BOZHO NIKAN, ni je na ... hello, my relatives, how are you all?
FOOD
SOVEREIGNTY and HERITAGE SEED BANK issues are at the core of our newly
reorganized and placed Community Garden at the Citizen Potawatomi Tribal
Complex in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
This
year's plantings include a newly planted orchard, sacred berry plots, a
three sisters field, a state sponsored butterfly research project and
propagation greenhouse, herbs, wild flowers, a Medicine Wheel planting
and many other plantings.
The
newest arrival to the Citizen Potawatomi Community Garden has been the
long traveling and awaited sweet grass plants. These plants have
undergone a lengthy acclimation process from their northern homelands by
spending at least 4 years in the care of various members of the Flint
Hills Wisdom Keepers group of Manhattan, Kansas, and most recently by
living and growing for four years in the Oklahoma gardens of Minisa
Crumbo Halsey.
During these years their grass relations have given generously to sweet grass braids and new plantings.
They
are been joyously received and will be planted in the northern Citizen
Potawatomi gardens for all of us: the elders, young people, those yet to
come, and those who went before as well as those in mid life who are as
yet, shouldered with the responsibilities of life.
We welcome the ezeshkemewegyek, the blessing herb, to its new home.
Kiche
migwech to all those who fostered and lovingly tended these skebyak,
green beings, as they continue to make their earth walk with us two
leggeds as we progress together, along the ancient Potawatomi migration
prophesy trail.
And,
kiche migwech to the ezeshkemewegyek ... and many thanks to all of the
skebjak, may we continue to walk together ... in balance and
harmony ... all the days of our lives ... now and forever more.
AHO! Bama Pi..
Wabaksekwe
Minisa Crumbo Halsey
On Wed. June 7, 2017, the traveling sweet grass, ezeshkemegwek, is
formally gifted from Minisa to Heath at the Community Garden Project,
Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Shawnee, OK.
