The reciprocity theme continues in this section with an emphasis upon the gifts the land provides, finding our unique gifts to give in return, how our gifts can be used to foster the sense of community, and how “plants teach in a universal language: food.” (p. 129) ‘The Three Sisters’ (pp. 128 - 140) story is especially poignant and informative. The reader learns that “… the lessons of reciprocity are written clearly in a Three Sisters garden. Together their stems inscribe what looks to me like a blueprint for the world, a map of balance and harmony.” When corn, beans, and squash are planted together, their “organic symmetry of forms belongs together… Respect one another, support one another, bring your gift to the world and receive the gifts of others, and there will be enough for all.” (p. 132)
‘The Honorable Harvest’ (pp. 175 – 201) “… asks us to give back, in reciprocity, for what we have been given.” (p. 190) The Guidelines of the Honorable Harvest are presented as rules that “… are based on accountability to both the physical and the metaphysical worlds.” (p. 183) Kimmerer discusses the culture of gratitude as a springboard for a culture of reciprocity, and the differences between reciprocity and the modern ecological movement towards sustainability.
1. What does each of The Three Sisters – corn, beans, and squash - bring to their reciprocal relationship? How can this partnership create a stronger community? Can you think of other examples of such win-win situations?
2. In our consumer-driven society, how can we put into realistic practice the covenants of The Honorable Harvest? How can we teach people to “remember that what’s good for the land is also good for the people”? (p. 195)
From The Longwood Gardens Library and Archives staff
The Honorable Harvest - "We need acts of restoration, not only for polluted waters and degraded lands, but also for our relationship to the world. We need to restore honor to the way we live, so that when we walk through the world we don't have to avert our eyes with shame, so that we can hold our heads up high and receive the respectful acknowledgement of the rest of the earth's beings."
Mishkos Kenomagwen: The Teachings of Grass - "If we allow traditions to die, relationships to fade, the land will suffer." Conservation and preservation of species cannot solely be about leaving them alone. Nonhuman species rely on humans just as humans rely on nonhuman species, and we must nurture these relationships.
I also appreciate the lessons from the Three Sisters and times I've gotten to see these lessons in action on farms that utilize polycultures and modify plants to fit the land rather than the other way around. I recently watched "The Biggest Little Farm" about Apricot Lanes Farm in California and it really showcases how bountiful and giving the land can be if we work with it and diversify. I like the quote from this section-- "The Three Sisters offer us a new metaphor for an emerging relationship between indigenous knowledge and Western science... corn as the traditional ecological knowledge, the physical and spiritual framework that can guide the curious beans of science, which times like a double helix. The…
Wisgaak Gokpenagen: A Black Ash Basket - "Black ash and basket makers are partners in a symbiosis between harvesters and harvested - ash relies on people as the people rely on ash." It is important to acknowledge these reciprocal human-nonhuman relationships. Black ash trees rely on basket makers to open the canopy to let light in, and basket makers rely on black ash trees to make baskets and carry the responsibility of an ancient relationship.
The Three Sisters - I love this chapter. Reading about the Three Sisters - corn, beans, and squash - and how they cooperate instead of compete with each other reminds me of my time in Guatemala in January. My class group had the opportunity to visit a permaculture center in southwestern Guatemala, and the center presentation leader was talking about Mayan culture and spirituality, and the indigenous values of gratitude and a reciprocal relationship with the land. He spoke of the Three Sisters, and asked the group if the way that they grow together is competition instead of cooperation. One student said without hesitation that yes, they are competing with each other. This is just not the case. "The gifts…