Paper short abstract:

Told from the perspective of a Haudenosaunee woman, I discuss the cultural, historical, scientific, and political reasons why saving seeds from three sisters gardens is crucial to Haudenosaunee food sovereignty. Corn, beans, and squash seeds will help sustain minds and bodies of future generations

Paper long abstract:

Haudenosaunee history begins with our creation story. In that story, we learn about the seeds Sky Woman brought with her as she fell to the earth. These seeds would be activated with the death of her daughter. Corn, beans, squash, tobacco, strawberries, and potatoes would grow from her buried body. These plants would become sustenance for the human beings yet to be created. Throughout our tumultuous Haudenosaunee human history, corn, beans, and squash have remained by our side, serving as a constant in our daily and ceremonial lives. An understanding of basic science is necessary to understand the importance of properly saving seeds from these gardens, ensuring these foods continue to sustain the minds and bodies of future generations. They provide sustenance the way highly processed, nutritionally void foods cannot. Growing our foods on our own terms is a way to combat colonization, assimilation, and removal. Every time an indigenous person plants a seed, that is an act of resistance, an assertion of sovereignty, and a reclamation of identity. One Haudenosaunee community in particular, the Oneida Reservation in Wisconsin, is taking a three prong approach to bolster food sovereignty through efforts of the tribal government,efforts of an agricultural cooperative, and efforts of family farmsteads.