NATURAL, SWEET GIFTS OF THE MAPLE SUGAR MOON
The plink plink, plink plink of maple sap dripping into metal buckets every spring sings a sweet song to Barbara Wall’s ears.
“It’s just one of those feelings, you know?” Wall asked. “After a long winter, you’ve got the warm sun on your face, and you can hear the sap drip into the buckets. It just makes me want to dance.”
Wall is a descendant of the Vieux family and is currently finishing her Ph.D. in Indigenous studies, while holding a tenure-track position in the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.
Late winter into early spring during the Maple Sugar Moon is one of her favorite times of the year. Wall bundles up and heads to the bush to tap maple trees, collect sap and transform it into ziwagmedé (syrup) and zisbakwet (maple sugar). The Nishnabé people use the thirteen moons of the seasonal cycle as guideposts, yet because of the varied ecosystems and weather conditions across Nishnabé communities, some may recognize each moon at a different time. For many, the Zisbakwtoke Gises (Maple Sugar Moon) begins on February or March’s new moon.
Maple season is more than just tapping trees for sap; read the full article to gain depth in this regional ritual learned from Indigenous people. There are also recipes and tips!
