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Chapter 2 “Council of Pecans”
Kimmerer begins this chapter by recounting the history of her tribe, forced to leave their land of origin and migrate to various places over and over again. They finally were given land in Oklahoma, where they found groves of Pecan trees. The nuts of these trees were incredibly nutritious, and provided much needed protein for Kimmerer’s ancestors (p. 11-14.)
Kimmerer then discusses “mast-fruiting” which is a process where trees will save up their energy and produce a lot of fruit in a given year, rather than just producing a few fruit each year. Kimmerer describes how this cycle of fruiting is not just a cycle of individual trees, but happens at the same time with all the trees in a grove, and in all the groves in the area. The trees behave collectively, according to Kimmerer (p. 14-15.) This collective action ensures their survival. By producing a lot of fruit in a given year, the trees ensure that at least a few fruit will survive the predators and sprout (p. 16.)
Kimmerer discusses how the Euro-Americans tried to eradicate the indigenous traditions by forcing children to go to boarding schools, where they were forced to assimilate to the Euro-American culture. But the one thing that these indigenous people never forget was the understanding that the land was sacred, and was the repository for meaning and for everything they valued (p. 17.)
Kimmerer then discusses the historical period of allotment, where Native Americans were offered individual plots of land to own (p. 18.). She describes how her tribe ignored the advice of the Pecans, which was to act collectively, and instead they choose to go with the allotment plan. After allotment many of these individual plots of land were swindled out of the hands of Indians (p. 19.)
Kimmerer explores the mechanism for synchronicity that trees use communicate with each other in order to act collectively. In traditional cultures, people understood that trees communicate, but modern science dismissed this idea because trees don’t communicate like animals (p. 19.). Kimmerer discusses the evidence that trees communicate through pheromones which are chemical compounds carried through the air (p.20.) She also discusses the possibility that trees communicate through “subterranean networks of mycorrhizae,” which are fungal strands that live on the roots of trees and connect trees to each other. This way they share food with each other, acting reciprocally (p. 20.)
Discussion Prompt
Read the attached essay and then respond to the following question:
What is a lesson that humanity can learn from how the Pecan trees care for one another?Instructions
Respond to the question as directly as possible.
In the body of your response support your answer by referring to a specific passage from the reading in your own words.
An additional contribution that enriches the discussion.
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