The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

The Serviceberry explores Indigenous ideas of culture and agriculture as potential solutions to Kimmerer’s concerns around modern capitalist economies. Indigenous American cultures have long held a deep and reciprocal relationship with nature, viewing the land, plants, and animals as relatives rather than mere resources. This worldview is rooted in a philosophy of interconnectedness, where humans are considered part of a larger ecological system rather than separate from it. The cultivation of crops, management of landscapes, and economic systems among Indigenous peoples reflect this perspective, emphasizing sustainability, balance, and reciprocity.

Indigenous agricultural practices are deeply embedded in an understanding of ecological balance and the cycles of the natural world. Many Indigenous communities developed sophisticated methods of cultivation that not only provided sustenance but also enriched the land. A prime example is the practice of intercropping, particularly the “Three Sisters” method used by many Indigenous nations, including the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), Cherokee, and various Puebloan peoples. In this system, corn, beans, and squash are grown together in a symbiotic relationship: Corn provides a structure for beans to climb, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, and squash spreads along the ground, suppressing weeds and retaining moisture. This practice demonstrates an understanding of biodiversity, soil health, and sustainable yield that predates modern agricultural science.