling collection of essays Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Learn how your comment data is processed. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Its based on common sense, on things we may have known at one time about living in concert with our surroundings, but that modern life and its irresistible conveniences have clouded. Why? She's completely comfortable moving between the two and their co-existence within her mind gives her a unique understanding of her experience. 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. Do you feel a connection to the Earth as reciprocal as the relationships outlined in this chapter? The address, she writes, is "a river of words as old as the people themselves, known more . The questionssampled here focus onreader experience and connection. Dr. 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. What questions would you add to this list? Kimmerer describes the entire lifecycle of this intriguing creature to emphasize how tragic it is when their lives are ended so abruptly and randomly by passing cars. Kimmerer begins by affirming the importance of stories: stories are among our most potent tools for restoring the land as well as our relationship to land. Because we are both storytellers and storymakers, paying attention to old stories and myths can help us write the narrative of a better future. 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. These people are beautiful, strong, and clever, and they soon populate the earth with their children. Yet, this list of qualities could go on and on and each person carries multiple roles. Which of the chapters immediately drew you in and why? LitCharts Teacher Editions. 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. Milkweed Editions, 2013. 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 . tis is how they learned to survive, when they had little. Both seek to combine their scientific, technical training with the feeling of connectedness and wholeness they get from being immersed by nature to bring about a more balanced way of living with the land. Rain on Leaves on a Forest Road in Autumn - 10 Hours Video with Sounds for Relaxation and Sleep Relax Sleep ASMR 282K subscribers 4.6M views 6 years ago Close your eyes and listen to this. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. In her talk, she references another scientist and naturalist weve covered before,Aldo Leopold. Complete your free account to request a guide. Her writing about the importance of maintaining indigenous language and culture also elicited feelings of tenderness and sadness from me. Picking Sweetgrass includes the chapters Epiphany in the Beans, The Three Sisters, Wisgaak Gokpenagen: A Black Ash Basket, Mishkos Kenomagwen: The Teachings of Grass, Maple Nation: A Citizenship Guide, and The Honorable Harvest. This section dwells on the responsibilities attendant on human beings in relation to the earth, after Kimmerer already establishes that the earth does give gifts to humanity and that gifts are deserving of reciprocal giving. I really enjoyed this. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. The poetry of nature does not escape this writer and she becomes a poet herself at times, as in the following paragraph from this chapter with which I will conclude. The last date is today's Not because I have my head. Wall Kimmerer draws on her own life experiences and her half North American Indian and half white settler ancestry. How will they change on their journey? The belly Button of the World -- Old-Growth Children -- Witness to the Rain -- Burning Sweetgrass -- Windigo Footprints -- The Sacred and the Superfund -- People of Corn, People of . 1976) is a visual artist and independent curator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. [], There are different kinds of drops, depending on the relationship between the water and the plant. In the Bible Eve is punished for eating forbidden fruit and God curses her to live as Adam's subordinate according to an article on The Collector. 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. Everything in the forest seems to blend into everything else, mist, rain, air, stream, branches. Order our Braiding Sweetgrass Study Guide. 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. As a botanist and indigenous person you'd think this would be right up my alley, but there was something about the description that made it sound it was going to be a lot of new-age spiritual non-sense, and it was a bit of that, but mostly I was pleasantly surprised that it was a more "serious" book than I thought it'd be. Enjoy! Visualize an element of the natural world and write a letter of appreciation and observation. San Antonio, TX: Trinity University Press: 187-195. I refrain from including specific quotes in case a reader does take a sneak peak before finishing the book, but I do feel your best journey is one taken page-by-page. What are your thoughts regarding the concepts of: The destruction resulting from convenience, Do you agree with the idea that killing a who evokes a different response from humans than killing an it?. Give your attention to the plants and natural elements around you. How much do we love the environment that gives of itself despite our misuse of its resources? If you're interested in even more Braiding Sweetgrass book club questions, I highly recommend these discussion questions (best reviewed after reading the book) from Longwood Gardens. Its not about wisdom. The gods send disasters to strike them, and they also give the rest of creation their own voices to speak out against their mistreatment. Does your perception of food change when you consider how food arrived at your table; specifically, a forced removal vs. garden nurturing? 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? I'm so glad I finally read this book for the Book Cougars/Reading Envy joint readalong. I think it has affected me more than anything else I've ever read. As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. 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. (LogOut/ As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. It gives us knowing, but not caring. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. 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. 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. Next they make humans out of wood. 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. Her book of personal observations about nature and our relationship to it,Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants,has been on theNYTimes bestseller list as a paperback for an astounding 130 weeks. A deep invisible river, known to roots and rocks, the water and the land intimate beyond our knowing. Its messagekeepsreaching new people, having been translated so far into nearly 20 languages. Did you recognize yourself or your experiences in it? Did you find this chapter poetic? How do you feel about solidity as an illusion? Drew Lanhamrender possibilities for becoming better kin and invite us into the ways . In this chapter, Kimmerer considers the nature of raindrops and the flaws surrounding our human conception of time. What are ways we can improve the relationship? What did you think of Robins use of movement as metaphor and time? Did you note shapes as metaphor throughout the book? She puts itwonderfully in this talk: Its not the land which is broken, but our relationship to the land.. Through storytelling and metaphor, Braiding Sweetgrass is a nonfiction work that reads as a love letter to the natural world. 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. 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. 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. Yes, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Dr. Robin Kimmerer arrived on the New York Times Paperback Best Sellers list on January 31, 2020, six years after its publication. Christelle Enault is an artist and illustrator based in Paris. In the world view that structures her book the relations between human and plant are likewise reciprocal and filled with caring. How do you feel community strength relates to our treatment of the environment? In fact, these "Braiding Sweetgrass" book club questions are intended to help in the idea generation for solutions to problems highlighted in the book, in addition to an analysis of our own relationship with our community and the Earth. "Robin Wall Kimmerer is writer of rare grace. I felt euphoric inhaling the intense fragrance, and truly understood why the author would name a book after this plant. 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 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. My mother is a veteran. Not what I expected, but all the better for it. 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 time, as if it were one thing, as if we understood it. Braids plated of three strands, are given away as signs of kindness and gratitude. I can see my face reflected in a dangling drop. date the date you are citing the material. Was there a passage that struck you and stayed with you after you finished reading? Is it possible to stay quiet long enough to hear/learn? What are your thoughts regarding the democracy of species concept? In Oregon, on the West Coast of the United States, the hard shiny leaves of salal and Oregon grape make a gentle hiss of "ratatatat" (293). 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. eNotes.com, Inc. 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. It is informative about Native American history, beliefs, and culture. So I stretch out, close my eyes, and listen to the rain. I close my eyes and listen to all the voices in the rain. The second date is today's Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. The reflecting surface of the pool is textured with their signatures, each one different in pace and resonance. "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. Kimmerer also brings up how untouched land is now polluted and forgotten, how endangered species need to be protected, how we can take part in caring for nature, especially during the climate crisis that we are currently experiencing and have caused due to our carelessness and lack of concern for other species. One of my goals this year was to read more non-fiction, a goal I believe I accomplished. What's a summary of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. She honors the "humility rare in our species" that has led to developments like satellite imagery . Prior to its arrival on the New York Times Bestseller List, Braiding Sweetgrass was on the best seller list of its publisher, Milkweed Editions. All rights reserved. I would read a couple of essays, find my mind wandering, and then put the book down for a couple of weeks. 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. Clearly I am in the minority here, as this book has some crazy high ratings overall. In that environment, says Kimmerer, there was no such thing as alone. Five stars for the beauty of some of Robin Wall Kimmerer's writing in many essays/chapters. Written from a native American point of view, Braiding Sweetgrass (2013) is one of the most unusual books Ive read. One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. But just two stars for the repetitive themes, the disorganization of the book as a whole, the need for editing and shortening in many places. Take some time to walk about campus or some other natural space. Pull up a seat, friends. Kimmerer traces this theme by looking at forest restoration, biological models of symbiosis, the story of Nanabozho, her experiences of teaching ethnobotany, and other topics. Can anyone relate to the fleeting African violet? She is wrong. I want to feel what the cedars feel and know what they know. How would you describe the sensation when you did or did not? 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 . How can we have a relationship if we lack thorough understanding, an ability to listen, and ideas to give back to the natural world? I don't know what else to say. She is the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. For example, Kimmerer calls a spruce tree strong arms covered in moss (p.208) and describes vine maples as a moss-draped dome (296). If so, what makes you feel a deeper connection with the land and how did you arrive at that feeling? It is hyporheic flow that Im listening for. Here in the rainforest, I dont want to just be a bystander to rain, passive and protected; I want to be part of the downpour, to be soaked, along with the dark humus that squishes underfoot. Recall a meaningful gift that youve received at any point in your life. How has your view of plants changed from reading this chapter? Note what the gods valued most in the people of corn: their ability to be grateful and to live in community with each other and the earth itself. 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. to explore their many inspiring collections, including the artist we are highlighting in complement to the Buffs One Read Braiding Sweetgrass. Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Water knows this, clouds know this.. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer . She served as Gallery Director and Curator for the All My Relations Gallery in Minneapolis from 2011-2015. 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.