Ki, Kith & Kin
The Grammar of Animacy
“Ki” (singular) and “kin” (plural), are variants of the Anishinaabe word “aki,” meaning earthly being (Medium, 2020). In Scots, the word "kin" refers to relatives or kinsfolk, a person's family or blood relations. Kin is often used in the phrase "kith and kin" to encompass both friends and family, which we take to include our full eco-system.
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The following is an excerpt from Respect Your ‘Kin’ published by Minneapolis Institute of Art which has helped to shape our approach to co-creation and collaboration.
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In Western thinking, “subject” — namely, humankind — is imbued with personhood, agency, and moral responsibility. But “object” — the ecosystem — is not, making the latter ripe for exploitation. As Kimmerer says, “As if the land existed only for our benefit.”
In her talk, as in her book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants, Kimmerer argued that the earth and the natural world it supports are all animate beings: its waterways, forests and fields, rocks and plants, plus all creatures from fungus to falcons to elephants. As such, they deserve our care and respect.
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“Plants feed us, shelter us, clothe us, keep us warm,” she says. “Who else can take light, air, and water and give it away for free? They are models of generosity. They are our teachers." |