By: Ty “Dancing Wolf” Ellis, RNJCC Strategic Advisor
Food sovereignty is among one of the top priorities as far as Indigenous People are concerned. And in a time where the markets are continuously fluctuating, relearning and reconnecting to the ways of utilizing what the Earth provides becomes critical. Not only
does it bring us closer to Mother Earth and the Creator, but it brings us closer to each other as well. This is a major concept when we discuss Rewilding Yourself or Human Rewilding as these actions contribute to our overall sovereignty in the modern world.
I live in an area where the closest grocery store is 20 miles away, and public transportation does not exist. We’re surrounded by farm lands; and though you’re in
trouble if your gas light comes on while you’re on the way home (which means you’re going to be saying a prayer on your way into town to HOPEFULLY make it to the nearest gas station); you’re also surrounded by potential.
Though I come from an Indigenous Nation, the word “Community” is not exclusive to our people. Everyone around you has a need; and most of them around you may have something YOU need.
Currently, I live on a corner lot of a cul-de-sac. To the right of me; a teacher who is always willing to look after the house when we’re traveling to other nations in the summer, as she’s not working. And her husband; an expert on power tools and opens his collection up whenever needed. To the front of us, across the court,
a retired state trooper, willing to keep an eye on the kids of the area as they depart for and come home from school each day. To the left, across the street, a farm with livestock, stables, bee farms; providing their neighbors with an overabundance of eggs
and stocked honey.
We provide our neighbors with tables, chairs, and tents for their outdoor parties from our party supply business. All this to say how most of what you may need could be around you. Beyond that, there are acres of land; hosting nurseries, livestock, and corn fields. There is something about watching the cycle of corn stalks growing from small sprouts, to fully
grown, to harvest, and back to earth. As an Indigenous person, still in the land of my ancestors, I feel a sense of pride watching the corn grow around me.
Recently, our youth got to help plant corn and tend to squash at one of our sister community’s gardens, at the Native Roots Farm Foundation. In an age where everything is digital and store bought, having our youth get involved in reconnecting to the land in this way to help a neighboring community sounds like a nearly impossible task. That they will be unamused by the task. However, to our surprise, the youth had a
wonderful sense of fulfillment in what they contributed to.
This fulfillment came back around full circle, as NRFF sent squash from that same garden for our youth to utilize at our Annual Retreat, where they were taught by a professional Chef of a neighboring Indigenous community on utilizing ingredients native to these lands; specifically Lenapehoking; our territory. One of the dishes that they were taught to make was a Chocolate Squash Pudding; where our youth got to use the squash that they helped tend to months ago. They got to create this recipe (among others) from scratch, to provide to their relatives during the retreat’s celebration. We plan on announcing our Community Garden, not too far from where I live now; and intend to supply our local community with some of the ‘fruits’ of our labors; because we are all the corn that the land remembers…
Let’s get wild New Jersey!
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