Leigh Joseph – författare

Through the Squamish language and cultural traditions, learn about Indigenous plant relationships and how we are all connected to nature through plant-based foods, medicines, and materials. The best way to learn about plants is through observing and interacting with living examples. Join Held by the Land author Leigh Joseph and her children in The Land Knows Me, an educational, hands-on journey to discover all the wonderful uses and gifts of the plants around us. Through the Indigenous traditions of Squamish culture you’ll learn how to ground yourself on the land, how to introduce yourself in the Squamish language to your plant relatives, and the many teachings about plants, cultural stories, and learnings related to the flora seen on your walk.This essential and colorful introduction to Indigenous plant knowledge includes informative sidebars, reflection questions, and plant names in both Squamish and English so children can learn a new language. The Land Knows Me concludes with a 15 plant profile directory featuring detailed plant illustrations and kid-friendly botanical drawings to aid in learning about the many great uses for plants and the native history behind them. You’ll meet plants like:Ḵwiĺayus (kw-ill-eye-os), Red-Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineumḴ’emeláý (k-em-ill-eye), Bigleaf Maple, Acer macrophyllumSéliýaý (s-elle-ee-eye), Oregon Grape, Mahonia nervosaXápaýay (hey-pie-eye), Western Red Cedar, Thuja plicataḴwe7úpaý (kw-oh-pa-eye), Pacific Crabapple, Malus fuscaAnd more!The directory also includes important safety and proper harvesting information for parents who are looking for more opportunities to educate and engage with kids while getting to know the secrets of the land around us. Including mindfulness activities, how-to crafts, and yummy treats, The Land Knows Me calls you back again and again to learn something new with each engaging read!Follow the stream, cross the field, and step into a forest full of rich, botanical diversity rooted in history and tradition.

Author Leigh Joseph, an ethnobotanist and a member of the Squamish Nation, provides a beautifully illustrated essential introduction to Indigenous plant knowledge.*Honorable Mention, 2023 Foreword INDIE Book Award*Plants can be a great source of healing as well as nourishment, and the practice of growing and harvesting from trees, flowering herbs, and other plants is a powerful way to become more connected to the land. The Indigenous Peoples of North America have long traditions of using native plants as medicine and for food. Held by the Land honors and shares some of these traditions, offering a guide to:Harvesting herbs and other plants and using them topicallyNorth American plants that can treat common ailments, add nutrition to your diet, become part of your beauty regime, and moreStories and traditions about native plants from the author’s Squamish cultureUsing plant knowledge to strengthen your connection to the land you live onEarly chapters introduce you to responsible ways to identify and harvest plants in your area and teach you how to grow a deeper connection with the land you live on through plants. In the plant profiles section, common plants are introduced with:Elegant, line-drawn botanical art for each plantInformation on their characteristics and rangeHow to grow and/or harvest themHow to use them topically and as foodSpecial features with recipes for food and beauty products along with stories and traditions around the plantsThis beautiful, full-color guide to Indigenous plants will give you new insights into the power of everyday plants.