Building reciprocity through listening – What I learned from the ‘Gather’ film
It would be an understatement to say that 2020 was a challenging year. Dealing with a global pandemic is not easy. On top of that, injustices many of us thought were buried and long-gone, bubbled to the surface. Injustices that have only been ignored. The realization that there are deep inequitable practices in our “developed” societies based on policy and tradition came into the limelight. An unearthing of the one-sided part of history that has been proliferated and made to become commonplace and accepted. Thus, I spent most 2020 angry, frustrated, and confused, trying to balance the unrest and reality of our current social structures. I realized there needed to be a shift in our understanding, including my own. The histories we are often taught are skewed and incomplete. They tend to paint one group of people as superior and the other as inferior.
Listening to become unlost
Working within the framework of regenerative agriculture and plant sciences and hearing more stories of the unjust practices abroad and right here in Switzerland and throughout Europe, I began to become more aware that these misguided and hidden parts of history appear strongly in our food systems. But what was making me angry - hearing these stories - also gave me hope.
Listening to the stories and experiences of Native and Indigenous people that are too often pushed aside, ignored, or marked as inferior, altered the narrative. Such stories allow them to become known and heard, the rightful leaders of the system and tellers of the truth. I came to understand that stories allow us to build personal connections with others and help build a shared understanding between Native and non-Natives.
The bottom line is - we need to listen more. And I mean truly listen and hear what the other is saying.
For me, the film, Gather, did just this. The film gave a platform for Native people of North America to share their story and experiences first-hand. It highlighted how the oppressive regimes placed on Native people altered the global food system, and how the Native communities are reviving and revitalizing their Native foodways. Whether it be through creating community gardens and farms, investigating the lipid structure of buffalo meat, fighting environmental injustices, raising awareness about the nutritional value of indigenous foods, or founding a network of Native chefs – these stories gave insights into the beautiful power of preserving, understanding, and sharing indigenous food systems, which ultimately affect the global food system.
Though, listening to the stories of Twila Cassadore, Nephi Craig, Sammy Gensaw, Clayton Harvey, and Elsie Dubray was only the beginning. Stories create the bridge of understanding, but to make change, support food sovereignty, and truly build a collective shared understanding, one must share resources, time, and energy. For me, that meant becoming a stronger ally by providing a platform and continuing my relearning.
The stories of Sammy, Twila, and Nephi were depicted in the film, Gather, directed by Sanjay Rawal. The four of them joined a panel discussion following a film screening on 29th March to share their fights towards revitalizing Native foodways (Photo provided by Gather Resources)
Give to receive, not to take
On March 29th, 2021, a little over a year after the world locked down, I was able to share the film ‘Gather’ with friends, family, and strangers from across the globe. Following the screening, Twila, Nephi, Sammy and the director Sanjay Rawal joined in on a call. It was an honor to be on the same Zoom screen as them. They opened-up about their experiences and what it meant to be a part of the film project, and what Native and non-Natives can do to continue support the movement of revitalization.
For me one of the major takeaways was the highlighted importance of reciprocity - the performance of mutual or beneficial actions. Twila, Nephi and Sammy each shared what this could mean. Reciprocity is showing respect for the land, building relationships, and including the Indigenous communities in discussions and decision-making, avoiding the appropriation and romanticizing of Indigenous peoples and their culture and traditions, being and leading by example, and giving yourself and resources to the community and others. Each of these promote the idea of giving to receive, and not giving to take. Most of our societies have been built upon the idea of giving to take, or simply just taking. There has been little, or no reciprocity cultivated. On the collective scale, the mutual respect and understanding of the people and land is missing, especially in food systems, and this must end.
Building reciprocity and shared experiences is the way we can rebuild, revitalize, and renew the food systems that support all people. We must first accept that there is great unlearning and relearning that must take place. That can start by listening. By changing the way we look at food. By creating personal connections with others and the land. By allocating resources where they are truly needed. By doing the research and committing to change. By reflecting on our personal choices. By learning and supporting our own journey. And by giving time, resources, and energy.
Of course, this won’t happen overnight. I am still learning how I can be a part of the movement and revitalization of global food systems. I am still learning how I can support initiatives and make change, even on a small scale. I just know that I must. I know that I must carry the stories of Twila, Sammy, Nephi, Clayton, and Elise into my own research and daily interactions with the world. As Nephi mentioned during the panel discussion, we must go deep into the work and continue the journey. The work towards listening and building reciprocity and ultimately shifting the system is not and cannot be a trend, it is a long-term commitment.
Resources to start your own journey in supporting food sovereignty and the revitalization of Native foodways
Soul Fire Farm’s Food Sovereignty Action Steps
Young Farmers Racial Equity Toolkit
Book: Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman
Book: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Grace is an aspiring astrobiologist and plant scientist. She is a doctoral researcher in the Group of Plant Nutrition at ETH Zurich. Grace’s research focuses on determining the suitability of using human excreta for hydroponic crop production for future long-term space missions. Her work contributes to the MELiSSA Project of the European Space Agency. When Grace is not dreaming about space and plants, she is probably out exploring nature, painting, or playing her ukulele.
I would like to thank the World Food System Center and the Mercator Foundation Switzerland for providing the financial means that supported the screening of the film and the generous compensation of the panelists. And finally, I would like to thank Twila, Nephi, Sammy, and Sanjay for joining the discussion and sharing their experiences with the me and the audience. Following the event, I had many participants contacting me to share how moved they were by the film and listening to the four panelists. I am forever grateful for being part of such a beautiful moment.