Newah's Garden

Published: 2022
By Kody Farmer, excerpt from an article in the Blaine County Journal

The Newah's Garden located in the middle of the Hays Community Garden took another step forward in meeting its caretaker's long-term goal. The garden recently had five new cement benches placed around the garden inside the arbor to make it a gathering spot. Newah's Garden is under the care of dedicated volunteers. "Liz and Hillary, the MSU Extension agents, asked us three grandmothers if we would adopt it," said Joanie Racine. Racine, Tammy Werk and Lorraine Brockie are the grandmothers. "We got started late last summer so we were kind of at the end of the planting season. We basically watered what plants had survived the summer. Going into this year we were way more organized and had a plan." Culture and heritage were an integral part of the grandmother's plan. "We as native people have always been in touch with nature and mother earth. One thing we depended on for our survival and livelihood was the plants. Our ancestors didn't just go pick any plant, they knew what to pick, where to find it," said Racine. "We were all in total agreement, all three of us grandmas, because we know some things about the plants, especially the native plants, we have had knowledge passed down to us by our ancestors for thousands of years. We know when to harvest and when to plant all of it and how to preserve it after it's picked." Racine is very passionate about the garden and explains the reason for its design, "The garden is in the shape of a medicine wheel, circular, it has four colors, four directions and also is represented by four animals. We are working on including something to represent the animals, we know what needs to be put there, we are just not there yet. For example, the color for north is white and the animal is buffalo. We may choose to use a painting or something different, we just haven't decided." Racine added, "Basically the medicine wheel represents the cycle of life, everything flows in a circle. My husband Don Racine Jr. made the arbor that encompasses the garden." When they began in the spring, the grandmothers knew exactly what was going in the ground, "The plants we have in the garden now have been transplanted from the local area, they are used for medicines, foods and ceremonies and we also included herbs that aren't native," said Racine. Their mission is clear and simple, "Our goal is that it's 'Newah's Garden' and when it was being built, we included our grandchildren, they were a big part of the construction and maintenance of the garden. Our grandchildren were always included, in watering planting, and weeding. The garden is within the Hays Community Garden and so there has always been a place where people come together, we want our garden to be a gathering place a spot where people can visit, and we can educate the people about the plants, their history and their importance to our culture."