For centuries, seeds have journeyed across lands, migrating from their points of origin alongside tribal communities, along kinship and trade routes. Corn, for example, originated in the fertile valleys of Oaxaca and spread across the globe through these very networks. This natural movement of seeds is a testament to their inherent desire to connect and propagate.
However, the era of intense colonization, displacement, and acculturation, particularly in North America over the last few centuries, has disrupted the vital connection between people, their ancestral lands, and their seeds. Events like the Long Walk and the Trail of Tears forced communities from their homelands, sometimes with seeds carried as precious bundles. Tragically, some of these seeds, though traded, were lost to their original communities, ending up in repositories far from home, such as the USDA seed bank, Seed Savers Exchange, the Field Museum, and the University of Michigan. These institutions, while valuable for preservation, became unintended custodians of seeds separated from their cultural context.
Through the vital work of the Indigenous Seed Keepers Network, a cornerstone of the broader Indigenous food sovereignty movement in North America, a critical issue has come to light: tribal communities urgently need renewed access to seeds of deep cultural significance. Many of these seeds are no longer available within their communities due to the historical disruptions. While “repatriation” is a term commonly understood in the context of reclaiming funerary objects, stolen artifacts, or ancestral remains, a different term is needed to describe the return of seeds.
This movement is powerfully termed “seed rematriation.” It’s distinct from repatriation because these seeds are not inert objects; they are living entities returning home. They are living relatives, coming back to their motherland, their mother community, after a long absence. The term “rematriation” intentionally emphasizes this maternal connection. Many Indigenous communities hold a matrilineal connection to the Earth, where women are the traditional keepers of seed bundles, songs, and ceremonies. Seed rematriation, therefore, signifies the return of these living seed bundles from institutions back to their rightful tribal communities, acknowledging and restoring this profound maternal and cultural link.
In over two decades of work in this field, the process of seed rematriation stands out as profoundly impactful, particularly in its capacity for healing. When Indigenous communities collaborate with institutions – even those historically considered adversaries – with seeds at the heart of their shared purpose, a remarkable intergenerational healing process unfolds. By setting aside past wounds and historical conflicts to work together in cultivating gardens and restoring seeds to their ancestral lands, a deep and meaningful healing emerges.
In today’s world, often characterized by division, borders, and segregation, the message carried by these seeds is one of reconciliation and reparations. It is a message of cross-cultural collaboration, offering a path to heal wounds that often seem insurmountable.
Numerous inspiring stories illustrate this movement, showcasing the generosity of Indigenous peoples willing to trust allies, and the reciprocal commitment of allies offering land and resources to facilitate the restoration of these vital seed varieties within tribal communities. The movement to rematriate seeds is rich with messages of hope, offering a powerful narrative of healing and restoration that resonates deeply, and deserves a prominent place in the pages of any insightful Food Magazine.
