Research Guides: Braiding Sweetgrass Research Guide: Nature: Connection, Gratitude, & Reciprocity

“Cultures of gratitude must also be cultures of reciprocity. Each person, human or no, is bound to every other in a reciprocal relationship. Just as all beings have a duty to me, I have a duty to them. If an animal gives its life to feed me, I am in turn bound to support its life. If I receive a stream’s gift of pure water, then I am responsible for returning a gift in kind.” - Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, "Allegiance to Gratitude"

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Definitions

Gratitude is so much more than a polite “thank you.” It is the thread that connects us in a deep relationship, simultaneously physical and spiritual, as our bodies are fed and spirits nourished by the sense of belonging, which is the most vital of foods. Gratitude creates a sense of abundance, the knowing that you have what you need. In that climate of sufficiency, our hunger for more abates and we take only what we need, in respect for the generosity of the giver.
- Robin Wall Kimmerer, The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance

Reciprocity refers to the belief that humans have a responsibility to give back to the natural world in exchange for the gifts we receive from it. Kimmerer emphasizes that the Earth provides us with everything we need to survive, and we must reciprocate by caring for and protecting the land, plants, and animals around us. By embracing the principle of reciprocity, we can cultivate a deeper appreciation for the natural world and our place within it. This mindset can help us live more sustainable and fulfilling lives while also contributing to the health and well-being of the Earth.
- Penn State Library & Student Farm book club, Braiding Sweetgrass Companion Guide: Major Themes

Learn More

Connection

Indigenous Food Systems: Indigenous Food Sovereignty
Arizona State University Library Research Guide | 2025

Finding a Community in Plants: Reexamining the Decolonial Project of Rehumanization With Our Nonhuman Relatives*
Christine E. Rosales | Peace and Conflict, vol. 29 (1) | p 52-59 | 2023
*This is a library resource that requires ARTIC login

Seed Rematriation with Shelley Buffalo [Podcast Episode]
The Native Seed Pod | 8 October 2021
Please note: This podcast does NOT offer transcripts.

We are the Land: Native American Views of Nature*
Annie L. Booth | Science Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Science (ed. Helaine Selin) | p 329–349 | 2003
*This is a library resource that requires ARTIC login

How to Grow a Three Sisters Garden
Melissa Kruse-Peeples | Native Seeds/SEARCH | 27 May, 2016

Plant, Baby, Plant
New endeavor to create a grassroots movement to save the earth from the "Drill, Baby, Drill" mindset.

Gratitude

Expressions of Gratitude: Two Indigenous Scholars Share Their Experiences with the Work of Robin Wall Kimmerer
Danielle Ignace, Niiyokamigaabaw Deondre Smiles | The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, vol. 105 (3) | July 2024

Miigwechiwendam: To Be Thankful
Winona LaDuke | Barn Raiser | 27 November 2024

Gratitude as Ceremony: A Practical Guide to Decolonization
Kahstoserakwathe Paulette Moore and Tehahenteh Frank Miller | The Journal of Sustainability Education | 15, July 2018

Trusting in abundance: Finding your Regeneration Niche [Podcast Episode]
The Native Seed Pod | 11 August 2018
Please note: This podcast does NOT provide transcripts.

Reciprocity

Reciprocity: Rethinking Our Relationship with the Natural World
Interview with Kimmerer on reciprocity and gratitude
Mary Evelyn Tucker | Yale Environment 360 | 2025

Human–nature relationships through the lens of reciprocity: Insights from Indigenous and local knowledge systems
Irene Teixidor‐Toneu, et al. | People and Nature, vol. 7 (5) | p 922-933 | May 2025

Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative 2024 End of Year Report
Chacruna Institute's Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas (IRI) | 2024