
Dr. Leigh Joseph is an ethnobotanist, author, and entrepreneur from Squamish First Nation. She contributes to cultural knowledge renewal in connection to Indigenous plant and land-based relationships. Weaving together ancestral teachings and the knowledge gained through her academic career, Leigh acts as a bridge between past and present, plants and people.
Held by the Land: A Guide to Indigenous Plants for Wellness, is part narrative, part field guide and recipe book. Author and ethnobotanist Dr. Leigh Joseph provides insights from her lived experience as an Indigenous woman, her training in Western Science, and her cultural journey toward identity in this beautifully illustrated introduction to Indigenous plant knowledge.
Interviewed by Eileen Henry
Eileen Henry (EH): What inspired the idea for your book and the beautiful deck of cards?
Leigh Joseph (LJ): I was inspired by the work I have been doing with renewing Indigenous plant knowledge over the years and how much I love working with, and learning about, plants from a cultural perspective. This path has been ultimately inspired by my ancestors and the knowledge that they carried forward. I had been asked by my community as well as other Indigenous communities to write a book and provide resources to support the continued learning with Indigenous plants so the book project came at a great time. And then I had pitched the idea of the card deck to them and they were supportive of this idea. It’s so great to have the book and the card deck as the cards are a great portable option to bring on the trail with you or even use them as flash cards to practice the Squamish plant names.
EH: Can you tell us about a book or author that has greatly influenced your own work?
LJ: Robin Wall Kimmerer is an Indigenous plant scientist who has greatly inspired my own work. I absolutely love her book Braiding Sweetgrass and I find myself reflecting on the wonderful ways she weaves Indigenous knowledge together with western science and botany. I’ve also been loving Fresh Banana Leaves by Jessica Hernandez. This book is such an incredible resource for understanding the critical context for being in good relationship with plants and the land.
EH: How do you hope your work will impact your readers?
LJ: I hope that readers will feel their own love for plants and the land when they read Held by the Land. I hope it resonates and carries a message of the responsibilities we all have to be in respectful, responsible and reciprocal relationship with the land and plants. I hope that readers find some tools for building their own relationships with the land and plants and also develop some tools for finding grounding in their relationships with the natural world.
EH: I am also interested in how you developed Sḵwálwen Botanicals and what advice you have for Indigenous people who want to start their own business?
LJ: I started Sḵwálwen Botanicals as a creative outlet for my academic research with plants and I have found that the business has turned into such a source of inspiration and has helped me to make the kinds of contributions to Indigenous knowledge renewal that mean a lot to me. These have included increasing Indigenous representation, creating meaningful employment for Indigenous women in my community, giving back to the land and Indigenous communities through my business as well as providing products that are beautiful and elevated. My advice to other Indigenous people wanting to start their own business would be to follow something that you are passionate about and that brings you meaning and joy because you will need to come back to this initial place of inspiration many times as you grow your business. Entrepreneurship is a wonderful path towards making the kinds of contributions you want to make and it is very meaningful but also a lot of work.