by Buchanan, Carol

Publisher: Ten Speed Press, 1997.

If you’re wondering why I am writing a discussion on a book that came out over twenty years ago, the reason is simple. I found “Brother Crow, Sister Corn” at an Arborteum book sale and heard that this was one of the first books concerning Native American culture and gardening. The author is a published garden author as well as a historical novelist and the result is a beautifully written account of how Native Americans gardened.

Buchanan weaves gardening routines and cultural aspects. Most significantly, her book incorporates the spiritual rituals of gardening:

“Traditional American Indian gardens are alive not just as all gardens are alive, with plants sprouting, but with spiritual life–all living things are spiritually related.”

She discusses the differences between Native American tribes from different areas and why some gardened and some did not. She discusses the type of trading that can occur between these different tribes and the type of commodities they seek from each other. For example, a good yield will generate enough corn to trade and acquire things such as other types of food or skins to keep them warm through the winter.

She emphasizes the societal roles of the gardeners between women and men with each tribe having their own rules. Some tribes may view women better at gardening and will have them serve as guards and labor over their prized crop.

There was never without struggle even for the Native American gardeners. They were dependent on consistent, predictable weather from Nature. This was a bit of a repeated learning lesson for me–that part of gardening is to accept the flaws of your own personal garden challenges as they have always occurred throughout time even by our First Peoples.

Like the size of the book, this synopsis will be short. Should you get your hands on this book, purchase it. The beautiful prose will carry you into another world and time.