The INDIGENOUS SEED REMATRIATION PROJECT

What is the Indigenous Seed Rematriation Project?

The Indigenous Seed Rematriation Project was founded in 2010, by

Dr. Kristopher Hubbard- a Cultural Anthropologist, Ethnobotanist, Appalachian Herbalist, Farmer, Seed Steward & Indigenous SeedKeeper of Tsalagi (Cherokee) descent; The project was formally established to grow, cultivate, propagate, preserve, and sustainably maintain Extremely Rare & Critically Endangered Indigenous seed varieties from facing extinction. Besides the preservation of the seed's cultural history, journey, and origins; The seed's biology, growth, and physical attributes are also documented and photographed, as well as recording the ancestral lineage of the seed's original keepers.

What kind of Indigenous Seeds are kept? Where did they come from?

"The Indigenous seed collection encompasses a huge span of peoples, places, and of course time. Seeds were collected through decades of living, work, and travel. They have been given from Tribal elders on the Powwow Trail, inherited from familial seedkeepers, given for biological preservation, given by the last living descendent of a family to continue family heirloom history, and even left to Mr. Hubbard as the person's last wishes.

There are 574 federally-recognized tribes in the contiguous United States, and there are over 60 that are state-recognized. Out of the 630+ recognized tribes, over 500 tribal nations, along with First Nations peoples of Canada, are represented in the seed collection. But the collection encompasses many more varieties than just from the North American Indigenous Peoples: Extremely rare African American Ancestral & Slave varieties, along with Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Indigenous, Afro-Appalachian, and Melungeon seeds are also stewarded. Looking beyond North America, tribal & indigenous peoples throughout the world are also represented...such examples include varieties from the Maori peoples of New Zealand, to Southeast Asian Indigenous peoples of Indonesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia...to Tribes such as the Yalawapiti, Kayapo, and Shuar in the Amazon of South America....African tribal varieties...Australian Aboriginal seeds...and many more.

What is the Project's main goal and objective?

The Project's main objective is for experienced growers, farmers, and gardeners to adopt seed varieties to naturally grow out, document, harvest, and then return the dried seed back to the Rematriation Project. When a specific seed variety has been returned from its multiple growers, the seed's quantity & quality are checked, hoping that a good amount of seed is collected to safely preserve it from extinction. Sometimes several growing seasons are required to attain a sufficient amount of seed. In the Indigenous Seed collection, there are over 6000 varieties represented....most of which are critically endangered. Many of the seed varieties contain samples with as few as 1-5 seeds, leaving those minute examples the last remaining on earth. Historical seed varieties and plant species down to their very last seed. Sadly, many varieties do not germinate due to age or condition, leaving that variety extinct. Never to be grown again. On a positive note, those seed varieties that germinate and are grown into a safe, sustainable amount, the second part of the Project is started....their Rematriation journey.

What is Rematriation?

*Definition- Re(p)atriation: "the act or process of restoring or returning someone or something to the country of origin, allegiance, or citizenship" -

Most often when discussing Western or Colonial/Colonized culture, the word Repatriation is used, as most are Patrilineal (Father/Male) based cultures;

However within Indigenous culture, the familial and lineal lines- a Matrilineal (Mother/Female) system is most often used, hence the word ReMatriation.

Back to the process: After being adopted, grown, and returned- the seed variety is then divided up- Half of them remain behind and are housed permanently in the Preservation Seedbank, while the other half begins its journey back home, and is often ceremonially reintroduced back into the hands of the seed's original Indigenous Keepers.

Is the Indigenous Seed Rematriation Project's seeds part of another collection?

The Project's 6000+ varieties of Indigenous Seeds, are a small part of the Wild Wood Farms Preservation Seed Bank- The complete Seed Bank Collection consists, of both Mr. Hubbard's inherited multigenerational seed collections, and also the mass accumulative collections from decades of his work and travel; Throughout his life, he has stewarded & collected thousands of varieties of Heirloom, Indigenous, and Multicultural seeds and plant species. The Seed Collection encompasses everything from Ornamental and Native plants & flower varieties to herb varieties, common vegetables, fruits, exotic species, to rare and endangered plant varieties; Species collected from hundreds of countries, spanning all continents except Antarctica. Most of the collection has not been completely cataloged, having been in cold storage for decades. Some variety groups have only been partially recorded and still need to be completed- examples such as 5000+ Tomatoes, 20,000+ Beans, 4000+ Corn, 190+ Basil, etc. to name a few. It is a collection of tens of thousands of varieties..... The collection is housed in multiple seedbanks and storage freezers, both on-site and off. Many seeds in the collection are personal family varieties, seeds collected for generations, but also varieties collected by family members who were Horticulturalists, farmers, educators, and travelers.....and are held privately and not available to the public for adoption or growing.

What makes a seed variety rare?

Among seed saving, rarity can be defined in terms of your ability to find a particular seed variety to grow, openly and publicly. One could say most of the collection contains rare varieties- Varieties that, although may not be endangered species, are nearly impossible to find available for sale. There is also the rarity of varieties that have been lost to time, disappearing from communities; being held only within particular families, many of which the family line ends and so does the gardening, as has happened with most of the Indigenous Collection. As far as endangered seed varieties, I would say those are more well defined as critically endangered species, or on the absolute verge of extinction. As said by Mr. Hubbard, "My work of saving and stewardship has created not only an uplifting and inspirational feeling and responsibility in my life, but has also come with a heavy burden....a weight pressing upon me to try and prevent the seemingly inevitable extinction of a plant species; But also the loss of entire Indigenous histories, ancestral genetic traits, and of course its biological diversity. It's a huge weight... to take responsibility and make decisions regarding seeds. What to do about those 'five seeds left'? Do I plant one and save four? What if none of them germinate? Do I plant them all, essentially taking the last physical examples of a species, and in turn, possibly end up destroying them? Does one person plant them all, or do five separate people plant them? "

By allowing multiple, seasoned, and vetted growers, to adopt and grow them, the chances of the seed's survival and success can be substantially raised- the chances that all five seeds are destroyed from a single disaster (such as flooding) are almost nonexistent.

How can you help us?

There are several ways you can help us save and Rematriate these endangered seed varieties:

As you can imagine, there are so many seeds held within these collections, that one person could never grow them out successfully. So we need Adoptees! Experienced growers willing to take on the responsibility of adopting an Indigenous variety, to grow, document, harvest, & return. If you are interested in helping and being a part of the process as an adoptee;

-or would like Mr. Hubbard to Lecture, be a Presenter, Set up/attend a Seed Swap or other event, Please contact us for more details and information.

Another very important way you can help is through financial donations! So far, most of Mr. Hubbard's Indigenous Seed Rematriation work has been continued from funds acquired through the sale of his Beadwork, Art, Farm Products, & Crafts. So we need your help! Please donate to help us continue our extremely essential, and very important work!

We thank you for your time and interest in our journey, and hope that we can work with you in the future!

We leave you with a quote from Mr. Hubbard:

"I have saved seeds all my life... I have hoed out mile-long rows of corn on 90-degree days, and I have baled hay till dark & balanced on barn beams to hang tobacco. I have given beans to my neighbors, tomatoes to friends, and the wealth of food sovereignty to my children. On hands and knees, I have plunged my hands deep into the earth grasping root & stem to keep them weeded. I have received tiny handfuls of a seed variety that are the last remaining on earth- and with them the weight of generations pressed upon me to not kill or lose them, and to help guide them home... I have searched and traveled for seeds in every holler I could find in Appalachia & have collected in every state & Many countries- I have tried to save as many people & cultures, as I have seeds. I have tried my best to feed those who are hungry and teach them to feed others. I have tried to sow as much love and hope in others, as I have sowed seeds upon the earth. Like the stars in the sky, I have seen my ancestors and their lessons lying deep within every leaf and stone. Before my end, I hope to teach others how to Save themselves, as much as how to Save seeds.........but in all that life and more- The whole time, I found out that I was the one growing, I was the one who was being saved"

(Written by Kris Hubbard, 2020)