As a college student, it is difficult to find the time to read rich literature while battling other assignments. I struggle to incorporate leisure reading into my schedule and find books with valuable lessons. However, I recently stumbled upon an invitation to join Colgate University’s Indigenous Authors Book Club, and the first book was just what I was craving: “The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
The work is a valuable narrative exploring overconsumption, scarcity and Kimmerer goal towards a gift economy. In just over 100 pages, Kimmerer communicates how to rebuild our society and strive for unity in a digestible manner. This short story should be at the top of everyone’s reading list because it guides the reader to be conscious of others and caring.
Robin Wall Kimmerer may sound familiar because she is also the author of “Braiding Sweetgrass,” one of the most popular novels on Colgate’s campus and was Colgate’s 2021 Community Read. I was not a fan of “Braiding Sweetgrass” mainly because I thought the ideas represented within each chapter were disjointed, creating a lack of flow throughout the piece. However, I gave Kimmerer’s short narrative a chance and I was blown away. I could not put the book down. “The Serviceberry” offers a concise, polished and organized analysis of overconsumption and a gift economy. Kimmerer achieved this by providing new pieces of evidence in every chapter but kept her main points fluid and straightforward.
Kimmerer’s tale is enlightening as she attempts to redirect our society towards prosperity in two folds: saving resources for others and establishing a gift economy. She breaks down these concepts by using everyday phenomena to support her ideas. For example, Kimmerer explores how serviceberries grow as a gift from nature that humans are granted to take from. Kimmerer reinforces how her culture identifies these offerings as generous gifts from Mother Nature and that these natural resources should not be abused.
Humans tend to take more than they need and Kimmerer expresses how we need to abandon this habit to give other species the opportunity for nourishment. Leaving resources for others allows the environment to flourish and creates an awareness of what others need. Kimmerer breaks down how this human instinct of overconsumption leads to a failing society because people do not care for others in their community, as they will selfishly consume all the resources for themselves. This harmful pattern of overconsumption causes society to drift farther away from unity.
On the other hand, Kimmerer explores how developing a gift economy is essential for creating relationships and empathy for others. As an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer has become accustomed to the gift economy, which has allowed her to build valuable relationships with her neighbors by giving gifts. When someone receives a gift, the object becomes meaningful, fostering a relationship between the giver and the receiver. These relationships develop a trusting community with a foundation built on a cycle of reciprocity.
I was invested in Kimmerer’s teachings because I could use them to evaluate my actions and envision changes toward a flourishing society built on cooperation. I was drawn into her short read because it was a call to action to change our broken society, which is infested with overconsumption and lack of consideration for others. I resonate with Kimmerer’s efforts to incorporate her cultural norms to correct our corrupt society. It was an insightful read to learn about the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and how its interconnectedness led to its success. Kimmerer boasts about how her culture supports one another and relies on the cycle of reciprocity for it to thrive.
As a member of the Colgate community, Kimmerer’s narrative is a necessary read to improve Colgate’s campus unity and compassion for others. Kimmerer will teach you how to become conscious of your actions and redirect us on a pathway for community growth. Kimmerer taught me that small strides and incremental changes are what succession relies on, and we all have the power to change and flourish together if we put in the effort. Therefore, I recommend you embark on the Kimmerer’s learning journey to improve your relationships with others and shift our community to united prosperity.
Rating: 4.5/5
