The Three Sisters
The Three Sisters are… • Corn (Maize) , Beans , and Squash
• These three foods are a food that’s been eaten on this land for many, many years. • Not only do they have famous legends attached to them, but they also work together in order to grow stronger. • Have you eaten one of these? How do you eat it, and what does it taste like?
Legends of the Three Sisters Legend 1: The Iroquois Legend of the Three Sisters The term “Three Sisters” emerged from the Iroquois story of how the world was created. It was said that the earth began when “Sky Woman” peered through a hole in the sky and fell through to an endless sea. The animals saw her coming, so they took the soil from the bottom of the sea and spread it onto the back of a giant turtle to provide a safe place for her to land. This “Turtle Island” is now what we call North America. Sky woman had become pregnant before she fell. When she landed, she gave birth to a daughter. When the daughter grew into a young woman, she also became pregnant (by the West wind). She died while giving birth to twin boys. Sky Woman buried her daughter in the “new earth.” From her grave grew three sacred plants—corn, beans, and squash. These plants provided food for her sons, and later, for all of humanity. These special gifts ensured the survival of the Iroquois people.
Legend 2: There once was a family of a mother, father and three sisters. The parents worked hard at providing for the family, but constantly had to beg the daughters for help. The three sisters were different from each others and also unique in their own way. The eldest was tall and slender with long, silky, shiny hair, the youngest was small but muscular and attractive, and the middle sister was average in height and a beautiful in her giving nature. Although they loved one another, they would disagree on any little thing and be distracted from doing any work. The parents tried to get the sisters to help in the garden and help with the chores, but they would always fight, and when apart they would complain about the others. The work wasn’t getting done and the parents were worried that if this kept up they wouldn’t make it through another winter. It was planting time and the work had to be done, but as usual the sisters were too busy fighting. The parents needed help, and it was given to them, but not as they imagined. As the sisters argued in the field they were transformed into three plants. The first a long, tall plant with silk tassel-like hair, the second a broad-leafed plant low to the ground, and the third a medium-height plant with gentle vines. The plants, of course, were corn, squash, and beans, the three sisters.
Legend 3 The first women and man created by the great spirit were happy with their lives on the newly formed earth. However, they became hungry and they could not fine a thing to eat. “Great Spirit!” the woman called, “We are hungry and we cannot find food- please help us!.” The man then noticed a mound of soil just as three women rose from the soil. The tallest woman had silk strings for hair, and worse yellow beads and a green coat. “Greetings, I am sister corn” she said, “Eat what I grow and you will be strong.” The second woman was smaller and thinner and she held on to Sister Corn’s waist in order to stand. “I am sister bean! Sister Corn helps me to stand and see the sun. My feel will keep the soul healthy. Eat what I grow and you will never be hungry,” The Third woman lay on the ground. She was rounder than they other two, and she had on an orange dress. He long, leaft hair covered the ground at her Sister’s feet. “I am Sister Squash” she said. “My hair protects my sister’s feet from weeds and animals. Eat what I grow and share us with your children”
The woman and man were delighted with the help giving to them, and they asked what they could do after the fruit was picked. “Give thanks to is when you pick our fruits. Give thanks when you plan our seeds again. Take care of us as we return” Sister corn replied. Then, the sisters changed from their human form into green plants. The woman and man did what the sisters told them, and they gave thanks every harvest to the sisters and the Great Spirit. They celebrated at many stages of the plat’s life, and they took joy in the care and sharing for ages to come.
The Three Sisters Stories One of the reasons there are different stories is that the stories being to different tribes. Each tribe told their story orally; this means that stories were passed on by someone sharing the story out loud to someone else, rather than it being written down. • What effect does sharing a story by telling it rather than writing it down? • See what happens when you re-tell one of these stories to someone else?
Why do the Plants Grow Well Together? Corn, bean, and squash plants really do grow much better when they are together. This is why the legends talk about them as part of a family! So why do they work well together? The corn plant is tall and strong. This means it is good for other plants to lean on. When the bean plant begins to grow, it can lean on the corn plant to help it grown stronger and taller.
The beans have a very special job: the bean plant produces something on it’s roots that makes the soil better for growing in. That’s because the roots of the bean plant have bacteria on them. This bacteria is good bacteria because it captures nitrogen from the air and puts it into the soil. This nitrogen is important as it is something the corn plant needs to grow strong, and it helps the soil help all the pants in to grow better. So, the bean plant helps its “sisters” to grow by giving them something they need to be their best.
The squash plant has very large leaves and roots that lie very near the surface. The roots protect the plants from weeds and weeds, while also protecting the roots of the other plants. The big leaves of the squash plant cover the soil, which means that the water in the soil does not evaporate in the sun, leaving the soil full of moisture. This moisture helps all three plants thrive. Together, the three sisters create a thriving eco-system for their family. This means that the people who plant, care for, and help pick the corn, beans, and squash have healthy and tasty food of their own family. This is why these plants are still so important to many native people all over America
Eating Healthy Food One of the reasons these three plants are grown is because they are not only delicious together, but they are also very healthy ! It’s important to eat healthy food so we can feel great and on the inside and outside. It gives us more energy to be more active, it helps us to have better health, and it means we can grow as well as the three sisters! Corn, beans and squash work great together in food because they us with many of the nutrients our body needs. The corn provides carbohydrates, the dried beans are rich in protein. The squash gives us both vitamins from the fruit and healthy, delicious oil from its seeds. What fruit and vegetables do you like eating?
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