For The Wild ABENA OFFEH-GYIMAH on Sacred Seed and Soil /337
Jun 21, 2023
Abena Offeh-Gyimah, founder of the BEELA Center for Indigenous Foods in Ghana, is a passionate advocate for preserving indigenous African seeds and practices. She discusses the sacred relationship between ancestral foods, seeds, and community, emphasizing their cultural and spiritual significance. Abena critiques the commercialization of seeds, arguing they should be honored rather than owned. She reflects on the importance of food sovereignty and revitalizing Native African foods, linking them to identity, biodiversity, and sustainable futures.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Ancestral Foods Connect Past and Present
- Ancestral foods connect culture, tradition, and DNA through local, sustainable foods eaten for thousands of years.
- They embody stories, spiritual connections, ecosystem knowledge, and lineage that modern food systems often erase.
Value African Foods and Farmers
- Colonialism and capitalism devalue African indigenous foods and farming, framing them as backward or poor people's food.
- African farmers must lead in valuing native foods because they hold ancestral knowledge and stewardship of land.
The Living Miracle of Seeds
- Abena’s awe at holding a baobab seed showed the miracle of life and ancestral continuity embedded in seeds.
- Seeds carry information on ecosystem, healing, and ancestral wisdom vital for life and agriculture.