The public is invited to the Northern Cheyenne Native Plant Traditional Uses & Plant Lore event at the Sheridan Food Forest on Aug. 31 at 5:30 pm. Enrolled members of the Northern Cheyenne tribe and educators from Chief Dull Knife College, Linwood Tall Bull and his son Randall Tall Bull, will share stories and traditional uses of some of the indigenous plants in the garden, followed by the installation of some new plants. Everyone is welcome, and refreshments will be served.
The Northern Cheyenne Garden addition to the Sheridan Food Forest is an example of an ethnobotanical garden, which can help bridge cultural gaps by allowing visitors to experience the native plants and the stories that they hold. This space will help to bring cultures together and foster understanding, as well as educate visitors about these plants that are native to the region.
Northern Cheyenne elder, ethnobotanist, and culture preservationist Linwood Tall Bull has spent over 30 years working with the tribal health programs and the elderly programs as the director of the Shoulder Blade Independent Living Center. Linwood has been a teacher of medical programs in hospitals, teaching doctors how to diagnose native patients using Indian sign language. Linwood is an active member of an ancient warrior society, whose role is to preserve traditional culture and beliefs. Linwood’s Cheyenne name is Ho’neh’eso, which means Young Wolf. He now teaches ethnobotany and other cultural courses at Chief Dull Knife College.
Randall James Tall Bull is a skilled craftsman of traditional tools, weaponry, and ancient skills. He has shared the teaching of the ethnobotany summer course at Chief Dull knife College. Randall will carry on the teachings of his father Linwood Tall Bull and grandfather William Tall Bull. He has collected artifacts for the Buffalo Trunk, which is a hands-on teaching tool that will be used by schools to bring awareness of the importance of the Buffalo and the Indian people. Randall’s Cheyenne name is H’aest’ohena’hane, which means Many Kills.
This event is made possible in part by Powder River Basin Resource Council with funding support from the Sheridan Rotary Club. Piney Island Native Plants is a partner in this event, and has grown all of the native plants in the Northern Cheyenne Garden. The Sheridan Food Forest volunteer community provides the necessary workforce to care for the Food Forest and hold educational events. The Sheridan Food Forest is located at Thorne Rider Park near the pathway.
For more information, please contact Powder River at 307-672-5809 or visit www.powderriverbasin.org.
