Collage
Black three siblings:
**Sorghum- So valuable that it was a form of currency at certain points, this drought resistant staple grain cures the soil, pulls out toxins, and builds organic matter. It can be used as biofuel and fodder, and it is sweet and often made into molasses and sugar.
**Pigeon Pea- Pigeon peas became a protein rich staple food crop for southern Blacks. They are drought resistant and help to improve fertility in fallows and reduce soil erosion.
Pumpkin- Pumpkins can trace their origins in North America back to as early as 3500 B.C. When planted with their siblings, their large leaves shade the ground which helps retain soil moisture and prevent weeds. Pumpkin, when dried, becomes a gourd and is used in many ways from a storage container, to a drinking tool, and in constructing instruments. When freedom seekers ran away, one of the directions given was to “follow the drinking gourd,” because the end two stars of the drinking gourd, commonly known as the Big Dipper, point to the North Star.
They cousins:
**Benne Seed- Benne is one of several West African names for sesame. Benne seeds are used in a variety of ways: pounding them into flour, toasted and added to stews, and crushed to extract the oil.
**Collards- As a staple for survival, collard greens became a symbol of resilience. Collard greens also thrived in poor conditions, making them an essential source of sustenance during difficult times.
**Okra- The slimy, viscous consistency of okra was used to thicken soups and stews and developed into gumbo. The term “gumbo” originates from the Angolan word for okra, kingombo.
**Watermelon- Free Black Americans grew, ate, and sold watermelons and in doing so made the fruit a symbol of their freedom. The symbol of the watermelon is used by Palestinians in resistance to the violent occupation of Israel because the fruit has the colors of the banned Palestinian flag: red, black, green and white. Our liberation is bound together!
** denotes plant kin brought to the so-called U.S. by enslaved Africans who braided into their hair and sewed into their clothes seeds that were then planted in their gardens on colonial plantations, heavily impacting the future of food on Turtle Island.