![]() ![]() ![]() She makes the persuasive argument that her training as a botanist and her beliefs as a Potawatomi citizen are not inimical. Kimmerer tells stories through that lens. What if Western scientists saw plants as their teachers rather than their subjects? What if they told stories with that lens?" Plants are providers for the rest of the community and exemplify the virtues of generosity, always offering food. Not only do they feed themselves but they make enough to sustain the lives of all the rest of us. Plants know how to make food from light and water. They live both above and below the ground and hold the earth in place. Plants were here first and have had a long time to figure things out. We are referred to as the younger brothers of Creation, so like younger brothers we must learn from our elders. "In the indigenous view, humans are viewed as somewhat lesser beings in the democracy of species. The Native American consciousness acknowledges our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world and the generosity of Earth in providing everything that we need to live. She particularly embraces the idea that plants with their long history of living on Earth have much to teach us, that they are in fact our oldest and best teachers. Robin Wall Kimmerer is a trained botanist who, as a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is also a firm believer in the indigenous wisdom that values the other beings with whom we share this planet, both plant and animal. ![]()
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