Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What do people mean when they talk about “Indigenous” science? In what ways is this the same as and different from “Western” science?

Teaching Suggestion: Depending on your students’ backgrounds, they may have little or no knowledge about the existence of Indigenous science and its characteristics. Western preconceptions about Native ways of knowing can result in biased discussion; you may wish to prepare students with information from one or both of the resources below or similar sources before you open the floor to discussion, to minimize class time spent navigating the emotional and educational impact of students expressing misinformation in front of their peers.

• This brief factsheet from the Worldwide Indigenous Science network offers key ideas to understand about Indigenous science.
• This 10-minute video is a TED talk in which Bardi-Kija-Nyul Nyul man Albert Wiggan argues for the value of Indigenous science.

2. In what ways might Indigenous science be especially helpful in tackling environmental problems such as climate change? How is this a reflection of Indigenous approaches to science rather than a reflection of stereotypes about Native peoples’ relationship to nature?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt is intended to provoke more nuanced thought about how Indigenous science might contribute to solving environmental problems. Instead of reiterating harmful and inaccurate stereotypes about Native peoples as the “original environmentalists,” students are asked to consider the specific merits of contemporary Indigenous approaches to science and how this science might be applied to ecological concerns. The two resources listed below can be helpful in clarifying the difference between these two approaches.

• This 13-minute video is a TED talk in which native Hawaiian Haunani Kane describes how she is melding Western and Indigenous forms of environmental science.
• This insightful analysis discusses the danger of stereotypes about Native peoples’ relationship to the environment.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

What aspects of environmental degradation and climate change concern you the most? What are some social, technological, political, or economic changes that you would like to see happen in order to prevent the most extreme outcomes scientists say are possible?

Teaching Suggestion: Although this prompt is simply intended to remind students that they have a personal stake in the issues Kimmerer discusses in Braiding Sweetgrass, answering the prompt may be an emotional experience. At the extremes, some students may cope with worries of this nature by denying outright that climate change and environmental degradation are real, while others may be so aware of the looming danger that discussing these issues feels overwhelming. If you suspect that a discussion of this prompt may provoke unpleasant outcomes in your classroom, it is probably best to ask for written responses and offer support if any students seem distressed.