Seed Rematriation
Reclaiming Our Seeds, Stories, and Sovereignty
Rematriation means bringing seeds back to their original communities. This word highlights the caring and life-giving connection between seeds, the land, and the people. In our way of thinking, seeds are not property but relatives, and our relationship with them is built on care and respect, not ownership.
Why We Do It
Our seeds are our relatives. They hold memory, culture, and the knowledge of how our people have grown food in relationship with the land for generations. Seed rematriation is our effort to return Indigenous heirloom seeds to the communities to which they belong, where they can be grown, shared, and protected.
This work reconnects us to our ancestors, connects us to other Indigenous relatives, and helps ensure that future generations will have access to the seeds our people have always depended on. We are creating a Haudenosaunee seed archive and offering seed-saving education to support this goal.
Each year, we hold a community seed giveaway to put seeds back into the hands of our people. These giveaways help restore the cycle of growing, saving, and sharing, keeping our seeds alive and thriving where they belong. Seed giveaways have been possible through a collaboration with Oneida Community Integrated Food Systems.
