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43. Braiding Sweetgrass.
[Nanabozho] walked the land, handing out names to all he met, an
Anishinaabe Linnaeus. I like to think of the two of them walking together.
Linnaeus the Swedish botanist and zoologist, in his loden jacket and woolen
trousers, with felt hat cocked back on his forehead and a vasculum under his
arm, and Nanabozho naked but for his breechcloth and a single feather, with
a buckskin bag under his arm. They stroll along discussing the names for
things. They’re both so enthusiastic, pointing out the beautiful leaf
shapes, the incomparable flowers. Linnaeus explains his Systema Naturae, a
scheme designed to show the ways in which all things are related. Nanabozho
nods enthusiastically, “Yes, that is also our way: we say, ‘We are all
related.’” He explains that there was a time when all beings spoke the same
language and could understand one another, so all of Creation knew each
other’s names. Linnaeus looks wistful about that. “I ended up having to
translate everything into Latin,” he says of binomial nomenclature. “We lost
any other common language long ago.” Linnaeus lends Nanabozho his magnifying
glass so he can see the tiny floral parts. Nanabozho gives Linnaeus a song
so he can see their spirits. And neither of them are lonely.
Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass is a collection of essays that
combine the scientific study of botany with Indigenous teachings on plants
(and humanity’s relationship to the natural world). Originally released in
2013, the book’s popularity has continued to grow. Chris and Suzanne explore
what makes this book so appealing, what the book is successful at, and also
what its limitations might be. In particular, Suzanne discusses some things
the book has inspired her to do in the year or so since she first read it.
Show Notes.
Robin Wall Kimmerer: Braiding Sweetgrass.
[Bookshop.]
Her other book, Gathering
Moss.
Our episodes on Memory Serves and
Monkey Beach.
Zoe Todd’s Twitter thread on Kimmerer’s
books.
Our episodes on Exile and Pride and
Times Square Red, Times Square Blue.
Elissa Washuta and Theresa Warburton, eds.: Shapes of Native
Nonfiction.
Speaking of urban Indigenous thought, here’s an upcoming essay collection
called Indigenous Toronto.
[Book launch.]
Tom Porter: And Grandma Said...: Iroquois Teachings: as passed down through
the oral tradition.
Amanda Earl, ed.: Judith: Women Making Visual
Poetry.
Dionne Brand: A Map to the Door of No
Return.
Tove Jansson; Letters from Tove.
Next: J.R.R. Tolkien: The Fellowship of the Ring.
[Bookshop.]
Support The Spouter-Inn on Patreon.
(Thanks!)
View all episodes
By Suzanne Conklin Akbari and Chris Piuma
4.8
3030 ratings
[Nanabozho] walked the land, handing out names to all he met, an
Anishinaabe Linnaeus. I like to think of the two of them walking together.
Linnaeus the Swedish botanist and zoologist, in his loden jacket and woolen
trousers, with felt hat cocked back on his forehead and a vasculum under his
arm, and Nanabozho naked but for his breechcloth and a single feather, with
a buckskin bag under his arm. They stroll along discussing the names for
things. They’re both so enthusiastic, pointing out the beautiful leaf
shapes, the incomparable flowers. Linnaeus explains his Systema Naturae, a
scheme designed to show the ways in which all things are related. Nanabozho
nods enthusiastically, “Yes, that is also our way: we say, ‘We are all
related.’” He explains that there was a time when all beings spoke the same
language and could understand one another, so all of Creation knew each
other’s names. Linnaeus looks wistful about that. “I ended up having to
translate everything into Latin,” he says of binomial nomenclature. “We lost
any other common language long ago.” Linnaeus lends Nanabozho his magnifying
glass so he can see the tiny floral parts. Nanabozho gives Linnaeus a song
so he can see their spirits. And neither of them are lonely.
Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass is a collection of essays that
combine the scientific study of botany with Indigenous teachings on plants
(and humanity’s relationship to the natural world). Originally released in
2013, the book’s popularity has continued to grow. Chris and Suzanne explore
what makes this book so appealing, what the book is successful at, and also
what its limitations might be. In particular, Suzanne discusses some things
the book has inspired her to do in the year or so since she first read it.
Show Notes.
Robin Wall Kimmerer: Braiding Sweetgrass.
[Bookshop.]
Her other book, Gathering
Moss.
Our episodes on Memory Serves and
Monkey Beach.
Zoe Todd’s Twitter thread on Kimmerer’s
books.
Our episodes on Exile and Pride and
Times Square Red, Times Square Blue.
Elissa Washuta and Theresa Warburton, eds.: Shapes of Native
Nonfiction.
Speaking of urban Indigenous thought, here’s an upcoming essay collection
called Indigenous Toronto.
[Book launch.]
Tom Porter: And Grandma Said...: Iroquois Teachings: as passed down through
the oral tradition.
Amanda Earl, ed.: Judith: Women Making Visual
Poetry.
Dionne Brand: A Map to the Door of No
Return.
Tove Jansson; Letters from Tove.
Next: J.R.R. Tolkien: The Fellowship of the Ring.
[Bookshop.]
Support The Spouter-Inn on Patreon.
(Thanks!)
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