Braiding SweetGrass

This book came so highly recommended, I don’t think I could have NOT read this damn thing at some point. I’m so glad I did. I read it while travelling in the US (Turtle Island) and those two experiences will always be intertwined for me.  To learn about this land while actually walking on it.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, a professor of environmental biology and an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, couldn’t have given more of herself to this work.  Her personal narrative steps you through each chapter; educating you about biological science and balancing it with Indigenous wisdom.

Kimmerer emphasizes the importance of listening to the voices of plants and the natural world, and argues that we must learn to see ourselves as part of, rather than separate from, the ecosystems we inhabit.

The book is organized into sections that correspond to four seasons, with each section exploring a different theme related to our relationship with the natural world. These themes include reciprocity, gratitude, and the importance of cultivating a sense of wonder and awe for the natural world.

I have to be honest – I still haven’t finished reading it. I don’t want it to be over.  I’m sure I’ll get there eventually.

"Braiding Sweetgrass" leaves me comforted and challenged.  I am still trying to integrate western science and indigenous knowledge into my personal and professional life.  Kimmerer’s gentle encouragement keeps me moving forward though.

Favourite Quote:

“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”

Robin Wall Kimmerer