SERVICEBERRY: AN ECONOMY OF GIFTS AND ABUNDANCE (HB)

As Indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth?its abundance of sweet, juicy berries?to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival.