Entire generations of traditional foods, along with the knowledge needed to grow, harvest, and prepare them, are disappearing at an alarming pace.
This decline is about more than shrinking food choices; it endangers biodiversity, undermines food security, and unsettles the delicate connections among seeds, soil, and climate that have supported human communities for generations. For Indigenous peoples, seeds are not merely crops or commodities. They are living relatives that carry language, ceremony, memory, and ancestral duty: responsibilities that have long been upheld and protected by women across generations.
The documentary Kanenon:we – Original Seeds follows Indigenous women who are reclaiming their ancient roles as seed keepers, regenerating and rematriating sacred heirloom seeds after centuries of colonization disrupted traditional food systems. Through storytelling and hands-on agricultural practice, the film highlights how planting a seed can be an act of resistance, sovereignty, cultural renewal, and hope for future generations.
Spotlight producer Paul Larson speaks with filmmaker Katsitsionni Fox about the documentary. She is an artist, filmmaker and educator from the Mohawk Nation Territory of Akwesasne.
The film Kanenon:we – Original Seeds debuts Monday, March 16 at 9 pm on Mountain Lake PBS. It repeats Wednesday the 18th, at 5 pm.
Visit kanenonweoriginalseeds.com for information about the film and teacher lesson plans.
Spotlight is made possible, in part, by the Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation, dedicated to improving the quality of life for year-round residents of the Adirondack Park. Spotlight is also supported by Hill and Hollow Music.