#haudenosaunee — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #haudenosaunee, aggregated by home.social.
-
10 #IndigenousGardening Techniques Still Used Today
By: Robin Sweetser, May 3, 2026
"As gardeners, we are connected to all people who have come before us, caring for the earth and learning how to best grow crops. Ready for the best gardening techniques? Let’s have a look at some age-old gardening wisdom that’s still relevant today.
A Long History of #Gardening
#Gourds, #beans, and #peppers were being cultivated in #Mexico by 5500 BC, and by 5000 BC, #maize was being grown in #Mesoamerica, and #potatoes in #SouthAmerica. The success or failure of these crops had a major impact on people’s survival. It was critical not only that the land provided sustenance but that it sustained them year after year, which required knowledge of #sustainable growing techniques to preserve the land for future generations.
We hear buzzwords like 'sustainable' or 'permaculture' and 'organic' today. But these techniques were here long before we started talking about 'going green.' Perhaps your grandparents also knew some of the older, gentler ways. Many are simply intuitive and based on fostering a closer relationship with nature and the land. If you don’t already, you might want to think about integrating some of these techniques into your own landscape.
Many of the following practices are often viewed as 'new' to the gardening world, but they’ve been around for a long, long time. They have all been traditionally used by #NativeAmerican peoples, but that is not to say that all of these techniques were used by all Native American cultures. Just like separate countries, #Indigenous cultures vary widely in their gardening philosophies and techniques. Below are just a few #sustainable, Earth-conscious ways to grow a better garden.
These practices originate from diverse Indigenous nations across North and South America, including the #Haudenosaunee (#Iroquois), #Hopi, #Wampanoag, and many others. Agricultural traditions varied widely by climate, geography, and culture.
Companion Planting (the #ThreeSisters Method)
Time-honored gardening wisdom says that certain plants, when grown together, improve each other’s health and yields. For instance, some plants attract beneficial insects that help to protect a companion, while other plants (particularly herbs) act as repellents.
A commonly cited example is the Three Sisters Garden, which has been traditionally practiced by the Wampanoag people of what is now the northeastern United States. A prime demonstration of companion planting at its best, corn provides support for pole beans to climb, the beans add nitrogen to the soil for future crops to use, and squash leaves shade the soil around the taller plants, like a living mulch. Squash’s prickly leaves also deter marauding animal pests. Some would add a fourth sister—a flowering plant such as #sunflowers—to draw in #pollinators.
#Intercropping or #polyculture of plants that have mutual benefits (aka companion planting) mimics the way different species grow together in nature. #Monoculture, on the other hand, leads to the exhaustion of soil nutrients. Indigenous people also discovered that plant diversity meant diet diversity. If one crop should fail, the others could fill that void.
Try 'intercropping' in your vegetable garden. Sneak small crops in between bigger ones; the small crops will be ready before the big ones need the space.
#Terracing for #SoilConservation
Terracing creates flat planting beds in hilly terrain. Taming the steep slopes slows runoff, allowing water to seep into the beds and curb erosion.
Creating terraces in which to garden is an especially good way to garden where rain is seasonal, sporadic, and often comes in heavy downpours. In the southwestern U.S., for example, terracing was key to the agricultural success of the Anasazi and their descendants, the #Hopi, who still use terraced gardens today. This can be seen in the village of #HotevillaBacavi, in northern Arizona, where traditional #TerracedGardens were restored in the 1990s.
If you wish to garden sustainably on sloped land for years to come, the use of terracing is essential in avoiding soil erosion that carries your precious topsoil away.
There are different types of #terracing. If you have a slope, consider using some rocks or retaining walls to create a series of flattened areas, mitigating runoff. Ancient terraces are seen all over the steep terrain in #Greece, too.
Traditional Irrigation Methods
Thousands of years ago, the Anasazi people inhabited what is now the Four Corners region of the U.S., an area known for its low annual rainfall. They traditionally built catchments, check dams (dams made of rock that held onto soil but allowed water to pass through), and reservoirs to collect the infrequent stormwater. The Hopi people of northern Arizona also use these age-old techniques to irrigate their gardens in this arid landscape, although modern technology has allowed for expanded #WaterConservation efforts.
If you live in a dry area, storing water in ponds, cisterns, or even a #RainBarrel is a wise idea, as the reserved water can be used for irrigation as needed.
Conversely, in areas with floods, people learned how to use what could be destructive as a way to boost productivity. For example, one technique was to create shallow depressions so that when the floodwaters rose, the water could be stored. Another technique was to use #canals near rivers to divert water to nearby farmland."
Read more:
https://www.almanac.com/10-indigenous-gardening-techniques-still-used-today#SolarPunkSunday #GrowYourOwnFood #NativeAmericans #TraditionalTechnology #ClimateChangeGardening #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #TEK #TerracedGardens #RainGardens
-
the #Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) explicitly called their game ( #lacrosse) "little brother of war"
a conscious purposeful substitute for war
the function of sport is to release physical aggression harmlessly
however for the Haudenosaunee, games would range over vast distances and last for days. so sometimes, in the woods, someone would come back bloodied, or not at all. a way of settling scores (rather than war) that was not encouraged, but was understood to be part of the game
-
Celebration of the #Strawberry
"In the #Haudenosaunee culture, the strawberry is considered a gift from the Creator and the first berry of the season holds a special place for the #Oneida. The earliest of the sweet red berries are celebrated with a special ceremony in mid-June and the fruit holds the distinction of being the Oneida name for June – Awʌ́hihte’ (a-WUH-heat).
"Oneidas use strawberries in many ways and often flavor just about all foods and drinks with them come early summer. Some are eaten immediately; some are mashed and mixed with corn to make #StrawberryBread and some are mashed and dried in strips (sometimes called '#StrawberryLeather') to be used later in cooking or to eat alone.
"The juice, or '#StrawberryWater,' is known to promote health and well-being and is a feature of various ceremonies. #MedicinalTeas also can be made from the leaves and roots of the plant, helping to heal such ailments as diarrhea and inflamed, achy joints.
Strawberry Drink Recipe:Ingredients:
- 1 quart of fresh strawberries
- 1 cup of sugar or to taste (or maple syrup, the traditional sweetener)
- ½ gallon of waterWash and hull strawberries and place in blender or food processor with sugar and mix together. Pour into pitcher and thoroughly stir in water to blend.
Refrigerate to cool."
Source:
https://www.oneidaindiannation.com/stories-and-heritage-celebration-of-the-strawberry#SolarPunkSunday
#NativePlants #IndigenousFoods #Strawberries #StrawberryRecipes #StrawberryFestival -
#Solarpunk: A Deep Dive into the Cultural Revolution #Reimagining Our Future
The Philosophy Behind the Movement: More Than Just #SolarPanels
Solarpunk represents not just an aesthetic or literary movement, but a comprehensive framework for reimagining human civilization. Its strength lies in combining practical technical solutions with radical social and cultural innovation, while remaining grounded in ecological reality and human needs. As we face cascading environmental and social crises, Solarpunk offers not just hope, but a practical pathway forward that is both revolutionary and achievable.
by NickyCammarata
Nov 24, 2024Excerpts: "While mainstream coverage often focuses on Solarpunk’s aesthetic elements, the movement represents a fundamental reimagining of human civilization’s relationship with technology, nature, and itself. At its core, Solarpunk challenges the dominant narratives of both techno-optimism and eco-pessimism, proposing instead a radical middle path that embraces both technological advancement and ecological wisdom.
#Decolonial Roots and #Indigenous Influence
"Often overlooked in basic Solarpunk discussions is the movement’s deep connection to #IndigenousKnowledge systems and decolonial thinking. Many Solarpunk principles mirror traditional ecological practices:
- The concept of “#SeventhGeneration” decision-making from #Haudenosaunee philosophy
- #AustralianAboriginal practices of landscape management and fire ecology
- #Andean concepts of “#BuenVivir” (good living) that emphasize harmony between human communities and natural systems
- Traditional #Asian #agricultural practices that create #ClosedLoop systemsThe Political Economy of Solarpunk
Beyond #GreenCapitalism"Solarpunk explicitly rejects the notion that market forces alone can address environmental challenges. Instead, it proposes alternative economic models:
- Commons-based peer production
- Gift economies for local exchange
- Circular economic systems that eliminate waste
- Democratic ownership of key infrastructure
- Time banking and alternative currencies
- #Degrowth economics in overdeveloped regions
#TechnologicalSovereignty"Unlike techno-utopian visions that centralize control in #corporate hands, Solarpunk advocates for:
- #OpenSource technology development
- #CommunityOwned and maintained infrastructure
- Appropriate technology scaled to local needs
- #RightToRepair and modify equipment
- Distributed manufacturing through #makerspaces
- Knowledge sharing networks independent of #corporate control"#SolarPunkSunday #PostCapitalism #Capitalism #CircularEconomy #SmallScale #BuildingCommunity #SustainableAgriculture