ENV 295I: Indigenous Ethnogeography and Foodways

Catarina Passidomo

Indigenous Ethnogeography and Foodways This course explores the connection between Indigenous peoples—especially Eastern Siouan (Yesah) peoples—their food systems, and the land they inhabit. Students collaborated with NDPonics, a nonprofit focused on restoring the forested landscapes of western Virginia, traditionally stewarded by the Monacan people. Key components: Field visits to sites like the Monacan Ancestral Museum and Virginia Tech Indigenous Community Garden. Readings on settler colonialism, environmental justice, and Indigenous knowledge. Projects like planting traditional crops and presenting community-based learning. Student reflections highlight how experiential learning deepened their understanding of Indigenous stewardship, care for the land, and cultural continuity. Top left image (Living Lab field photo): Class gathers at Kkihosqhé:ha Living Lab surrounded by a forested landscape, participating in a nature-based learning session. Top center image (Community garden): Group of students at a shaded picnic area in the Virginia Tech Indigenous Community Garden during a hands-on learning activity. Middle left (Group photo on campus garden): Students and faculty pose outdoors in front of greenery at the W&L campus garden, highlighting collaborative fieldwork. Middle center (Sue Elliott with map): Sue Elliott, Monacan Ancestral Museum curator, holds a map and gestures while sharing cultural and historical context with students. Middle right (Classroom discussion): Indoor classroom scene where students are seated and discussing core themes related to Indigenous land and foodways. Bottom left (Seedling composting): Students demonstrate composting with okra seedlings at the Virginia Tech Indigenous Community Garden. Bottom center (Composting display): Overhead view of colorful okra seedlings and composted material arranged on a wooden table. Book cover images: Covers of key texts used in the course, including The Serviceberry, As Long As Grass Grows, and Food Practices of Eastern Woodlands.

Rooted in Ceremony: Sacred Monacan Foodways & Their Geographical Ties
Mac Palmer, Matt Parrish, and Michael Krevolin

Rooted in Ceremony: Sacred Monacan Foodways & Their Geographical Ties Introduction: Ceremony is central to Monacan life, with spring and autumn festivals uniting communities around food and spiritual practices. The poster focuses on how geography supports these traditions and how sacredness is embedded in Monacan foodways. The Importance of Food in Monacan Culture: Food is vital for survival and also for passing down cultural knowledge. Monacan people view land and food as interconnected with life and spirituality. As children learn from elders, they gain insights into healing, harvesting, and avoiding sickness through traditional practices. Sacred Foods in Monacan Culture: Monacan people honor all animals and plants they use, aiming to waste nothing. Even turtle shells were used as bowls. The “Three Sisters”—corn, beans, and squash—symbolize the idea that what grows together supports each other, reflecting community and ecological balance. Spiritual Process of Hunting: The "Bear Coat" story illustrates a turning point in hunting practices: taking only what is needed and giving thanks. It represents spiritual discipline, ethical harvesting, and a shift toward sustainable relationships with animals. Ceremony and Powwows: Ceremonial gatherings like Powwows bring together clans to share food, knowledge, and spiritual practices. These events celebrate harvests, warrior strength, and cultural renewal, and they continue today as a way to strengthen Native identity and community ties. The Historic and Sacred Capital of Rassawek: Rassawek was the capital of the Monacan Nation and holds cultural and spiritual significance. It stands as a symbol of ancestral memory and sovereignty. Conclusion: Food in Monacan culture is deeply tied to spirituality, ceremony, and land stewardship. These traditions endure in modern events and practices, maintaining the cultural lifeways of the Monacan people.

The Importance of Food in Monacan Culture

Transcript (.PDF)

Food Systems: How Indigenous Cultures Demonstrate Survivance
Maria Gradilla-Alvarez, Clara Avery, Yereni Bruno-Sanchez

Food Systems: How Indigenous Cultures Demonstrate Survivance The poster explores how Indigenous food systems exemplify survivance—a concept defined as the active presence and resilience of Native cultures, rather than absence or victimhood. It highlights how Indigenous communities sustainably cultivate, share, and protect food sources while maintaining cultural knowledge and ecological balance. 01. Resourcefulness: Indigenous food systems are rooted in using every part of natural resources with care and intention. Shagbark Hickory: Nuts used for food, wood for tools and crafts, emphasizing ecological respect. Bear: Every part of the animal—meat, fat, fur, bones, claws—was used, often passed down in oral tradition with values of sustainability. Reciprocity is central—giving and receiving between humans and the environment. Water and Rice: The Anishinaabe formed a reciprocal relationship with water and wild rice, protecting habitats as they harvested. The Three Sisters: Corn, beans, and squash are grown together; each supports the others' growth physically and nutritionally, modeling interdependence. 03. Collective Continuance: Cultural survival relies on passing down practices that sustain the community and environment. Seed Keepers: Knowledge and seeds are preserved across generations to ensure food sovereignty and cultural identity. Foraging: Gathering wild foods and medicines maintains cultural traditions, biodiversity, and kinship with the natural world. Fish: Bones were ground into powder and consumed, showing a commitment to not wasting parts of animals.

Monacan Medicinal Practices
Colin Randol, Tyler Spano, and Nick DeCain

Monacan Medicinal Practices This poster explores how the Monacan Indian Nation combines traditional healing with modern medicine. Historically, cultural erasure and colonial policies like the 1924 Racial Integrity Act disrupted Monacan lifeways. Despite this, federal recognition in 1989 and 2018 helped revive ancestral practices. Spiritual healing includes sweat lodges, Christian influence, food sovereignty, and mindfulness. Native plants like Nicotiana rustica, jewelweed, yarrow, and sweetflag offer natural remedies. Modern medicine was integrated after federal recognition, though recent budget cuts have left the health clinic unfunded, threatening Indigenous health sovereignty. Boarding School Photo: Black-and-white image of Native children outside a federal Indian boarding school, symbolizing cultural assimilation. Nicotiana Rustica: Tobacco plant used for spiritual and medicinal smoking. Jewelweed: Orange-flowered plant used to treat skin irritations. Yarrow: White-flowered plant with anti-inflammatory benefits. Sweetflag: Tall grass used to support digestive health. Indian Mission Church: White church used by Monacan elders for spiritual healing. Monacan Health Center: Modern clinic in Amherst County, now closed due to federal budget cuts. Tribal Seal: Official seal of the Monacan Indian Nation.