Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

“Not by Skywoman alone, but from the alchemy of all the animals’ gifts coupled with her deep attitude.”

The opening story of the Skywoman and the moment of creation sets the tone for the text. Here, humanity and the natural world are working in close harmony. They come together to create a kind of alchemy, an act of creation that is not possible for humans alone. By learning to work with the natural world, the text suggests, humanity will unlock a limitless power.

“Children, language, lands: almost everything was stripped away, stolen when you weren’t looking because you were trying to stay alive.”

The story of the sweetgrass and the environment as described in the book is inseparable from the story of the Indigenous people of North America. The violence and the theft removed “children, language, lands” (17), but also the knowledge of how to live in harmony with nature. Only by returning to this knowledge, the author suggests, will humanity be able to practice a truly sustainable existence.

“Ceremonies large and small have the power to focus attention to a way of living awake in the world.”

In this quote, the author highlights the importance of ceremonies. Rather than being purely spiritual or religious in nature, these actions have important literal meanings. The acts of leaving behind kindling and cleaning the campsite, for example, demonstrate a commitment to the preservation of the natural world which extends beyond pure belief and into actionable community benefits.