The Three Sisters Garden and Indigenous Wisdom

by DANIELLE ALONSO-WYNNE.
(P’urhepecha)

Indigenous peoples have maintained an enduring connection to the homelands of their Ancestors for millennia. This intrinsic bond shapes the tradition of reciprocity, where everything—whether it be plants, animals, water, or sky—is seen as interconnected, deserving of respect and care in return for the sustenance and life it provides. For the Wampanoag, this relationship spans over 12,000 years in what is now known as Southeastern Massachusetts and parts of eastern Rhode Island.

Traditionally, like many other Indigenous communities, the Wampanoag followed a lunar calendar based on the 13 phases of the moon, which corresponded to natural events and shifting of the seasons. This calendar provided insight into weather pattern changes and the life cycle of flora and fauna, and also signaled the optimal time for hunting, gathering, fishing, growing, and harvesting. Each new moon would be welcomed in thanksgiving, as all generations gathered together to feast, dance, sing, play games, pray, and hold ceremonies. At the heart of many of these celebrations was the agricultural tradition of the Three Sisters, or corn, beans, and squash—a term derived from a Haudenosaunee teaching. Though the name honors those origins, the mutual care and cultivation of the Three Sisters were essential to sustaining Wampanoag tribes.

A Journey of Seeds and Stories

Historically, while corn, beans, and squash were integral to the cultural identity of the Wampanoag and other Nations of the Eastern Woodlands, these crops were not native to New England. Instead, they were first domesticated in southern Mexico around 10,000 years ago, then gradually spread across the Americas. Corn, central to this food system, is believed to have been introduced in our area about 8,000 years later, likely through extensive trade networks and cultural exchanges that connected Indigenous communities across vast distances. However, according to Wampanoag oral tradition, it was the crow who carried the first seeds of corn and beans from the Southwest to the People of the Dawnland. This blend of archaeological evidence and oral tradition underscores how deeply interwoven place is in the construction of identity, emphasizing the vital role of storytelling in preserving cultural knowledge.

Across Turtle Island (North America), the symbiotic relationship between people and their environment emerges as a consistent theme in oral history, exemplified by the Wampanoag spiritual worldview, which was deeply shaped by horticulture and reverence for the crow as a sacred figure. Out of deep respect, the crow was never harmed. Instead, a corn watchtower stood in the garden, where young children spent their days acting as the eyes and ears of their households. They created loud noises while playing games and tossed sticks to keep the crow at bay. During the Corn Planting Moon in May, a small offering of seed was left as a gesture of gratitude to the crow. Additionally, the Southwest came to be revered as the origin of Creation, a place the Wampanoag believed they would return to after completing their journey in this world.

As described by William Wood in his 1634 New England Prospect “…they hold the immortality of the never-dying soule, that it shall passe to the South-west… holding it to be a kinde of Paradise wherein they shall everlastingly abide, solacing themselves in fruitful odoriferous Gardens, Corne fields, green Medows, bathing their tawny hides in the coole streams of pleasant Rivers, and shelter themselves from heate and cold in the sumptuous Pallaces framed by the skills of Natures curious contrivement.”

A Garden That Sustained a People

Just as these beliefs shaped Wampanoag spiritual life, it also found tangible expression in the way corn, beans, and squash were planted together. Corn, the eldest sister, is planted first at the center of the mound, allowing her stalks to grow tall and strong to serve as a natural trellis for the pole beans. The beans and squash, the younger sisters, are planted at the base but not until the corn has grown about “a hand held high,” ensuring the stalks are sturdy enough to support the climbing vines. Beans serve as nitrogen-fixing plants, replenishing the soil with this essential nutrient that corn depletes as it grows. Without nitrogen being restored, the soil would lack the nutrients necessary to produce a bountiful harvest. Meanwhile squash’s large, spade leaves deter pests, inhibit weed growth, and trap in the mound’s moisture by shading the soil.

The agricultural pursuit of the Three Sisters shaped the way Wampanoag communities lived and thrived. As the seasons changed, families moved from their inland winter homes to coastal villages, marking the arrival of spring. Spring was celebrated as the New Year, heralded by the arrival of river herring, which played a key role in sustaining the garden. When planting fields became depleted, herring was buried in soil mounds as fertilizer, replenishing the land with essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. Being near rivers further enhanced these conditions, as the moist, well-drained soil allowed crops to thrive, and accessible groundwater supported consistent growth throughout the season. Together, these factors created the ideal conditions for companion planting, where each crop could fulfill its role in the Three Sisters System fostering mutual support and sustenance.

This intricate system of cultivation provided the stability needed for communities to settle in permanent villages, while ensuring food security for all generations and those to come. By saving seeds and passing down these agricultural practices, Native people carried the knowledge of the Three Sisters forward. Today, the reclamation of heirloom seeds and traditional ways of living off the land and water has become a powerful act of cultural revitalization, food sovereignty, and sustainability.

The Resilience of Wampanoag Stewardship

As people of First Contact, the Wampanoag way of life was drastically upended with the arrival of Europeans. From land loss and removal to assimilationist policies that stripped people of their language and heritage, one constant always remained: stewardship. Through four centuries of upheaval, the Wampanoag have maintained their deep-seated relationship with the natural world by adapting to these challenges. By preserving traditional practices like fishing for river herring in the spring and cultivating their own crops, they ensured that these lifeways would continue to sustain their communities for seven generations ahead. The enduring teachings of these traditions, particularly the Three Sisters—offer valuable lessons in sustainability, interdependence, and resilience that anyone, Native or non-Native, can apply in their own lives.

By embracing the principles embodied in the Three Sisters, we begin to see food not simply as a resource but as a living system. The practice of companion planting reminds us of the value of relationships—not only between plants, but between people and the land. These teachings invite us to rethink how we engage with the environment, urging us to prioritize reciprocity, stewardship, and community. Whether in a backyard garden or through small changes in food sourcing, applying these principles connects us to Indigenous wisdom and fosters a sense of responsibility for the land that sustains us all.

Planting Your Own Three Sisters Garden:

A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Under Father Sky’s Light: Choose a location that receives full sunlight throughout the day and has soil that drains well.

2. Shape Life-Giving Mounds: Build mounds of soil approximately the size of a pregnant belly. This shape represents life and fertility, a reminder of how these crops sustain and nurture generations. The mounds also improve soil drainage and create space for the roots to grow.

3. Plant the Eldest Sister—Corn: Begin planting in late spring, typically after the corn planting moon when the soil has warmed and there’s no longer a risk of frost. In the center of each mound, plant 4 to 6 corn seeds to honor the four directions, leaving room for growth. Corn grows tall and strong, providing the foundation for the garden.

4. Invite the Second Sister—Beans: Once the corn reaches about “a hand held high,” plant pole bean seeds in a circle around the corn. The Beans will climb the stalks, drawing strength from their elder sister while restoring nitrogen to the soil as an act of reciprocity.

5. Welcome the Third Sister—Squash: Around the outer edge of the mound, plant squash seeds. The squash, with her sprawling vines and broad leaves, will shade the soil, keeping it cool and moist while protecting the other sisters from weeds and pests.

6. Honor the Crow: According to Wampanoag tradition, the crow brought the first seeds of corn and beans to the people. To acknowledge its role as a guardian, leave an offering of seeds at planting time as a gesture of gratitude.

7. Include the Fourth Sister—Sunflowers: Plant sunflowers along the edges of your garden to attract pollinators and protect the central crops.

8. Tend with Care: Water your garden as needed and observe the relationship between each sister, keeping in mind the importance of harmony and interdependence.

In planting and tending to a Three Sisters garden, you connect with the teachings of the Wampanoag, and reflect on your role in caring for the homelands we are privileged to inhabit. You cultivate food, as well as a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between plants, people, and the land: a mutualistic relationship that has sustained communities for thousands of years and continues to do so today.

Danielle Alonso-Wynne (P’urhepecha) is an Indigenous historian at Plimoth Patuxet Museums and co-founder of Juniper and Pine Indigenous Collective, preserving cultural knowledge and promoting food sovereignty through education, including the enduring significance of Three Sisters Gardening.