The planting of native seeds has cultural importance and is critical to combating climate change, says Samantha Whiteye.
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“Traditional seed harvesting is important culturally because the seeds are used for ceremonies and different cultural activities,” Whiteye said. “They’re also important from an ecological point of view because they can restore land to health.
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“It’s critical that we keep planting more native plants on the landscape to help mitigate climate change.”
Whiteye is from the Delaware Nation at Moravian Town near Chatham-Kent and visited the Six Nations Public Library on Saturday to talk about native seeds and their importance. Her presentation was titled Plant Medicines Bringing us Together and was offered through Carolinian Canada.
“I wanted to do a workshop center around native plants that brought together traditional and ecological knowledge,” Whiteye said. “It’s a way of bringing back and understanding the connections to culture and language.
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“I don’t think that connection has been lost but I think that for many First Nations that knowledge is sleeping.”
Whiteye works with First Nations language speakers to bring that understanding back to share it with the wider community. Her visit to Six Nations attracted just over 20 people.
Visiting First Nations is a tangible way that she can educate, build relationships and help communities connect to their culture, Whiteye said.
As part of her presentation, Whiteye distributed a variety of native seeds to encourage participants to add them to their gardens and properties. She also spoke about the traditional medicinal uses of native plants.
Purple cone plants, blood root and milkweed are a few examples of native plants that can help mitigate climate change. Female monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed and the plant’s flowers provide nectar for bees, butterflies and other insects.
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During her visit to Six Nations, Whiteye said she was looking forward to being at the Agriplex, in the Western Fair District in London on May 4.
“Carolinian Canada has revived what we know as ‘Go Wild Grow Wild’ and we’re calling it the Expo this year and we plan to do a grand re-branding and unveiling at the Expo,” Whiteye said. “We’re very excited because it’s an opportunity to bring environmental folks together, native plant growers, the community, youth and families to come and learn about native plants and what they can do to help steward the environment.”
The Expo runs from 9:30 am to 4 pm and the theme is Embedding Hope in The Land.
For more information visit www.caroliniancanada.ca/expo.
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