Speaker: Dave and Wendy Bray | Air Date: September 12, 2018 | Run Time: 46mins | The Native Seed Pod: Season 1
Green Corn: Change and Transmission of the Life Sustainers
This podcast episode features husband-wife team and Traditional Knowledge Holders Dave and Wendy Bray from the Seneca Nation in Western New York. Dave Bray is a traditional corn farmer and teacher and Wendy Bray a professional educator, cook, and keeper of Onëö’ gë:n, Seneca white corn. Together, and with their daughter, Kaylena Bray (who worked with The Cultural Conservancy for 5 years as the Native Foodways coordinator), they brought the gift of Onëö’ gë:n to us in 2013. In this conversation, Dave and Wendy return to the Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden in Novato, California, where TCC has been growing their beautiful corn for six seasons. After many years, they return to TCC’s corn fields, observe the changes and health of the corn, and teach Green Corn harvesting and cooking methods.
Standing in the Three Sisters Milpa Garden on a hot August day, they talk about the process of sharing their heirloom Native white corn with The Cultural Conservancy and the urban, intertribal community of Northern California, and share teachings about the many associated traditions of the Haudenosaunee Nation. The history and science of corn, green corn traditional dishes and cooking methods, the Longhouse seasonal ceremonial cycle, and the gift of the Life Sustainers are all discussed with wisdom, humility, and humor.
ABOUT Dave and Wendy
Short films by TCC featuring the Brays:
ADDITIONAL WORKS
Article “Voices of Maiz: Exploring Seeds, Knowledge, and Relationship”, Cultural Survival Quarterly, December 2016 featuring Seneca White Corn by Kaylena Bray
Article “Food with a Farmer’s Face”, Tricycle, Fall 2013 featuring the gift of White Corn to Indian Valley Organic Farm by Wendy Johnson
Article “How Bioneers and the Iroquois White Corn Project Brought Native Crops to New Markets” Bioneers Blog, January 12, 2018
CREDITS
Host/Writer/Director: Melissa K. Nelson
Producer: Sara Moncada
Co-producer: Mateo Hinojosa
Audio Editor and Engineer: Colin Farish
Assistants: Luke Reppe, Yvonne Martinez
Songs (in order of appearance):
Enrique Salmon flute, arrangement by Colin Farish
Ella Rose piano & vocal, excerpt entitled “Native Insight” by Ella Rose
Eagle Dance song, sung by Eddie Madril featuring Glen Velez (shakers), arrangement by Colin Farish
Closing song (excerpt): “Waking from the Roots” by Colin Farish featuring John Carlos Perea (flutes) from Coyote Jump (Canyon Records 2012)