Brandon Pounders
Native American Politics
Journal 7
5/7/25
Mathew Fletcher reflects on the enduring power of Indigenous knowledge, noting that practices
like smudging with sage have scientific backing. He emphasizes the resilience of Native
communities, particularly the Potawatomi people, who survived forced relocation and adapted to
new environments. As a law professor, he finds Western political philosophy unfamiliar but
values the opportunity to study and elevate Indigenous legal traditions. Being able to bring
these political views to light in a more digestible experience for the average person, could really
reach the general population and get their stories out there even further through this.
Robin Wall Kimmerer speaks about the deep, life-sustaining connection between humans and
the natural world. She warns against the unsustainable mindset of endless human growth and
reflects on the heavy history of colonization. She highlights how, even in times of great hardship,
nature — like nut-bearing trees — provided sustenance. Kimmerer calls for embracing
Indigenous wisdom to foster mutual care among people and with the Earth. I hope embracing
these aspects of Indigenous culture has created an even more significant community and bond
behind these traditions and ancient beliefs that more people can appreciate.
Casey v Stephens:
In this case, Casey is a prisoner of cherokee decent who still wants to practice his religious
beliefs even in prison, and they took this away from him, such as grooming tools, a medicine
bag, and a personal prayer pipe. He thought this was a violation of this first amendment right
and sought justice. I feel like if you are a prisoner, the government has the ability to limit your
rights of freedom, but not all your rights. This said, I think things like religious practices have to
be set aside when you are going to prison, because that is a right that you are losing and should
not get until you are released. It is a punishment. I agree with the court, that maintaining order
and security with what they allow and what they don’t is very important. I do not think these
itemes violated his first amendment right because they are not forcing a specific religion, just
limititing the extra things he needs to practice his. He can still believe in his religion without
these things.
Braiding Sweet Grass:
In this chapter, the author embraces the fruitfulness of corn, and the elements it takes to make
it. It is the Earth’s gift to us humans. And the traditions and generational wealth that can be
created around the crop is something extraordinary. Photosynthesis is the link between the
inorganic realm and the living world. This special process is looked at in an interesting way that
I had never thought of before. Combining Light, CO2, and Water to create something that is so
simple but so divine at the same time. She describes that the facts of the world are like a poem.
Some of these things such as Buffalo Saliva falling on the grass makes it grow taller, and
tobacco seeds germinate at the smell of smoke, I don’t know how much I really buy into these
beliefs, but certainly something cool that I did not know before, and she even exclaims that,
“isn’t this something we should all know?” Plants were the first, and so they are like our elders,
and we should listen to our elders. They have been the first for a very long time. This is correct
that without plants, we would be nothing so we have to respect and honor them in their entirety.