“Braiding Sweetgrass” – A Book Discussion

Braiding Sweetgrass is a book about traditional ecological knowledge and environmental humanities exploring the reciprocal relationships between humans and the land focusing on the role of plants and botany in Native American and Western traditions. Potawatomi professor, Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer, combines her training in Western scientific methods and her Native American knowledge about sustainable land stewardship to describe a more joyful and ecological way of using our land in Braiding Sweetgrass.

Kimmerer writes about her personal experiences working with plants and reuniting with her people’s cultural traditions. The history of the plants and botany is also presented from a scientific perspective. She has said about the book that, “I wanted readers to understand that Indigenous knowledge and Western science are both powerful ways of knowing, and that by using them together we can imagine a more just and joyful relationship with the Earth.” She describes the book as “an invitation to celebrate the gifts of the earth.”

A facilitated discussion will be offered where folks can participate or listen to the conversation. Folks are encouraged, as they wish, to review or read the book prior to the discussion night. The book may be checked out at the Fremont County Library in Lander or purchased locally at Indian Territory, Inc., 502 Main St, Lander, WY or through Amazon.