During Taquônk, Autumn, we reflect on the harvest of corn, beans, squash, and pumpkins while contemplating food sovereignty – the right to access healthy foods tied to culture and community. As a citizen of the Narragansett Nation, I emphasize the importance of having access to our homeland’s foods. Our ancestors thrived for thousands of years here, thanks to the land’s diverse gifts, including freshwaters, forests, and fields. Throughout the year, we harvest these gifts in balance and reciprocity, which provide nourishment, medicine, and a connection to our spirituality. Each season, the Creator offers unique gifts. In spring, we enjoy maple sugar, fiddleheads, herring, and salmon, utilizing river systems to harvest these offerings. Summer brings an abundance from salt waters – clams, crabs, and various fish – while also allowing us to cultivate crops such as corn, beans, and squash. The “Three Sisters” are more than just plants; they symbolize the interdependence of the sun, rain, soil, and all living beings, including humans, who tend the gardens and give thanks for the harvest. Today, access to these resources is challenged by urban development, making it harder to maintain traditional practices. Food sovereignty initiatives are crucial to raise awareness of our rights as Indigenous people to hunt, fish, and gather traditional foods. Over the past 400 years, the commodification of our lands and waters has diminished access to these gifts. We continue to advocate for agricultural initiatives and access to open lands for harvesting traditional foods, highlighting the connection between food sovereignty, historical lifeways, and Indigenous rights. •
Lorén Spears is executive director at the Tomaquag Museum in Exeter. The museum, one of the oldest tribal museums in the country, has a vision to promote “the history and culture of the Indigenous People of the Dawnland, recognize and understand the impact of conquest and colonization on Indigenous People today, and take action to create equity.” They opened in 1958 under Eva Butler, an anthropologist, alongside the late Princess Red Wing (Narragansett/ Wampanoag), as the first to provide Indigenous education; they have continued making that a priority with the creation of a cultural immersion school, Nuweetooun School, in 2003 that services tribal children K-8. The museum is a hub for Indigenous story-telling, with visits from Native professionals and artists, alongside classes that aim to educate the public about the thriving Rhode Island Indigenous community. Spears is a Narragansett Tribal Nation citizen and holds a Master’s in Education, with a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2017, from URI, and a Doctor of Education from Roger Williams. As an author and artist, she has worked on many publications centered around Indigenous narratives, and continues to promote land stewardship and food sovereignty through her work with the Tomaquag Museum. You can find more information about Lorén Spears, the Tomaquag Museum, and their upcoming events / how to get involved at tomaquagmuseum.org.
Illustration of Three Sisters by Garlan Miles via Wikimedia Commons.
