Botany from a Native perspective
Bozho ndenwemagek (hello all my relations).
Last summer I was half-listening to a program on NPR, featuring a guest talking about botany from a Native perspective. But I was fully listening once I heard the guest say, “In my native language, Potawatomi, our names for plants carry animation and also carry the respect our ancestors showed...”
Holey moley, out of all the tribes across this continent our was mentioned! And not just Potawatomi, but Citizen Band. So I checked out the electronic book from my library, Braiding Sweetgrass by Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer. And I have since bought myself a paper copy. If you’re not hooked at the beginning with the story of Sky Woman then perhaps it’s not your path to the knowledge which will sing to you, but I’m sure something else will.
I plan to share the Sky Woman story in tomorrow’s post. And I expect to draw more blog entry ideas from her.
Once you find your self curious and open to knowing more, someone will cross your path to help guide you. My good friend (okay, my boyfriend) Robert has been helped by members of the Cowlitz tribe. In turn, he invited me to a smoke lodge Sunday service (although I’m not religious, it was still a good background for cultural traditions) and another time to sweat lodge (an incredible experience). Another woman who is in our district invited me to a Native cultural club in Portland which I found great fun (everything from the drums to craft activities).
Language, Badewadmimwen, contains so much cultural information. If you’re brave at heart, I will at some point be giving some ideas of where to start.
Bama pi (later, we don’t say ‘goodbye’) and gmendoza (which I might not be exactly correct on, but is meant to say take care).
Last summer I was half-listening to a program on NPR, featuring a guest talking about botany from a Native perspective. But I was fully listening once I heard the guest say, “In my native language, Potawatomi, our names for plants carry animation and also carry the respect our ancestors showed...”
Holey moley, out of all the tribes across this continent our was mentioned! And not just Potawatomi, but Citizen Band. So I checked out the electronic book from my library, Braiding Sweetgrass by Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer. And I have since bought myself a paper copy. If you’re not hooked at the beginning with the story of Sky Woman then perhaps it’s not your path to the knowledge which will sing to you, but I’m sure something else will.
I plan to share the Sky Woman story in tomorrow’s post. And I expect to draw more blog entry ideas from her.
Once you find your self curious and open to knowing more, someone will cross your path to help guide you. My good friend (okay, my boyfriend) Robert has been helped by members of the Cowlitz tribe. In turn, he invited me to a smoke lodge Sunday service (although I’m not religious, it was still a good background for cultural traditions) and another time to sweat lodge (an incredible experience). Another woman who is in our district invited me to a Native cultural club in Portland which I found great fun (everything from the drums to craft activities).
Language, Badewadmimwen, contains so much cultural information. If you’re brave at heart, I will at some point be giving some ideas of where to start.
Bama pi (later, we don’t say ‘goodbye’) and gmendoza (which I might not be exactly correct on, but is meant to say take care).
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