Ioway tribe honors elder with traditional corn harvest

Members of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska harvested corn in early September at the Irogre Memorial Garden in White Cloud, Kansas, according to ICT. The garden was planted this spring in memory of Lance Irogre Foster, a longtime tribal historic preservation officer who died in January.

The harvest used the traditional three sisters method, planting corn, beans and squash together, and involved hand-picking, shucking and blanching the corn to preserve it for future tribal feasts. Shelby Merry, a tribal member, said the effort to avoid machinery helped participants reconnect with their ancestors and the land. Elder Reuben Ironhorse-Kent said the harvest also teaches the tribe traditional food practices and the medicinal value of homegrown foods.