Member-only story
The emptiness of “Western” culture
Miracles Missed
Learning to observe Nature
“Puhpowee,” said my nephew, “that’s my new favorite word.” We were discussing the books we were currently reading, and the word puhpowee is from the delightful work, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
Kimmerer, a decorated professor of botany, a scientist, and a member of the Potawatomi Nation, learned of this word, puhpowee, from her interest in the language of her ancestors. A language that is now only spoken fluently by nine people.
Puhpowee: the force which causes mushrooms to push up from the earth overnight. (Braiding Sweetgrass, p. 49)
“In fact, I learned that the mystical word Puhpowee is not only used for mushrooms, but also for certain other shafts that rise mysteriously in the night,” adds Kimmerer a few pages later.
When immersed in discussions about climate change and global warming, I notice that those who spend little time outdoors, who never just sit quietly and just soak in the natural world, are the most pessimistic about our future.
