Looking to expand your reading list and discuss a variety of issues and topics important to Native people? Please join our virtual book club, As They Speak: Native Voices in Today’s Literature. Based on a variety of topics and featuring a range of genres, all of the books we will be reading have been written by contemporary authors. This month, we will be reading and discussing The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Indigenous scientist and author Robin Wall Kimmerer considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy though focusing on the serviceberry in her new book. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? The serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.” Join the conversation hosted by IAIS Staff on Zoom.
In order to have a more intimate conversation, space is limited. Please register below in order to receive the Zoom link. Questions? Please call (860) 868 0518 or email events@iaismuseum.org. This is a free event, but donations are appreciated.
