Taking from it without giving anything in return can only result in poverty and depletion. Giving back to the land results in abundance, Kimmerer demonstrates. The Earth is our home and the home of all living organisms. Indeed, the word ‘ecology’, she reminds us, is derived from oikos, the Greek word for home. But first, we must differentiate between indigenous knowing, which involves the mind, body, emotion and spirit – and scientific knowing, which focuses on the mind and body only.Īs an ecologist, Kimmerer sees the Earth as our home. The land provides us with all we need and gives us happiness and satisfaction. Our relationship with the land will not heal until we hear its stories. Like Gary Nabhan (author of Jesus for Farmers and Fishers, 2021, and The Nature of Desert Nature, 2020), Kimmerer draws a parallel between ‘restoration’ and ‘re-story-ation’. We must understand these stories and, equally importantly, tell new ones about our planet if it is to survive. The stories Kimmerer tells us are based on traditional indigenous wisdom. It is in our best interests to listen and to learn. While not all of us need to write, we must all be able to read and understand what Nature is telling us about our climate and our world. Braiding Sweet Grass is an excellent example of what words can tell us and how they can both challenge and comfort us. Language is our gift and our responsibility’ writes Kimmerer. ‘We may not have wings or leaves, but we humans do have words. Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.
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