Indigenous Foodways with Victoria Ferguson

For the past 25 years, Victoria Ferguson has dedicated her work to uncovering and interpreting first-person accounts and archaeological evidence about the daily lives of the Yesáh (Eastern Siouan) peoples during and prior to early European colonization. She has shared her findings through written work and presentations at institutions such as Virginia Tech, Washington and Lee University, Sweet Briar College, and James Madison University, as well as at numerous archaeological conferences. Victoria has also organized lectures on a wide range of topics, including dietary health, textile craftsmanship, Indigenous matriarchy, enslaved communities of color in Virginia, soil health, and environmental justice. In 2014, she helped establish the Virginia Tech Indigenous Community Garden, where she helped preserve Yesáh heirloom seeds, which will help ensure the continuation of rare and culturally significant plant varieties. She continues to teach and mentor others in the practices of seed-keeping and heirloom stewardship.

Join us in this otherGardens special guest session as Victoria shares her insights on Indigenous foodways and seed preservation.