In our modern times it can be easy to forget how integral agriculture is, and has been, to the survival of humankind. For most of human history, food wasn’t as easily accessible as it is today. People were primarily beholden to the food that grew in their region, as well as the season. They were also more at the mercy of the weather, never knowing if it would be a particularly dry or rainy season. One bad storm could wipe out an entire harvest; in the same way a drought could prevent anything from growing. For many, a lost harvest meant starvation. Now, we can buy tomatoes and mangoes any time we want under the fluorescent lighting at Market Basket.
All that to say, without access to our current scientific knowledge and resources, it makes sense that people would turn to deities and other external forces to ensure a successful harvest. There were so many factors at play that were out of their control.
While Magic and Husbandry dives deep into the agricultural beliefs of European, Asian and South American cultures, there is not much about the United States or Massachusetts. There is some exploration of the beliefs of Indigenous tribes and early American settlers, but nothing particularly substantial. That being said, I would like to stray a bit from the book and explore some of the Commonwealth’s agricultural beliefs and traditions, particularly those of the first people to cultivate our lands: the Native Americans.
For many tribes across North America, including the Mashpee and Aquinnah Wampanoag of Massachusetts, “the Three Sisters” represents three of their most important crops: corn, beans, and squash. The women of the tribe frequently planted the crops together, recognizing the benefits they offered each other. (Wampanoag Tribe) According to the Aquinnah Wampanoag’s website,
“The broad leaves of corn provided shelter from the sun; the corn stalk was a living stake for the bean and squash vines; and the squash vines provided good cover, ensuring maximum capture of rain and minimum erosion. The beans fix nitrogen in the soil. And all three attract predatory insects that prey upon pests.”
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| Image from the American Farm Bureau for Agriculture |
Much of indigenous thinking is centered around reciprocity, and the Three Sisters highlights that mindset perfectly. The Wampanoag people were even so in tune with the needs of their lands, they realized the importance of keeping some farmland fallow, or uncultivated, long before it was common practice. (Wampanoag Tribe)
Cranberry Day is the most valued holiday for the Aquinnah Wampanoag and is celebrated on the second Tuesday in October. The tribe gathers to harvest cranberries together, while telling stories of past Cranberry Days and tribal legends. In the evening, there is a community potluck filled with song and dance to celebrate and thank their Creator for another successful harvest. (Wampanoag Tribe)
While I barely brushed the surface of the Commonwealth’s agricultural traditions, I hope I can inspire you to dig some more into it. If you are interested in reading Magic and Husbandry, you can visit Special Collections in Room 55 or you can read it from your couch via the Internet Archive.
Erin Wood
Special Collections Intern
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