Witness to the rain. publication in traditional print. Change). Did you note shapes as metaphor throughout the book? Listening, standing witness, creates an openness to the world in which boundaries between us can dissolve in a raindrop." From 'Witness to Rain' [essay], BRAIDING SWEETGRASS: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer, 2015 by Milkweed Editions. Consider the degree of attention you give to the natural world. 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. As she says: We are all bound by a covenant of reciprocity: plant breath for animal breath, winter and summer, predator and prey, grass and fire, night and day, living and dying. Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerers "Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants,". The way of natural history. Do you relate more to people of corn or wood? Not what I expected, but all the better for it. In: Fleischner, Thomas L., ed. How can we have a relationship if we lack thorough understanding, an ability to listen, and ideas to give back to the natural world? Will the language you use when referencing plants change? After reading the book, what do you find yourself curious about? What creates a strong relationship between people and Earth? 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. What have you overlooked or taken for granted? The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. How did the explanation of circular time affect your perception of stories, history, and the concept of time in which you are most familiar? 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. Visualize an element of the natural world and write a letter of appreciation and observation. Its about pursuing the wants and needs of humans, with less concern for the more-than-human world. So I stretch out, close my eyes, and listen to the rain. They all join together to destroy the wood people. 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. Copyright 2020 The Christuman Way. This quote from the chapter Witness to the Rain, comes from a meditation during a walk in the rain through the forest. 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. 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. RECIPROCITY. Were you familiar with Carlisle, Pennsylvania prior to this chapter? What did you think of the Pledge of Interdependence? I choose joy. What problems does Kimmerer identify and what solutions does she propose in 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. People who lived in the old-growth forest belonged to a community of beings that included humans, plants, and animals who were interdependent and equal. 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. 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. We are approaching the end of another section inBraiding Sweetgrass. Then she listens. 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.. She is the author of numerous scientific articles, and the book Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. 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. 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. 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. In her talk, she references another scientist and naturalist weve covered before,Aldo Leopold. We are grateful that the waters are still here and meeting their responsibility to the rest of Creation. I can see my face reflected in a dangling drop. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. In addition to this feature event, Sweet Briar is hosting a series of events that complement . 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. Why or why not? . Witness to the Rain 293-300 BURNING SWEETGRASS Windigo Footprints 303-309 . Does anything in your life feel like an almost insurmountable task, similar to the scraping of the pond? Cheers! How do you feel about solidity as an illusion? 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. Kimmerer describes Skywoman as an "ancestral gardener" and Eve as an "exile". The author spends several hours in the rain one day. How can we create our own stories (or lenses) to view sacred relationships? Why or why not? I think that moss knows rain better than we do, and so do maples. This passage also introduces the idea of ilbal, or a seeing instrument that is not a physical lens or device but a mythology. Kimmerer reaches a place where shes in tune with nature. Listening, standing witness, creates an openness to the world in which the boundaries between us can dissolve in a raindrop. [Illustration offered as an anonymous gift :-)]. Parts of it are charming and insightful. Give your attention to the plants and natural elements around you. Instead, settler society should write its own story of relationship to the world, creating its own. 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. I was intimated going into it (length, subject I am not very familiar with, and the hype this book has) but its incredibly accessible and absolutely loved up to the seemingly unanimous five star ratings. "As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Robin Wall Kimmerer has spent . Robin Kimmerers relation to nature delighted and amazed me, and at the same time plunged me into envy and near despair. What questions would you add to this list? 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. For more discussion prompts and facilitation tips,or to join the conversation, please join the Buffs OneRead community course: Braiding Sweetgrass. Reflecting on the book, have your perspectives, views, or beliefs shifted? Many of her arguments rely on this concept of honour, which is what she thinks weve abandoned in our publicpolicies. While the discursive style of, As we struggle to imagine a future not on fire, we are gifted here with an indigenous culture of. Five stars for the author's honest telling of her growth as a learner and a professor, and the impressions she must have made on college students unaccustomed to observing or interacting with nature. 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. 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?. Can anyone relate to the fleeting African violet? Did you find the outline structure of the chapter effective? 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. Our lifestyle content is crafted to bring eco-friendly and sustainable ideas more mainstream. Each print is individually named with a quality that embodies the ways they care for us all. The Skywoman story, shared by the original people's throughout the Greak Lakes, is a constant star in the constellation of teachings we call the Original Instructions. Burning Sweetgrass and Epilogue Summary and Analysis, The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. Clearly I am in the minority here, as this book has some crazy high ratings overall. 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. After reading the book do you feel compelled to take any action or a desire to impact any change? Adapting Fearlessness, Nonviolence, Anarchy and Humility in the 21st century. The series Takes Care of Us honors native women and the care, protection, leadership and love the provide for their communities. 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. They make the first humans out of mud, but they are ugly and shapeless and soon melt away in the rain. 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. 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. When you have all the time in the world, you can spend it, not on going somewhere, but on being where you are. Was there a passage that struck you and stayed with you after you finished reading? Robin Wall Kimmerer . Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Kimmerer's words to your own sense of place and purpose at Hotchkiss. 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. What ceremonies are important to you, and serve as an opportunity to channel attention into intention? What are your thoughts concerning indigenous agriculture in contrast to Western agriculture? Witness to the Rain In this chapter, Kimmerer considers the nature of raindrops and the flaws surrounding our human conception of time. From his origins as a real estate developer to his incarnation as Windigo-in-Chief, he has regarded "public lands"our forests, grasslands, rivers, national parks, wildlife reservesall as a warehouse of potential commodities to be sold to the highest bidder. Mediums and techniques: linoleum engravings printed in linen on both sides. 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. online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. We will discuss it more soon on their podcast and in the meantime I'll try to gather my thoughts! Without the knowledge of the guide, she'd have walked by these wonders and missed them completely. 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. She is wrong. In Witness to the Rain, Kimmerer gives uninterrupted attention to the natural world around her. 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. Where will the raindrops land? One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Kimmerer has often pointed out the importance of direct experience with the land and other living things. 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.". Where will they go? San Antonio, TX: Trinity University Press: 187-195. 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. In the story, the first divine beings, or gods, create plants and animals to fill the emptiness. Consider the degree of attention you give to the natural world. Her rich use of metaphor and storytelling make this a nonfiction book that leaves an impression as well as a desire to reflect upon new perspectives. A New York Times Bestseller A Washington Post Bestseller Named a Best Essay Collection of the Decade by Literary Hub As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. The gods send disasters to strike them, and they also give the rest of creation their own voices to speak out against their mistreatment. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. What was most surprising or intriguing to you? Is it possible that plants have domesticated us? Inside looking out, I could not bear the loneliness of being dry in a wet world. She is represented by. 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. In part to share a potential source of meaning, Kimmerer, who is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and a professor at the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science . Everything is steeped in meaning, colored by relationships, one thing with another.[]. By paying attention we acknowledge that we have something to learn from intelligences other than our own. What are your thoughts on the assertion of mutual taming between plants and humans?

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