Rowen White and the Indigenous Seedkeepers Network
“Seeds are our relatives, not our property. They carry the memory of the Earth and the promise of our future.” -Rowen White
Seedkeeping is the intergenerational practice of saving, selecting, and sharing seeds. It safeguards agricultural biodiversity, strengthens food security, and preserves cultural knowledge. In Indigenous traditions, seeds are also regarded as relatives, carrying memory, story, and spiritual presence. Rowen White, a Mohawk seedkeeper, farmer, and educator, has become a leading voice in this work. Through her teaching and organizing, she frames seedkeeping as both ecological stewardship and cultural sovereignty.
Rowen White is from the Akwesasne community. She founded Sierra Seeds, an educational farm and seed company in California, and serves as the Creative Director of the Indigenous Seedkeepers Network, which supports Native communities in rebuilding seed traditions and food sovereignty. Her work has brought seedkeeping into broader conversations about ecology, culture, and justice.
She teaches that seeds are living relatives and that saving, planting, and sharing them are sacred responsibilities. A central part of her work is seed rematriation, the process of returning ancestral seed varieties to their original communities of care. This practice restores relationships disrupted by colonization and affirms women’s traditional roles as seed keepers.
Rowen White’s philosophy begins with the recognition that seeds carry both biological and cultural stories. She teaches that every seed holds memory and future possibility, linking the wisdom of ancestors with the resilience of generations yet to come.
Her teachings emphasize:
Seeds as Relatives: seeds are living beings with whom humans share kinship.
Cultural Sovereignty: ancestral seed traditions strengthen Indigenous identity and resilience.
Community Seedkeeping: local networks preserve biodiversity and affirm self-determination.
Seed Rematriation: returning ancestral seeds to their original caretakers as an act of healing and renewal.
Her teachings come alive in Indigenous food sovereignty projects, community seed banks, and ceremonial plantings. Every exchange of corn, beans, or squash affirms the continuity of story and the resilience of community.
Her call to honor seeds as sacred acts as both philosophy and practice. Every time a seed is saved, planted, or returned, it carries memory into the future. Through these acts, her vision of cultural sovereignty becomes tangible.
We honor Rowen White for her leadership in Indigenous seedkeeping and her dedication to the practice of seed rematriation. Her work reminds us that seeds are more than food — they are memory, kin, and the promise of renewal.
Resources & Further Reading
Sierra Seeds: sierraseeds.org
Indigenous Seedkeepers Network: nativefoodalliance.org/seedkeepers
