Sweetgrass

The Guelph Turfgrass Institute (GTI) at the University of Guelph is committed to the Indigenous Initiatives Strategy (Bi-Naagwad) on campus and, in alignment with the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, we sought to take meaningful steps beyond our land acknowledgment. After extensive discussions with Indigenous community members and stakeholders on campus, and drawing inspiration from Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass, we embarked on a reciprocal learning project centered around sweetgrass. As researchers of grasses, recreational landscapes, and environmental stewardship, we are deepening our understanding of the cultural significance of sweetgrass through the wisdom shared by Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Métis Knowledge Holders and Elders.

About Sweetgrass

Sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata) is an aromatic grass native to North America. It is used in smudge, prayer, basket weaving, medicines, and beverages. This plant holds a sacred place in the cultures of many First Nations and Métis peoples. To the Anishinaabe within Ontario, it is included as one of the "Four Sacred Medicines" alongside tobacco, cedar, and sage. Its sweet scent is told to attract positive energies and purify spaces. Braided into long strands, sweetgrass is often burned in smudging ceremonies, where the smoke is used to cleanse people, objects, and places.

Informational sign for the Sweetgrass Garden at the GTI designed by Brad Howie from Manoomin Learning

Sweetgrass at the GTI

At the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, we are working on making further steps towards truth and reconciliation by taking a specific action to support the Indigenous scholars, students, and members of our community. To do this, we initiated a knowledge sharing partnership with local Elders and Knowledge Holders, which has culminated in the establishment of a sweetgrass garden bed in our Teaching Garden. 

Due to urban expansion, it is unfortunately very rare to find sweetgrass growing in its natural habitat. By growing sweetgrass at the GTI, we aim to provide a resource for the Indigenous Student Centre, Office of Indigenous Initiatives, and Nokom’s House (the Indigenous research hub in development at the University of Guelph). Furthermore, we intend to foster open communication with the traditional caretakers of this land to better understand this native grass species. Some of our mentors have provided sweetgrass plantlets from different regions across Ontario for the GTI to establish a sweetgrass stand within our Teaching Garden as a valuable resource for the Indigenous Students Centre. We hope that this part of the Teaching Garden will empower students, scholars, and community members to learn about the honourable harvest and the traditional uses of sweetgrass. Our long-term vision is to support Indigenous environmental scholarship and research with the guidance and support of our community partners. We chose to grow the sweetgrass in a planter box to ensure a clear separation from the rest of the Teaching Garden, and this avoids exposure to the inputs used on the other grasses. Sweetgrass should be grown as naturally as possible, especially if the goal is for use in smudging, ceremony, or tea.

At the start of this project, we first connected with the local Indigenous community to make sure we could act in a culturally sensitive and well-informed way. This included multiple site visits with several Knowledge Holders, soil testing, and discussions on how the sweetgrass will be maintained by the GTI staff and sustainably harvested by the Indigenous community on campus. An informational sign designed by an Indigenous educator, Brad Howie from Manoomin Learning is posted next to the garden to educate of our visitors about the cultural importance of sweetgrass. The sweetgrass garden project at the GTI began in 2022 and officially opened in fall 2024. Prior to embarking on a project involving Indigenous peoples and culturally sensitive topics, it is crucial to invest time in reflection, building relationships, and fostering community connections. We give thanks to Dan and Mary Lou Smoke, Miptoon, Maya LaRose, Sweetgrass Dan, Cidalia, Steve Winterhawk, Brad Howie, Jennifer Parkinson, Dave Skene, Sarina Perchak, Natasha Young, Cara Wehkamp, Ryan Prosser, Susan Chiblow, Mike Schiedel and the many community members who continue to engage in this ongoing conversation. This project was supported by the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Enhancement Fund.

The Many Names of Sweetgrass

Wiingashk: Learn the Ojibwe word here.

Óhonte wenserákon: This is a Mohawk word (Baez et al., 2002) for sweetgrass.

Kahentákon: Another Mohawk word used to describe sweetgrass which also translated to sweetflag. Learn the pronunciation here.

Welimahaskil: Learn the Peskotomuhkati-Wolastoqey pronunciation here.

Suwitokolasol: Another the Peskotomuhkati-Wolastoqey word for sweetgrass. Learn the pronunciation here.

Hierochloe odorata: Learn the pronunciation of the Latin genus here.

Nawęˀdawéht ogahóˀjaˀ: Cayuga. Learn the pronunciation here.

Harvesting Sweetgrass

Click above image for knowledge and story sharing from the Wolastoqew Nation (NB, QC, and ME)

Authors:
Sara Stricker, Communications and Outreach Coordinator at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute
Cara Wehkamp, Assistant Vice-President Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Guelph

This page is not yet finished! We are continually information about sweetgrass to improve this resource. If you have knowledge or stories to share, please reach out to gti@uoguelph.ca or call us at 226-971-1563.