Sweetgrass

It’s early July, and for Matthew and his Auntie that means one thing: time to go sweetgrass picking. This year, Matthew’s younger cousin Warren is coming along, and it will be his first time visiting the shoreline where the sweetgrass grows. With Auntie’s traditional Mi’kmaw knowledge and Matthew’s gentle guidance, Warren learns about the many uses for sweetgrass—as traditional medicine, a sacred offering, a smudging ingredient—and the importance of not picking more than he needs. Once the trio is back at Auntie’s house, she shows the boys how to clean and braid the grass. This heartfelt story about the gifts we receive from Mother Earth and how to gather them respectfully offers thoughtful insight into a treasured Mi’kmaw tradition.

Born and raised in the Bear River First Nation, Theresa Meuse is a First Nation educator and advisor. The author of The Sharing Circle and L’N’uk, she has also contributed to the Mi’kmaq Anthology and L’sitkuk. Theresa lives in Elmsdale.

Jessica Jerome is a two-spirit graphic designer, born in the Listuguj Mi’kmaw First Nation, and raised as a member of the Gesgapegiag Band along the banks of the Gaspé Coast. Originally introduced to art as a way of dealing with grief, Jessica quickly became a skilled artist, earning certificates in visual arts, communications, and graphic design. Her artwork is displayed in galleries and privately owned. She lives in Bridgewater.