The Three Sisters in Haudenosaunee culture technically refers to Corn, Beans and Squash but their meaning is so much deeper.
Haudenosaunee people are Matriarchal and Indigenous cultures refer to the land as 'She' with Mother Earth the name of Turtle Island lands. When it came to feeding the people, Females were responsible for Agriculture while men were responsible to hunt. Corn, Beans and Squash were the main Agricultural plants of the Haudenosaunee and took on a female nickname, The Three Sisters. This name was not just about labeling three foods. It was symbolic. Women are tied directly to the lands and what we grow.
In our Creation Story, Skywoman descended, landed on a giant turtle's back, created Turtle Island and when she died, her body became Mother Earth and she continues to give us foods, water and medicines.
The moon is known as Grandmother Moon and her cycles are tied to women. When the Harvest Moon appears, that is Grandmother's wisdom telling us to harvest our plant foods for the winter.
If the Earth is our mother, the food plants are her children. Three Sisters represents that.
Women are considered caretakers of the land and responsible for its well being. When children are born, they take the clan of their mother. When men marry, they would move into the woman's longhouse. Women would teach their daughters about their roles, including taking care of the gardens.
Even in Haudenosaunee traditional dances, the women use steps closer to the ground, usually shuffling their feet along the ground to embrace their relationship with the Earth. Men usually stomp and their feet generally leave the ground.
Another key in Haudenosaunee culture is the number 3. When dancing, people are encouraged to dance around the circle 3 times. There is an old saying that births and deaths often happen in threes. So, it would not be uncommon for three sisters to be working a garden of Corn, Beans and Squash and for stories to pass down. We do not know how long the name Three Sisters has been around but it has been here for Generations.
Sequoia's Three Sisters honors this important cultural representation with our Seasonal Three Sisters Fall scent. Our full Three Sisters Line will be available Tuesday August 26th.