The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

Kimmerer is a distinguished author, scientist, and professor known for her expertise in botany, ecology, and Indigenous knowledge systems. She is best recognized for her works Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses, both of which explore the intersection of traditional ecological knowledge and Western science. Her unique perspective is shaped by her identity as a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and her extensive academic training in plant ecology. This expertise is also present in The Serviceberry, as Kimmerer rekindles an Indigenous tradition of gift economies and urges readers to discover the many ways in which this traditional knowledge is evident in the world around them, even amid the corrosive and alienating effects of “cutthroat capitalism” (70).

Growing up in a rural environment, Kimmerer developed a deep appreciation for the natural world from an early age. Her Potawatomi heritage played a crucial role in shaping her worldview, as she was immersed in Indigenous ways of knowing that emphasized a reciprocal relationship with nature. Her cultural history and values are evident in her prose, as Kimmerer describes her appreciation of the natural world in a sincere, caring