I got to the greenhouse and noticed a small colorful sign pointing towards the direction of the ceremony. I walked through the greenhouse (people inside were watering plants, cleaning out pots, and doing the 'usual' plant observing). I noticed a group of people heading towards the back of the greenhouse, and so I followed.
The end of the greenhouse led to an open space, and after following a short 'trail,' and passing along some small plots of land with plants, I had arrived. The area was filled with people, mostly students, but also parents and faculty such as Prof. Pena.
Pena introduced the ceremony. Followed by Karen Caputer and Lou Miller. Miller, a descendant of Chief Sealth (better known as Chief Seattle), blessed the ceremony. Miller expressed that the blessing was one that was used for blessig foods and also at wedding ceremonies. The blessing was performed with the backdrop of the plots to be planted and the background noise of cars from the near street, bikers on the Burke Gillman trail, and even a plain flying by.
Pena returned to talk about seed saving. Pena's grandmother saved seeds. According to Pena, seed saving and sharing is the most important responsibility as seed saving provides the deep history of particular peoples as well as maintains the genetic composure of certain seeds amidst a very evolving world.
To my surprise, a friend of mine, Maria Guillen Valdovinos, was present with her parents. The Guillen Valdovinos family went up in front of the gro
up and shared their family story about migrating within Mexico and into the United States. It was interesting to correlate the family's story with the 'ojo de cabra' bean. According to one of the Acroecology students present, the 'ojo de cabra' bean had come form Guatemala, then into Mexico, next came its introduction in L.A., and now we find it here in Seattle. Through the migration, the family sought to maintain traditional food ways, and so the family grows much of its own produce in their home in Moses Lake, Washington.It was awesome to hear about epazote (given to children when sick, can be eaten with beans or shrimp), maiz negro, jicama, canilla, and all the other types of maiz used for tortillas, tamales, and posole.
For me, the UW Farm Blessing was a very special ceremony. At first a giggled as I shared with a friend that all I saw were white hippies and Chicano's running around the farm. But then I digged deeper and figured that these people were there for a purpose, the purpose of wanting to share with eachother knowledge about growing ones own foods. Growing one's own produce serves as means of not only saving money and eating healthier, but also as means of maintaining roots and culture. I recognized most the the seeds and plants the Guillen Valdovinos family talked about, but I rarely see them or even eat them unless I'm at home with my family. Thus, their story and their motivation in being at the blessing on friday was very inspiring.
Jacinta Heath, both Abenaki and Cree, shared that people often disassociate themselves with the land, the land which we call our mother. I agree with Heath, especially in considering the concepts we've been learning about in class from Pena about how humans for the most part tend to mystify and 'other' nature, as opposed to embracing it as the home for which it is.
Finally, I'd like to end with this quote and the picture below to set as an illustration. The quote was shared by Pena, one provided by his grandmother.
'La semilla es la memoria de la planta de como vivir bien en este lugar.' 'The seed is the memory of the plant for how to live well in this place.'
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