"Singing" the seeds

By Jill Yoder, junior environmental & marine science major

On May 16, a warm and sunny day, our class returned to Peehkahkionki, “the beautiful place,” where we had visited about two weeks earlier. This time, we met Dani Tippmann, who is the Foods Program Director for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. Dani is working towards a goal of food self-sufficiency for the tribe, which is done in part through a community garden where traditional crops are grown. We had the opportunity to volunteer in the garden as we learned from Dani about its significance to the Miami Tribe.

Group with Dani Tippmann

Our first task was “weeding” around raised beds. Dani explained that she doesn’t think of these unintentionally grown plants as “weeds.” Different plants can serve different roles, so none of them are viewed as unwanted pests. The ones we removed are to be composted so they can return to the soil and help the garden grow, rather than hinder it.

Next, we created paths around the beds by laying down cardboard and covering it in wood chips. In order to keep costs low and techniques accessible to those working in and learning from the garden, the resources used tend to be readily available like cardboard, and free like the wood chips, which were given by the local electric company.

Aaliah and Milo working at CREO.

After that, we took a break for lunch and were served amehkwa (beaver) stew. I’m normally not a meat eater, but although there was a vegan version available, I tried a bit of the beaver too and thought it was pretty tasty!

In the afternoon we moved on to planting, beginning with a line of transplanted onions along the edge of the garden. Deer aren’t fond of the smell of onions, so they act as a natural way to keep deer away from the plants they are more inclined to eat.

Singing the corn.

In the next row, we planted corn. Miami white corn has historically been an important food source for the tribe, but was thought to be lost during a time when it was no longer grown. However, one family had a jar of seeds saved on their mantel, and they were able to germinate despite the long time when they were dormant. Only members of the tribe are allowed to grow the corn, but we had the privilege of helping to plant some! Dani showed us how to “sing” the corn, inviting the women to place a small handful of kernels in our mouths and hum a song to them before planting them in the soil. This is a practice taught to Dani by her mother, and although it isn’t a tradition of the Miami tribe, I think it highlights the importance of a connection to the land that is prevalent across many indigenous cultures.

We ended our time at Peehkahkionki with “the best fry bread in the world” prepared for us by Claudia Hedeen. It’s the only fry bread I’ve had as of yet so I can’t say for sure whether it really is the best, but I can believe it!

Frybread after the gardening.

As we left, Dani thanked us for spending time with her friends, referring to the garden and its community of plants. It was certainly a delight and a privilege to be given this opportunity to form closer relationships among ourselves, Dani and the Miami Tribe, and their land.

Claudia Hadeen, Dani Tippmann and Jill Yoder.