Introduction

“Every breath that you take was a breath that was made for you by plants. Whether you are on the top of a mountain or in an urban setting, you are breathing on this Earth because of the plant world. If we take the time to be grateful for the plant world we realize that we are not superior beings.” - Robin Wall Kimmerer

In this next activity, we will practice cultivating a relationship with another being, one from the plant world. In most indigenous communities around the world, the community is not just people but includes animals, plants, waters, and much more. Like in any other relationship, there are things we have to do to maintain this connection and keep it healthy. The land provides what the people need to live; and in return, the people do what they can to reciprocate, to provide for the land.

As we move throughout our days we see many other living beings–humans, but also birds, trees, insects, and of course cats and dogs. Our mind has two ways of registering our surroundings: consciously and unconsciously. While you register everything around yourself at all times, most of it is unconscious. What if we considered all of these beings as “persons”, not just plants and animals? In many native cultures, these beings are considered relatives. Elders even, since their species have lived on earth much longer than us human beings.

Step 1: Start Thinking in a New Way

Think about this exercise as a way to create a connection with your community which includes the plant world, and a way of shifting your perspective of “personhood” to non-human beings.

How could this change of thinking help us better understand humans' role within nature? Let’s see!

To get the thinking gears turning, watch this video by Robin Wall Kimmerer explaining how she sees the woods!

Step 2: Choose and get to Know Your Plant Neighbor

Pick a tree that you come across on a fairly regular basis, daily preferred. It could be on your block, or in your Neighborhood. A large bush, a shrub--can work, too!

Learn as much as you can about what kind of tree or plant it is.

a) What is its species name? Is there also an indigenous name for this species?
b) How old is this species of plant?
c) Where does it come from (is it native to the area or was it brought there)?
d) How have people used it in the past (is it just ornamental? Does it produce fiber? Is it medicinal or even poisonous in some way?)

After you've gathered information about your chosen plant, spend some time thinking about your personal relationship with the plant by answering these next few questions.

a) How often do you pass by it?
b) How often do you notice it when you pass it by, and what do you think when you do?
c) Explore it with your senses–sight, touch, smell (if it’s safe to!)

Step 3: Draw a “Portrait” of your plant and Reflect

************************ THIS SECTION IS STILL A WIP ************************

a) Then pick a nice day to sit by your tree or plant and sketch/draw a portrait of it! You can also paint or use any other medium that you desire to capture your plant.

b) And then choose a name for your tree, another way to create a more personal connection!

c) Many Indigenous people consider everything, including plants, to be in some way people. As you get to know your plant better, using your imagination, what do you think it would be like as a person? What would it like or dislike? How would it interact with others in the environment?

d)How does your relationship deepen as you get to know your plant better?

In the next few days, notice: has your relationship with your tree or plant changed? If so, how?

Step 4: Change for the better

Now, how do you maintain this cultivated relationship?!

Choose one of the following or do both!

a) Take your plant portrait and put it on your wall or your door to remind you of this "person". You can even find an old frame to put your portrait in.
b) Take a photo of your portrait and use it as your lock screen on your phone or screensaver on your computer as you would another loved one!
Think about some actionable steps to caretake for your plant community member as it cares for you and others!! Here are some suggestions but feel free to expand your care beyond these!

a) Keep the area around your plant clear from trash.
b) Make sure if there is a drought that your tree community member is watered.
c) Add some compost or wood chips for some nutrients on occasion to help keep your plant healthy.

We truly hope you learned something about yourself and the environment while doing this activity.

If you have already done this exercise in some way before, try doing it again every year. Think of it as a layering exercise where you can grow upon your past experiences, creating even stronger awareness and healthier habits!

More than anything, we hope you had a bit of fun and be sure to check out the other activities as well!

Extension Activity

Many Indigenous people feel that what makes them Indigenous is their relationship to a particular place in the world: to the land, to the living things on the land, and to the waters. Like in any other relationship, there are things we have to do to maintain this connection and keep it growing. Everyone is in some kind of relationship with the place around them, but we don’t always recognize this. This activity is designed to help you think more about the place where you live, and what your relationship to it is like.

Part 1.

Take an hour to go for a walk around your neighborhood. Take photos and reflect, as you do, on the following questions:

What do you notice right away in the place you live? It could be a building or group of buildings, a road or highway, natural features like a hill or a body of water–whatever grabs your attention first.
How easy is it to get around? Are there many places to walk to, and if not, how do most people get around instead?
Are any of the features that you noticed seasonal? Think about what your neighborhood is like during different seasons. What changes? What stays the same?

Part 2.

The cardinal directions–north, south, east, and west–have been central to the way people have thought about land and places since time immemorial. Even today, there are some cultures who use them exclusively, even in place of words like “left” and “right.” This exercise is to help you get more familiar with them.

If you don’t already know where the cardinal directions are from your home, try to find out. Maps–either physical or electronic–will be able to help you. What is nearby you in each direction? What is north of you, south of you, and so on?
Look around your neighborhood again and see if you can find landmarks for each of the directions: these can be natural features, buildings, signposts, or anything else that stands out.
Go for another hour-long walk, and this time, see if you can use your landmarks to determine which direction you’re going in as you do.
In some cultures, homes and other buildings are designed so that the walls face the four directions. Using what you’ve learned so far, try to determine which directions the walls of your room face. They might line up with the four directions, or they might not–they might be somewhere in between them, instead. Whatever the answer, on a table or other flat surface–even just the floor–make yourself some landmarks. Place some small objects–something that reminds you of each direction–to mark where the directions are.

After everything is done, reflect on how–if at all–your way of thinking about the place you live has changed.

One more thing before you go!

We truly hope you learned something about yourself and the environment while doing this activity.

If you have already done this exercise in some way before, try doing it again every year. Think of it as a layering exercise where you can grow upon your past experiences, creating even stronger awareness and healthier habits!