Lorén Spears Talk

Sunday, September 21st, 2025

Lorén Spears, the Executive Director of The Tomaquag Museum, shared rich examples of Indigenous arts and connection to the land with an audience at the Spiral. We were fascinated to learn that the turtle shell is known as the lunar calendar, how the beaver hydrates forests, and how strawberries are a symbol of friendship. She talked about the significance of harvest as a part of maintenance and sustainability. Society today has gotten away from the idea of the daily harvest, so we end up wasting more than we should. The model is no longer reciprocal. She spoke about honoring plants and how a plant gives its life for your life. She also expressed Nikommo, which signifies a deep, “act of sharing and redistribution” of, “possessions to express gratitude” within the community.
We are thankful for her teachings.

Acknowledgements
-Walter Berry for spearheading the event
-Stanley Spink of STSound for providing Audio Services