This week’s dose of inspiration comes from Berkeley-based world wanderer, Kana Koa Weaver and her site, Seed from Earth.
Kana gave some very impressive and inspiring answers to our 5 Creator Questions, showing that she’s not only able to plant and cultivate actual seeds, but she’s also quite capable of harvesting wisdom while she does it.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Kana Koa Weaver. I am a seed keeper, scholar, translator, educator, and a mother based in Berkeley, California.
I have traveled across Japan, Hawai’i and the US mainland collecting traditional wisdom on seeds and farming. I provide lectures and workshops on seed stewardship and traditional fermentation method (both for adults and for kids). I also write and translate about seeds and farming, and give online lectures for Japanese kids as part of the #FridaysForFuture movement, and offer tours in the Bay Area.
Other than that, I am usually gardening with my three-year-old.
How did you get started?
I was raised in downtown Tokyo, right next to a huge freeway and a contaminated river, which both smelled awful. I knew something was wrong. When I grew up, I started to learn farming in different parts of the world.
One day in the garden I felt like I was called by a seed I was holding at that moment, and I got into the world of seed stewardship.
My current passion is to pass on native seeds and traditional knowledge to future generations and to collectively remember the reciprocal relationship between human and nature.
What sets you apart?
Being a woman, a mother, a scholar, a POC, and having lived in both modern society and animistic society, all provide me with peculiar language that bridges the gap between different cultures and knowledge bases. I also focus on enjoying my process and try not to be too serious 🙂
What obstacles did you have to overcome?
I was not confident in expressing myself and communicating in foreign languages (English is my second language). I just had to practice again and again until I forgot that I used to lack confidence.
Do you have any tips for other creators?
Don’t hesitate to pursue the beauty you want to see in this world! Your creation based on your pure intention will be the biggest contribution.
P.S. Many friends of mine have been asking me where I made my website, and I’ve been spreading the word… Thanks for the great service, I love it!!!
Check out the entire Seed from Earth site, here, and be sure to keep an eye on the What’s New section to see if Kara will be appearing in your area anytime soon!
Are you ready to take Kara’s advice and stop hesitating? Building your site is like planting a seed: it starts small, but with care and cultivation it will grow overtime to become something beautiful. We can’t think of a better metaphor for how we feel people should approach building their first website, so thanks for the insightful inspiration, Kara!
