The word in the Potawatomi language for the soft grass that grows near sun-filled meadows is wiingaashk, what author Robin Wall Kimmerer describes as the “sweet-smelling hair of Mother Earth” while also noting that its scientific name, Hierochloe odorata, means “the fragrant, holy grass.” Her book Braiding Sweetgrass is an invitation to discover the deep connection that exists between each of us and the land that we call home. In it, Kimmerer blends her unique perspectives as a mother, botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation – an Indigenous people native to the western Great Lakes region – to share insights that bring the reader closer to the wisdom of listening to the natural world, accepting its gifts and understanding the science behind nature at work. In her words Kimmerer says the book is an “intertwining of science, spirit and story – old stories and new ones that can be medicine for our broken relationship with the earth.”
This book and other titles for readers of all ages are available for check out from the Earth Care Library, which is open the second Sunday of each month in Great Hall after worship. Fall dates include September 10, October 8 and November 12.