Dear Maine Herbal Gathering Community,
What began as an in person event years ago to connect folks who want to learn about plant medicine continues to evolve. As a predominantly white- & cis-led event, decolonizing and unsettling our relationship to plants and the land is woven into our healing work together as a community. The past year of the pandemic has allowed for pause and reflection and has changed our lives in ways we are still processing and grieving. Our decision to forgo the option of a virtual event in 2020 and to create a printed publication allowed us to offer connection in our community in a new and different way for us. With your support and purchase of the zine we were able to donate over $400 to Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective for the Wabanaki Community Herbal Apothecary. We still have copies available for wholesale and would love it if you would like to be a distributor for the zines — email maineherbalgathering@gmail.com if so.
As 2021 unfolds, we continue to witness outbursts of white supremacy in the wider Northeast/U.S. herbal community from long-time teachers and writers, which fuels our own anti-racist learning here on Wabanaki territory. 45 Maine herbalists are taking the Woke without the Work online course and gathering (virtually) to discuss action steps–and we hope this will better inform MHG’s future in-person gatherings and projects. 2021 will be another year of pause for our in-person event but we hope you will contribute your visions for future gatherings on our feedback form. We need your volunteer support to make it happen so you can also sign-up to be notified of the next MHG meeting, happening in September, for planning next steps for 2022. In the meantime we will continue to dig into Woke without the Work as well as share updates of local herb classes & opportunities on the MHG Instagram and Facebook.
Thank you and we look forward to continuing to connect as a community!
We are excited to share with you the first volume of In Relation with Plant Beings, a zine by the Maine* Herbal Gathering Community. Inside you’ll find a variety of offerings including how to collect and use acorns, poetic writings about plants, recipes, drawings, and so much more.
The Maine Herbal Gathering Community is working to decolonize the ways we connect with plant medicine, and we will continue to foster spaces for open conversation among plant lovers on how we can better embed this work throughout our organizing & our herbal initiatives.
We hope this zine speaks to everyone who loves the plants as much as we do.
*what is now referred to as “Maine” is part of the traditional territory known as Wabanaki
Our 2020 Contributors – Marc Bubar, Steph Cesario, Christine Clark, deanna dematteo, Denise DeSpirito, Brighid Doherty, Lili Elena, Anna Goeff, aurora linnea, Heléna Melone, Alivia Moore, Willa Moore, Landon Newton, Heather Daniels Pusey, Melanie Rose Scofield, Evan Singh, Susan Staley, Suzanne Belle Stone, Henry Sweets, Jillian Twisla.
Zines are back in stock but our retail shipping is paused at this time. If you are interested in whole sale you can purchase below. Please contact us for info.
22 pages, a blank back page for notes and free shipping!
Thanks so much for your support!
Maine Herbal Gathering 