Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Dr. Kimmerer invites us to view our surroundings through a new lens; perhaps a lens we should have been using all along. This was a wonderful, wonderful book. Why or why not? Maybe there is no such thing as rain; there are only raindrops, each with its own story. These people are compassionate and loving, and they can dance in gratitude for the rest of creation. In. . "Braiding Sweetgrass - Braiding Sweetgrass Summary and Analysis" eNotes Publishing Exactly how they do this, we don't yet know. Enjoy! Complete your free account to request a guide. Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerers "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants,". Last Updated on March 23, 2021, by eNotes Editorial. Reflecting on the book, have your perspectives, views, or beliefs shifted? 1) Bring some homage to rainit can be a 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! Prior to its arrival on the New York Times Bestseller List, Braiding Sweetgrass was on the best seller list of its publisher, Milkweed Editions. 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. These writing or creative expression promptsmight be used for formal assignments or informal exercises. 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. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Link to other LTER Network Site Profiles. What's a summary of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. It was not until recently that the dikes were removed in an effort to restore the original salt marsh ecosystem. These Braiding Sweetgrass book club questions are intended to be used as discussion points post-reading, and not a guide during the reading itself. What questions would you add to this list? Burning Sweetgrass Windigo Footprints The Sacred and the Superfund Collateral Damage . [], If there is meaning in the past and the imagined future, it is captured in the moment. Her book reachedanother impressive milestone last weekwhen Kimmerer received a MacArthur genius grant. The trees act not as individuals, but somehow as a collective. (LogOut/ But they're gifts, too. Kimmerer, Robin W. 2011. What do you consider the power of ceremony? Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. 380 Words2 Pages Summary The article "Returning the Gift" that written by Robin Kimmerer has discussed the importance of having our appreciations for nature. As water professionals, can we look closely enough at the raindrops to learn from them and respect the careful balance of these interactions when we design and build the infrastructure we rely on? . How does the story of Skywoman compare to the other stories of Creation? What problems does Kimmerer identify and what solutions does she propose in Braiding Sweetgrass? This question was asked of a popular fiction writer who took not a moment's thought before saying, my own of course. help you understand the book. Inside looking out, I could not bear the loneliness of being dry in a wet world. Will the language you use when referencing plants change? Would you consider re-reading Braiding Sweetgrass? 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 . What was most surprising or intriguing to you? How do you feel about solidity as an illusion? What have you worked hard for, like tapping maples? We are discussing it here: Audiobook..narrated by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Powerful book with lots of indigenous wisdom related to science, gratitude, and how we relate to the land. Kimmerer closes by describing the Indigenous idea that each part of creation has its own unique gift, like a bird with its song. Kimmerer muses on this story, wondering why the people of corn were the ones who ultimately inherited the earth. What did you think of the juxtaposition between light and dark? Its messagekeepsreaching new people, having been translated so far into nearly 20 languages. How many of you have ever grown anything from seed? Our lifestyle content is crafted to bring eco-friendly and sustainable ideas more mainstream. I really enjoyed this. Witness to the Rain In this chapter, Kimmerer considers the nature of raindrops and the flaws surrounding our human conception of time. The Earth is but ONE country and all living beings her citizens. 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 artists' books made in a concertina format, bear witness to the events observed, as visual scales. 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 this chapter, Kimmerer recounts a field trip she took with a group of students while she was teaching in the Bible Belt. Kimmerer describes how the lichen unites the two main sources of nourishment: gathering and hunting. 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 . She lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental . We are grateful that the waters are still here and meeting their responsibility to the rest of Creation. So I stretch out, close my eyes, and listen to the rain. 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. Five stars for introducing me to Sweetgrass, its many Native American traditions, and her message of caring for and showing gratitude for the Earth. These are not 'instructions' like commandments, though, or rules; rather they are like a compass: they provide an orientation but not a map. Teachers and parents! Oh my goodness, what an absolutely gorgeous book with possibly the best nature writing I've ever read. Kimmerer says, "Let us put our . 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. Consider the degree of attention you give to the natural world. It gives us knowing, but not caring. Kimmerer combines the indigenous wisdom shes learned over the years with her scientific training to find a balance between systems-based thinking and more thorny points of ethics that need to be considered if we want to meet the needs of every individual in a community. 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 Five stars for the beauty of some of Robin Wall Kimmerer's writing in many essays/chapters. Do you feel a deeper connection to your local plants now? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); To live in radical joyous shared servanthood to unify the Earth Family. When you have all the time in the world, you can spend it, not on going somewhere, but being where you are. A fairly gentle, love-based look at ecology and the climate crisis with lots of educational value. The property she purchases comes with a half acre pond that once was the favorite swimming hole for the community's boys, but which now is choked with plant growth. I must admit I had my reservations about this book before reading it. Did you Google any concepts or references? 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. 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. What is the significance of Braiding Sweetgrass? Do any specific plants bring you comfort and connection? What can benefit from the merging of worlds, like the intersection of Western science and Indigenous teachings? This article highlights the findings of the literature on aboriginal fire from the human- and the land-centered disciplines, and suggests that the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples be incorporated into plans for reintroducing fire to the nation's forests. This chapter centers around an old Indigenous tradition wherein the people greeted the Salmon returning to their streams by burning large swathes of prairie land at Cascade Head. In the following chapter, Umbilicaria: The Belly Button of the World, Kimmerer sees the fungialgae relationship as a model for human survival as a species. Mediums and techniques: linoleum engravings printed in linen on both sides. 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. Did you find this chapter poetic? Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs 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. 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. It has created powerful tools for ravaging the planets ecosystems, creating a hard path for our descendants. I close my eyes and listen to the voices of the rain. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Welcome! In 2013, Braiding Sweetgrass was written by Robin Wall Kimmerer. "Braiding Sweetgrass" Chapter 25: Witness to the Rainwritten by Robin Wall KimmererRead by Sen Naomi Kirst-SchultzOriginal text can be bought at:https://birc. What would you gather along the path towards the future? 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. Why or why not? everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Braiding Sweetgrass. What have you overlooked or taken for granted? tags: healing , human , nature , relationship , restoration. What can you do to promote restoration over despair? 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. 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 think that moss knows rain better than we do, and so do maples. . Drew Lanhamrender possibilities for becoming better kin and invite us into the ways . I choose joy. Author: Kimmerer, Robin Wall Additional Titles: . To Be In ReceptiveSilence (InnerCharkha), RestorativeJustice & NonviolentCommunication, Superando la Monocultura Interna y Externa / Overcoming Inner & OuterMonoculture, En la Oscuridad con Asombro/ In Darkness with Wonder. Does embracing nature/the natural world mean you have a mothers responsibility to create a home? Every drip it seems is changed by its relationship with life, whether it encounters moss or maple or fir bark or my hair. Then I would find myself thinking about something the author said, decide to give the book another try, read a couple of essays, etc. The other chapter that captured me is titled Witness to the Rain. Rather than being historical, it is descriptive and meditative. 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. It teaches the reader so many things about plants and nature in general. This chapter focuses on a species of lichen called Umbilicaria, which is technically not one organism but two: a symbiotic marriage between algae and fungi. I read this book almost like a book of poetry, and it was a delightful one to sip and savor. 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. This quote from the chapter Witness to the Rain, comes from a meditation during a walk in the rain through the forest. Algae photosynthesizes and thus produces its own nutrients, a form of gathering, while fungi must dissolve other living things in order to harness their acids and enzymes, a form of hunting. In this chapter, Kimmerer discusses the legacy of Indian boarding schools, such as Carlisle, and some of the measures that are being taken to reverse the damage caused by forcible colonial assimilation. Because she made me wish that I could be her, that my own life could have been lived as fully, as close to nature, and as gratefully as hers. And we think of it as simply time, as if it were one thing, as if we understood it. 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. One thing Ive learned in the woods is that there is no such thing as random. publication online or last modification online. 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.. Observe them and work to see them beyond their scientific or everyday names. Its about pursuing the wants and needs of humans, with less concern for the more-than-human world. Not because I have my head. The Earth is providing many valuable gifts for us, including fresh air, water, lands and many more natural resources to keep us alive. Did the Depression-era reference hit home with you? 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. Next they make humans out of wood. Does the act of assigning scientific labels halt exploration? 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. She isnt going for a walk or gathering kindling or looking for herbs; shes just paying attention. 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. 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. Where will they go? As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. publication in traditional print. Did you note shapes as metaphor throughout the book? Book Synopsis. 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. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us. Praise and Prizes What were your thoughts on the structure of the book and the metaphor of sweetgrass life cycle? Privacy | Do not sell my personal information | Cookie preferences | Report noncompliance | Terms of use| 2022 Autodesk Inc. All rights reserved, Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants. Despairing towards the end of the trip that she had focused too much on scientific graphing of vegetation and too little on the spiritual importance of land, Kimmerer recalls being humbled as the students began to sing Amazing Grace. How often do we consider the language, or perceptions, of those with whom we are trying to communicate? The second date is today's Kimmerer reaches a place where shes in tune with nature. 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. She compares this healthy relationship to the scientific relationship she experienced as a young scholar, wherein she struggled to reconcile spirituality, biology, and aesthetics into one coherent way of thinking. I read this book in a book club, and one of the others brought some braided Sweetgrass to our meeting. Today were celebrating Robin Wall Kimmerer, Professor of Environmental Science and Forestry at State University of New York College and citizen of the Potawatomi Nation. How will they change on their journey? Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. And we think of it as simply rain, as if it were one thing, as if we understood it. Never thought I would rate my last three non-fiction reads 5 stars. 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. (LogOut/ It asks whether human beings are capable of being mothers too, and whether this feminine generosity can be reciprocated in a way which is meaningful to the planet. Braiding Sweetgrass is a nonfiction work of art by Dr. Robin Kimmerer. Written from a native American point of view, Braiding Sweetgrass (2013) is one of the most unusual books Ive read. Does your perception of food change when you consider how food arrived at your table; specifically, a forced removal vs. garden nurturing? Living out of balance with the natural world can have grave ecological consequences, as evidenced by the current climate change crisis. Your email address will not be published. It perceives the family of life to be little more than a complex biochemical machine. Sshhhhh from rain, pitpitpit from hemlock, bloink from maple and lastly popp of falling alder water. What did you think of Robins use of movement as metaphor and time? Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 2023 . As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. 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. Get help and learn more about the design. 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.". Each raindrop will fall individually, its size and destination determined by the path of its falls and the obstacles it encounters along its journey. Did this chapter change your view on the inner workings of forests? In that environment, says Kimmerer, there was no such thing as alone. In areas where it was ignored, it came back reduced in quantity, thus bearing out the Native American saying: Take care of the land and the land will take care of you.. The book the President should read, that all of us who care about the future of the planet should read, is Robin Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass. I'm sure there is still so much I can't see. What have you overlooked or taken for granted? Take some time to walk about campus or some other natural space. Were you familiar with Carlisle, Pennsylvania prior to this chapter? Many of the pants have since become invasive species, choking or otherwise endangering native species to sustain their own pace of exponential growth. Witness to the rain Download PDF Year: 2011 Publications Type: Book Section Publication Number: 4674 Citation: Kimmerer, Robin W. 2011. In the story, the first divine beings, or gods, create plants and animals to fill the emptiness. She is represented by. They all join together to destroy the wood people. It takes time for fine rain to traverse the scabrous rough surface of an alder leaf. 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. Why or why not? [], There are different kinds of drops, depending on the relationship between the water and the plant. 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. For example, Kimmerer calls a spruce tree strong arms covered in moss (p.208) and describes vine maples as a moss-draped dome (296). Do you feel we have created an imbalance with our symbiotic relationship with Earth? The questionssampled here focus onreader experience and connection. Christelle Enault is an artist and illustrator based in Paris. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. As a Potawatomi woman, she learned from elders, family, and history that the Potawatomi, as well as a majority of other cultures indigenous to this land, consider plants and animals to be our oldest teachers. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Preface and Planting Sweetgrass Summary and Analysis. This makes the story both history, ongoing process, and prophecy of the future. What are your thoughts on the assertion of mutual taming between plants and humans? Artist Tony Drehfal is a wood engraver, printmaker, and photographer. -Graham S. Immigrant culture should appreciate this wisdom, but not appropriate it, Kimmerer says. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. What are ways we can improve the relationship? This point of view isnt all that radical. 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.
Judge Griffin St Lucie County, Performance Velvet Fabrics, Articles W