Trendy or Primitive? Appropriation of Native Plants in the Americas

In the Spring and Summer of 2023, Isabella joined the NRFF team as an Intern. Isabella is a student at Wellesley College, and originally from Southern California.

During her time with NRFF, Isabella researched the appropriation of three plants significant to her cultures. She presented her work at Wellesley College’s Ruhlman Conference and created a zine to share her analysis with the community. The zine was distributed at an inter-collegiate Indigenous Peoples Day celebration in Boston, and we’re proud to also share it with you here, on NRFF’s blog.

A note from Isabella:

My research focuses on three plants: Agave, Huitlacoche, and White Sage (We’wey in Chumash), which are all native to regions of Mexico and the Southwestern United States. I grew up in Los Angeles and have Indigenous ancestry, so these plants are familiar to me and hold great significance in my family’s cultures.

My research compares traditional Indigenous ecological knowledge with how our capitalist society has extracted Agave, Huitlacoche, and White Sage for profit. I hope this zine provides you with guidance and helps you be intentional about your relationships with the plants around you.