The Three Sisters are represented by squash corn and bean and they’re an important facet of Indigenous culture and foodways. A number of Native American tribes interplanted this trio because they thrive together much like three inseparable sisters.
They’re planted in a symbiotic triad where beans are planted at the base of the corn stalks. The stalks offer climbing bean vines support as they reach for sunlight from the earth. The beans in turn pump beneficial nitrogen back into the soil fertilizing the corn and squash while the squash's broad spiny leaves protect the bean plants from predatory animals.
The Three Sisters also offer spiritual connection and appear in mythology across tribes from the Hopis of the Southwest to the Oneidas of the Midwest and the Iroquois in the Northeast.
The Iroquois believe corn beans and squash are precious gifts from the Great Spirit each watched over by one of three sisters spirits called the De-o-ha-ko or "Our Sustainers." The planting season is marked by ceremonies to honor them and a festival commemorates the first harvest of green corn on the cob. By retelling the stories and performing annual rituals Native Americans passed down the knowledge of growing using and preserving the Three Sisters through generations.
On the subject of Native Americans as well as the story of “The Three Sisters” I'd like to spread awareness about The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) which is a human-rights crisis disproportionately affecting Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States notably those in the FNMI (First Nations Métis Inuit) and Native American communities. A corresponding mass movement in the US and Canada works to raise awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls through organized marches, the building of databases, local community city council and tribal council meetings, and domestic violence trainings for police. Please follow @mmiwhoismissing to learn more find resources and spread awareness about this. Thank you. ❤