Designing Ecological Habitats - Gaia Education

Suzanne Foote describes in moving eloquence how locally adapted food systems are
vital to the maintenance of indigenous cultural traditions – you could say that local food
systems are the basis of local cultural traditions. Through her work with the Sioux Nation,
Suzanne developed multiple programs to restore place-based agricultural practices.
These programs have resulted in increased health, community pride, and a sense of selfdetermination.
Suzanne relates the Sioux creed that food is sacred, and so its production
and delivery cannot be entrusted to elements outside the community. There are profound
lessons here for all of us who have adopted the practice of growing our own food.
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Reviving the Past to Sustain the
Future: Native Sioux Agricultural
Systems
Suzanne Foote – Manitou Institute, Colorado, USA
Every year, native plant species and traditional farming practices are
increasingly vanishing globally. Since the early 1500s, well over half of all
native crop species have been lost as well as the knowledge of traditional
native agricultural practices. A collective effort must take place now to save
remaining seed species and revive traditional agricultural practices to ensure
future food security and cultural integrity.
Years ago, Sam Moves Camp, a Sioux Medicine Man, told the Lakota
Nation that they must return to their traditional core diet of native corn,
beans, and squash as well as wild-crafted foods indigenous to the Lakota
people. Sam gave very specific directions and delivered a compelling message
to his people, stating
we must get back to the land – this is a priority. We must acknowledge the
spiritually-based, ecologically sound relationships and traditions of the Lakota
and the plant species that we have evolved with and depended on. Together we
must preserve our ancient food crops for our future survival as a people.
He also declared that, “If these traditional food crops become extinct, our
culture and our spirit also will become extinct.”
Sam’s message correlates with several prophecies, such as those of
Padmasambhava, or Guru Rinpoche as he is also known. In eighth century
Tibet, he warned that certain conditions will come to pass in our time
because of humanity’s behavioral patterns. People will die of starvation
even as there is food to eat because the food itself will become lifeless.